Background

In patients admitted to outpatient clinics with chest pain, changes in the ST segments of ECG readings are the most widely used criteria during tredmill ECG tests to determine myocardial ischaemia, despite its poor accuracy. In this study, we evaluated the benefit of hematological parameters, particularly neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), in addition to changes in the ST segments for the detection of myocardial ischaemia with treadmill ECG testing.

Methods

Total 113 patients without a history of coronary artery disease who presented with chest pain and underwent both treadmill ECG test and coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. Peripheral venous blood samples were drawn before 1 hour to exercise ECG testing. Total and differential leukocyte counts were measured. Absolute cell counts were used in the analyses. Same analyses made 15 minutes after pick exercise.

Biochemical parameters were measured by standard methods and conventional coronary angiography was performed by standard techniques and analyzed masked to identity, clinical information, exercise ECG results. In patients with stenosis ≥50% determined visually by the consensus of two experienced cardiologists, computer-assisted quantification of luminal diameter stenosis (QCA) was performed.

Methods

Total 113 patients without a history of coronary artery disease who presented with chest pain and underwent both treadmill ECG test and coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. Peripheral venous blood samples were drawn before 1 hour to exercise ECG testing. Total and differential leukocyte counts were measured. Absolute cell counts were used in the analyses. Same analyses made 15 minutes after pick exercise.

Biochemical parameters were measured by standard methods and conventional coronary angiography was performed by standard techniques and analyzed masked to identity, clinical information, exercise ECG results. In patients with stenosis ≥50% determined visually by the consensus of two experienced cardiologists, computer-assisted quantification of luminal diameter stenosis (QCA) was performed.