ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of transesophageal dobutamine stress echocardiography (TEDSE), to identify patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Patients referred for TEDSE with coronary angiography were included. Images were digitized in systolic cine-loop at baseline, with low dose-dobutamine (14.4 +/- 5 micrograms/kg/min), with high dose-dobutamine (28.7 +/- 10.5 micrograms/kg/min) and during recovery, and then analyzed by two observers. The left ventricle was divided into 16 segments according to coronary distribution, and the study was considered abnormal if there was a new or worsening of the segmental wall motion abnormality. Quantitative coronary angiographies were independently assessed, and lesions considered significant if they had > or = 70 diameter stenosis. RESULTS: Sixty eight patients were included. TEDSE sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 93, 89.7, and 91.1, respectively. TEDSE correctly detected 7/7 single vessel disease and 20/22 multiple vessel disease patients. Twelve-lead ECG had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 38.3, 91.8, and 74.5 respectively, to detect the same lesions. CONCLUSIONS: TEDSE is feasible, safe, sensitive, and specific to detect significant coronary lesions. It should be considered in patients with suboptimal acoustic window or poor visualization of endocardial borders.