Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease Referred for Examinations in the Era of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is the gold standard in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD), however, associated with rare but severe complications. Patients with a high pretest risk should be referred directly for ICA, whereas a noninvasive strategy is recommended in the remaining patients. In the setting of a university hospital, we investigated the pattern of diagnostic tests used in daily clinical practice. During a 1-year period, consecutive patients with new symptoms suggestive of CAD and referred for exercise stress test, coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), or ICA qualified for inclusion. The patients were followed for 1 year, and additional downstream diagnostic tests and need of coronary revascularization were registered. A total of 1,069 patients were included. A noninvasive test was the first examination in 797 patients (75%; exercise stress test in 37, CCTA in 450, and SPECT in 310), whereas 272 (25%) were referred directly to ICA. The ICA group had a significant higher pretest probability for CAD, and the percentage of patients with evidence of significant CAD was 31% (84 of 272 patients), whereas 18% (144 of 797 patients) in the noninvasive group (p <0.0001). In the comparison between CCTA and SPECT, there were no significant differences in downstream testing (16% [72 of 444 patients] vs 17% [53 of 310], p = 0.55), and revascularization rate (20% [14 of 69 patients with positive findings] vs 9% [6 of 67], p = 0.09). In conclusion, a noninvasive diagnostic test was chosen as the first test in 3 of 4 patients. Of the patients referred directly for noninvasive examination, 1/5 had significant CAD, whereas 1/3 of those for invasive examination.