Comparison of the Value of Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography and Exercise Stress Test in the Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Normal Left Ventricle Wall Motion at Rest

Exercise stress testing, dobutamine stress echocardiography and coronary angiography were performed in 90 patients (74 males, 16 females) with suspected coronary artery disease to compare the value of dobutamine stress echocardiography and exercise stress testing for non-invasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients who do not have basal wall motion abnormality. The sensitivity and the diagnostic accuracy of dobutamine stress echocardiography were higher than that of exercise stress test (91 % and 66 %, p<0.05; 88 % and 69 %, p<0,05; respectively). This was due to the high sensitivity of dobutamine stress echocardiography in single and two-vessel coronary artery disease (85% and 54%, p<0,05; 90 % and 55 %, p<0.05; respectively). Both proved sensitive in all patients with vessel disease The difference between the spectificities dobutamine stress echocardiography (85 %) and exercise stress testing (72 %) was not statistically significant. There was concordance between the segment which showed wall motion abnormality and the stenotic vessel identified by angiography. In conclusion, dobutamine stress echocardiography is a reliable method with a high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease.