Prognostic value of thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease after revascularization (the Emory Angioplasty versus Surgery Trial [EAST])

Am J Cardiol. 1999 Dec 15;84(12):1369-74. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9149(99)00578-0.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between reversible thallium single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion defects at 1-year after revascularization and quantitative indexes in Emory Angioplasty versus Surgery Trial (EAST) and outcomes 3 years after revascularization in 336 patients. EAST was a randomized controlled trial assessing cardiac outcomes for angioplasty versus bypass surgery for patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. During this prospective trial, a substudy included the evaluation of the prognostic value of reversible defects on quantitative thallium SPECT. At 1-year after revascularization, 336 patients underwent SPECT thallium-201 stress myocardial perfusion and 3-hour delayed imaging. Subsequent events, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, myocardial infarction, and death, were recorded at 3 years. A stress-induced reversible thallium-201 defect was defined using a quantitative index of a reversibility score >30% and severity score >500. Reversible defects were observed more frequently in the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty than in the coronary artery bypass graft surgery treatment groups (46% vs 27%, p <0.001). A total of 123 patients had stress-induced, reversible thallium defects and more events than patients with other perfusion results (freedom from all events was 81.3% vs 94% [p <0.001], and freedom from myocardial infarction and death 88.3% vs 95.5% [p = 0.031]). Quantitative thallium SPECT at 1 year after revascularization risk stratifies patients as to their likelihood of major cardiac outcomes.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary*
  • Cause of Death
  • Coronary Artery Bypass*
  • Coronary Circulation / physiology
  • Coronary Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronary Disease / mortality
  • Coronary Disease / surgery*
  • Exercise Test
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft Occlusion, Vascular / diagnostic imaging
  • Graft Occlusion, Vascular / mortality
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnostic imaging
  • Myocardial Infarction / mortality
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnostic imaging*
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality
  • Prognosis
  • Survival Rate
  • Thallium Radioisotopes
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Substances

  • Thallium Radioisotopes