Significance of minor electrocardiographic repolarisation changes in asymptomatic subjects.

ABSTRACT

3000 routine ECGs were screened during a 2 year period in Armed Forces personnel reporting for annual medical examination. 90 asymptomatic men with minor ST segment and T wave changes at rest were assessed by exercise ECG. 33 responded abnormally. They were subjected to coronary arteriography. 14 subjects were confirmed to have coronary artery disease (CAD). 19 subjects had a false positive response and assuming a false negative response of 2%, a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 74.3% and a positive predictive value of 42.4% is obtained for exercise ECG. A positive predictive value of 15.5% is obtained for the resting ECG.