Key result
A simple slide test detecting moderate to severe erythrocyte aggregation (Grade C or D) identified unstable angina in patients presenting with chest pain with 59% sensitivity and 93% specificity.
Why the study?
Does a simple slide test for erythrocyte aggregability diagnose unstable angina and predict adverse outcomes in patients presenting with chest pain?
Case-Control (n=64)
Single-blind
No
Does a simple slide test for erythrocyte aggregability diagnose unstable angina and predict adverse outcomes in patients presenting with chest pain?
Absolute Event Rate: 59.4% vs 6.3%
p-value: p=0.031
A simple, inexpensive peripheral blood slide test for erythrocyte aggregability can help diagnose unstable angina and predict short-term adverse outcomes in patients presenting with chest pain.
May support slide test for unstable angina diagnosis; hypothesis-generating, requires prospective validation before practice change.
Patients presenting to the Emergency Room with chest pain pose a diagnostic challenge because of a possible acute coronary syndrome. This study was done to determine the diagnostic utility of a simple slide test for red cell aggregability in patients with chest pain and as a prognostic indicator in unstable angina. 32 patients of Unstable Angina and 32 persons with non-cardiac chest pain were included in the study. A simple slide was prepared with the peripheral blood of the subjects and stained and assessed by a pathologist and by digital photographs and grid analysis to grade red cell aggregabilty. 19 patients with Unstable Angina had Grade C or D red cell aggregation while only 2 persons with noncardiac chest pain had Grade C aggregation. Estimation of Erythrocyte Percentage from the grid images and calculation of Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve gave a best cutoff value of 60-70 with a lower EP signifying unstable angina. 8 patients with Unstable Angina and an EP <50 developed acute MI or recurrent angina. To conclude, a simple slide test of the peripheral blood helps in the initial evaluation of chest pain patients for possible unstable angina, and, further has prognostic utility in patients with unstable angina.
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Chitrapu et al. (2015) conducted a case-control in Chest pain (Unstable Angina vs Non-cardiac chest pain) (n=64). Simple slide test for erythrocyte aggregability vs. Non-cardiac chest pain was evaluated on Presence of moderate to severe (Grade C or D) erythrocyte aggregation (p=0.031). A simple slide test detecting moderate to severe erythrocyte aggregation (Grade C or D) identified unstable angina in patients presenting with chest pain with 59% sensitivity and 93% specificity.
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