Utility of a Precision Medicine Test in Elderly Adults with Symptoms Suggestive of Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is challenging in elderly adults, and current diagnostic approaches for CAD expose these individuals to risks from contrast dye and invasive procedures. DESIGN: A Registry to Evaluate Patterns of Care Associated with the Use of Corus CAD in Real World Clinical Care Settings (PRESET; NCT01677156), pragmatic clinical trial. SETTING: Community, 21 primary care practices. PARTICIPANTS: Of 566 stable, nonacute outpatients presenting with symptoms suggestive of obstructive CAD, the 176 who were aged 65 and older (median age 70, 61% female) were the current study participants. INTERVENTION: Blood-based precision medicine test, incorporating age, sex, and gene expression score (ASGES) to improve clinical decision-making and quality of care. MEASUREMENTS: Information on demographic characteristics, clinical factors, ASGES results (range 1-40; low (≤15), high (>15)), referral patterns to cardiology and advanced cardiac testing, and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) was collected in a subgroup analysis of elderly adults in the PRESET Registry. Follow-up was for 1 year after ASGES testing. RESULTS: Median ASGES was 25, and 40 (23%) participants had a low score. Clinicians referred 12.5% of participants with a low ASGES and 49.3% with a high ASGES to cardiology or advanced cardiac testing (odds ratio for referral = 0.12, P < .001, adjusted for participants demographics and clinical covariates). Higher scores were associated with greater likelihood of posttest cardiac referral. At 1-year follow-up, the incidence of a MACE or revascularization was 10% (13/136) in the high ASGES group and 0% (0/40) in the low ASGES group (P = .04). CONCLUSION: The ASGES test showed potential clinical utility in the evaluation of elderly outpatients with symptoms suggestive of obstructive CAD. Test use may reduce unnecessary referrals and the risk of procedure-related complications in individuals with low ASGES, who are unlikely to benefit from further testing, while also identifying individuals who may benefit from further cardiac evaluation and management.