Comparison of exercise tolerance and chest pain during exercise stress testing in three different ethnic groups

• Published in: Journal of nuclear cardiology Vol. 11; no. 4; p. S11
• Main Authors: Rodriguez, O.J, Iyer, V.N, Lue, M, Hickey, K.T, Blood, D.K, Bergmann, S.R, Bokhari, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.07.2004
• ISSN: 1071-3581; 1532-6551
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclcard.2004.06.035

Background: Exercise tolerance and exertional chest pain are important prognostic tools for assessing patients with suspected or known ischemic heart disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether exercise time and exertional chest pain differ between African Americans (AA), Caucasians (C) and Hispanics (H). Methods: We evaluated 507 patients who underwent exercise stress testing using standard Bruce protocol with normal myocardial perfusion imaging. There were149 AA (mean age 55±13, 57 males), 182 C (mean age 60±12, 96 males), and 176 H (mean age 58±12, 54 males). There were no significant differences in the 10 Yr CHD risk for the three groups using Framingham LDL risk score. Results: Exercise time differed significantly between the C and AA groups (8 min. ± 3 vs. 7min. ± 3) P=0.012 and the C and H groups (8min. ± 3 vs. 7min. ± 2) P<0.0001. The AA and H groups did not differ significantly. Predicted maximum heart rate achieved at peak exercise was significantly different in C and AA groups (94% ±11 vs. 90% ± 11) P=0.002, C and H groups (94% ±11 vs. 91% ± 12) P=0.012 and there was no significant difference in AA and H groups (90%±11 vs. 91%±12) P=NS. There was no significant difference in the exertional chest pain during stress testing between the three groups, C 23/159 (14%), AA 18/149 (12%) and H 20/156 (13%) P=NS. Conclusions: Our study shows that in patients with normal myocardial perfusion images, C have a significantly higher exercise capacity on the treadmill stress testing as compared to the other two ethnic groups. There was no significant difference in exertional chest pain between the three groups.