Hemodynamic Characteristics of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Presenting False-Negative Exercise Stress Test

The present study was designed to clarify the characteristics of left ventricular hemodynamics and coronary arteries in patients with coronary artery disease presenting false-negative response to the Master's two-step stress test. Eighty-eight consecutive patients performed the Master's two-step stress test and had coronary angiography for evaluation of suspected or known coronary artery disease. The frequency of false-negative and true-positive responses in the Master's two-step stress test was 20% and 45%, respectively. Elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, reduced ejection fraction, and low cardiac output characterized the left ventricular hemodynamics in patients with false-negative responses, as compared with those with true-positive response. The severity and extent of coronary artery disease, as well as prior myocardial infarction, did not affect the frequency of false-negative response. This study indicates that the false-negative response to the Master's two-step test is unexpectedly frequent in coronary artery disease with severe left ventricular dysfunction. Thus, one should be careful in judging the results of the Master's two-step test in symptomatic patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.