Gender difference in exercise endurance and diagnostic yield of the electro cardiographic stress test in a relatively homogenous sample of Egyptian patients with clinically stable coronary artery disease

ABSTRACT

To assess gender difference in exercise endurance and diagnostic yield of ECG stress test in a relatively homogeneous sample of Egyptian patients with clinically stable coronary artery disease [CAD], 30 patients [15 males and 15 females] with stable angina pectoris and normal ventricular function and established single vessel CAD diagnosed by coronary arteriography and proved to have 75% cross sectional narrowing of the involved artery were subjected to treadmill exercise ECG stress testing using a modified Bruce protocol. Exercise-limiting symptoms, stage reached, peak heart rate [HR], peak systolic blood pressure [SBP], peak double product, percentage of target heart rate [THR], metabolic achievement [in term of metabolic equivalents "METs"], ST segment trends and endurance score [derived from the image reached and the ultimate value of METs achieved] were estimated. It was concluded that male and female patients of comparable age, BMI, severity of CAD and ventricular function depicted significant gender differences in exercise endurance, exertional chronotropic and metabolic achievement. Moreover, diagnostic ST segment shift during exercise as well as in the overall diagnostic yield of the treadmill ECG stress test in favor of the male group