Higher events rate in patients with a normal gated myocardial perfusion imaging with dipyridamole than exercise: “Run for reliability”

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this is to evaluate the negative predictive value (NPV) of a normal gated myocardial perfusion imaging (NGMPI) with exercise and dipyridamole in a propensity matched population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study conducted at Nuclear Cardiology Department of Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, Karachi from December 2008 until June 2010. A total of 809 patients with a NGMPI with adequate exercise (558/809) or dipyridamole (251/809) stress were included and followed-up for 12-30 months (mean 24 ± 3 months) for fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarctions (MI). RESULTS: Mean ejection fraction (%), end diastolic volume (ml), and end systolic volume (ml) in exercise and dipyridamole cohorts were (72 ± 08, 66 ± 11), (68 ± 13, 81 ± 17), and (19 ± 11, 26 ± 12) respectively. On follow-up, in dipyridamole cohort 2 fatal and 6 non-fatal MIs were reported. While in exercise cohort only 2 non-fatal MIs were reported. The NPV of a NGMPI with exercise was 99.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 98.93-99.96%) with an event rate of 0.3% (95% CI; 0.03-0.6%) and annualized event rate of 0.15%. The NPV of NGMPI with dipyridamole was 96.80% (95% CI; 2.2-4.3%) with an event rate of 3.2% (95% CI; 1.39-3.83%) and annualized event rate of approximately 1.6%. Event free survival for dipyridamole group was significantly lower than exercise analyzed by Log-rank test (14.509, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A NGMPI with dipyridamole stress has higher event rate (low-NPV) as compared with exercise and this raises concern over its credibility to label these patients into low-risk group.