Duration of treadmill exercise testing combined with QRS score predicts adverse cardiac outcome at long-term follow-up.
Michaelides AP., Andrikopoulos GK., Antoniades C., Soulis D., Tzeis S., Hatzistamatiou E., Tzannos K., Fourlas C., Seferlis C., Stefanadis CI.
OBJECTIVE: Total exercise duration and abnormal QRS score values are treadmill exercise testing (TET) prognostic parameters that have been shown to be significantly and independently associated with cardiac mortality. We evaluated the prognostic value of a new index (M score, Michaelides score) incorporating TET duration and QRS score values in a simple index. METHODS: In this study, we included 626 patients, who underwent TET and coronary arteriography. Cardiac catheterization showed the presence of coronary artery disease in 64.3% of these patients. The M score was calculated by adding the value of the Athens QRS score to the duration of TET (in minutes). The outcome measure was a composite of myocardial infarction or death. Patients were prospectively followed for 38+/-21 months (median 36 months). RESULTS: The composite endpoint was more frequent among the patients of the 1st quartile (M-score values