A NEGATIVE EXERCISE OR DOBUTAMINE STRESS ECHO IS ASSOCIATED WITH A
FAVOURABLE PROGNOSIS FOR ISCHAEMIC CARDIAC EVENTS AT 5 YEAR FOLLOWUP P.W. Purnell*, A.J. Black, A.F. Appelbe Department Of Cardiology, The Geelong
Hospital, Geelong, Victoria Background: Exercise and dobutamine stress
echocardiography are well validated diagnostic tests for the assessment of
coronary artery disease in heterogeneous populations. Less is known of the
medium and longterm outcome of patients with a negative stress echo result. Methods: Retrospective follow-up of 126 consecutive
patients with a negative exercise or dobutamine stress echo tested between
5/7/1993 and 29/9/1994 was performed via phone interview and crosschecked with
hospital and cardiology department records and death certificates. Events
recorded were all deaths, cardiac deaths (CD), myocardial infarction (MI),
coronary artery revascularisation procedures (Revasc) and admissions to
hospital with unstable angina (UA). Results: Follow-up was available in 120 of 126
(95.2%) of patients with a median follow-up of 62.7 months. 58 were male, and the mean age of the group
was 65.4 years at the time of the stress echo.
At 5 years follow-up, actuarial freedom from CD (±SEE) was
94.0±2.3%. Freedom from CD/MI was 92.1±2.7%,
CD/MI/Revasc 81.6±4.1% and CD/MI/Revasc/UA 79.8±4.4%. Conclusion: A negative exercise or dobutamine stress
echo is associated with a low cardiac event rate up to 5 years in a
heterogeneous population.
