One-year outcomes following coronary computerized tomographic angiography for evaluation of emergency department patients with potential acute coronary syndrome.

Publication/Presentation Date

8-1-2009

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Coronary computerized tomographic angiography (CTA) has high correlation with cardiac catheterization and has been shown to be safe and cost-effective when used for rapid evaluation of low-risk chest pain patients from the emergency department (ED). The long-term outcome of patients discharged from the ED with negative coronary CTA has not been well studied.

METHODS: The authors prospectively evaluated consecutive low- to intermediate-risk patients who received coronary CTA in the ED for evaluation of a potential acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Patients with cocaine use, known cancer, and significant comorbidity reducing life expectancy and those found to have significant disease (stenosis > or = 50% or ejection fraction < 30%) were excluded. Demographics, medical and cardiac history, labs, and electrocardiogram (ECG) results were collected. Patients were followed by telephone contact and record review for 1 year. The main outcome was 1-year cardiovascular death or nonfatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

RESULTS: Of 588 patients who received coronary CTA in the ED, 481 met study criteria. They had a mean (+/-SD) age of 46.1 (+/-8.8) years, 63% were black or African American, and 60% were female. There were 53 patients (11%) rehospitalized and 51 patients (11%) who received further diagnostic testing (stress or catheterization) over the subsequent year. There was one death (0.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01% to 1.15%) with unclear etiology, no AMI (0%; 95% CI = 0 to 0.76%), and no revascularization procedures (0%; 95% CI = 0 to 0.76%) during this time period.

CONCLUSIONS: Low- to intermediate-risk patients with a Thrombosis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score of 0 to 2 who present to the ED with potential ACS and have a negative coronary CTA have a very low likelihood of cardiovascular events over the ensuing year.

Volume

16

Issue

8

First Page

693

Last Page

698

ISSN

1553-2712

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

19594460

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

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