Early symptom-limited exercise test for risk stratification in post menopausal women with unstable coronary artery disease

AIMS: The exercise test is considered less reliable in women than in men both for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. The value, however, of the exercise test might vary with the population that is examined, the way the test is performed and which exercise test variables are taken into consideration in the analysis. The aim of the study was to evaluate an early symptom-limited exercise test as a tool for risk stratification in women with unstable coronary artery disease admitted to the coronary care unit. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of the 543 women in the FRISC I study, 395 stabilized on medical treatment and performed a symptom-limited exercise test 5-8 days after inclusion. Sixteen patients with a cardiac event before the scheduled exercise test were excluded. During the 6 months follow-up 17% of the women who did not perform the exercise test and 9% of the 395 women who did, died or had a myocardial infarction (P<0.01). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the value of clinical variables and findings at the predischarge exercise test to predict cardiac events. Based on the exercise test results three risk groups were identified with an event rate of 19%, 9% and 1%, respectively. The exercise test was better than any of the tested clinical variables in predicting cardiac events. CONCLUSION: Women with unstable coronary artery disease who do not stabilize within a few days have a high event rate early during follow-up. For women who are medically stabilized, considering not only variables like ST depression and chest pain but also parameters reflecting the cardiac performance such as maximal workload and increase in rate-pressure product, an early symptom-limited exercise test is a good predictor of future cardiac events.