ABSTRACT
Background: Noninvasive imaging methods, either anatomical or functional tests, serve as essential instruments for the appropriate management of patients with established or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) plus stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (S-CMR) strategy in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). Methods: Patients with suspected CCS showing intermediate coronary plaques (stenosis 30-70%) at CCTA underwent S-CMR. Patients with a positive S-CMR were referred to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) plus instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR), and myocardial revascularization if recommended. All patients received guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), including high-dose statins, regardless of myocardial revascularization. The primary endpoint was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and unplanned revascularization. Results: According to the results of CCTA, 62 patients showing intermediate coronary plaques underwent S-CMR, which was positive for a myocardial perfusion deficit in n = 17 (27%) and negative in n = 45 (73%) patients. According to the results of ICA plus iFR, revascularization was performed in 13 patients. No differences in the primary endpoint between the positive and negative S-CMR groups were observed at 1 year (1 [5.9%] vs. 1 [2.2%], p = 0.485) and after a median of 33.4 months (2 [11.8%] vs. 3 [6.7%]; p = 0.605). Conclusions: Our study suggests that a CCTA plus S-CMR strategy is effective for the evaluation of patients with suspicion of CCS at low-intermediate risk, and it may help to refine the selection of patients with intermediate coronary plaques at CCTA needing coronary revascularization.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recently, NICE guidelines recommend the use of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) as the first line of investigation for new onset chest pain. We sought to evaluate the impact of the integration of CTA in the diagnostic workup, as either a first- or second-line of investigation, in the clinical practice for patients presenting with new onset chest pain, with suspicion that it may be due to coronary artery disease (CAD). METHOD AND RESULTS: From 2014 to 2016, 208 outpatients (mean age 63.8 ± 12.7, 37% female) with an unknown CAD diagnosis were evaluated. About half (n=106, 51%) received usual testing care plus CTA as a second-line investigation (group A), while the other half (n=102, 49%) received CTA as a first-line investigation (group B). Care decisions and test interpretations were made by the attending physician. Obstructive CAD (O-CAD) was defined as >50% stenosis in the principal branch. As determined by CTA, the rates of CAD in group A vs. group B were the following (P=0.001): 31.1% vs. 27.4% for normal/minimal CAD; 42.5% vs. 63.7% for no O-CAD; and 26.4% vs. 8.8% with O-CAD. Based on a diagnostic result of no O-CAD, invasive angiography was cancelled in 42.6% (n=45) of group A patients, and additional functional tests were cancelled for the same reason in 63.7% (n=65) of group B patients, without adverse events at median 3-year. The average diagnostic cost for patients in our study was lower in group B (206 vs. 324.42 euro; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In clinical practice, CTA, as a first- or second-line investigation, most commonly detected no O-CAD in new onset chest pain patients, leading us to safely avoid unnecessary ICA or additional functional tests. The use of CTA as a first-line investigation also appears to be cost saving, but its cost-effectiveness remains to be demonstrated in larger studies.
