International standardization of diagnostic criteria for microvascular angina

Standardization of diagnostic criteria for ischemic symptoms due to coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is needed for further investigation of patients presenting with anginal chest pain consistent with “microvascular angina” (MVA). At the annual Coronary Vasomotion Disorders International Study Group (COVADIS) Summits held in August 2014 and 2015, the following criteria were agreed upon for the investigative diagnosis of microvascular angina: (1) presence of symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischemia; (2) objective documentation of myocardial ischemia, as assessed by currently available techniques; (3) absence of obstructive CAD (< 50% coronary diameter reduction and/or fractional flow reserve (FFR) > 0.80) (4) confirmation of a reduced coronary blood flow reserve and/or inducible microvascular spasm. These standardized criteria provide an investigative structure for mechanistic, diagnostic, prognostic and clinical trial studies aimed at developing an evidence base needed for guidelines in this growing patient population. Standardized criteria will facilitate microvascular angina registries and recruitment of suitable patients into clinical trials. Mechanistic research will also benefit from the implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria for MVA.