147 Deriving Coronary Artery Calcium Scores from CT Coronary Angiography: A Potential for Change to the UK Nice Guidelines on Stable Chest Pain

Abstract The UK National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated chest pain guidelines in 2016 and recommended CT coronary angiography (CTCA) as the first line investigation for all patients presenting with new stable chest pain and the removal of the pre-test probability risk scoring. There is a concern that using CTCA in populations with higher likelihood of coronary artery disease (CAD), can lead to higher rates of downstream testing with invasive coronary angiography (ICA). We implemented the NICE 2016 guideline and audited the downstream testing after CTCA. We also evaluated the performance of the ESC risk score (ESC RS). Methods We undertook a retrospective search of the radiology database from January 2017 to June 2018. CTCA reported CAD degree of stenosis as normal/minimal stenosis, mild (30-50%), moderate (50-70%), or severe (>70%). Results In total 652 patients underwent CTCA (mean age 55 yrs; 330 male). 92 patients were found to have moderate or severe stenosis. 69 of them were referred directly to ICA, with 63 undergoing ICA and confirming severe CAD in 40 patients, a yield of 63%. 18 patients with moderate stenosis were referred for stress echo (SE) with one positive result. In total 35 patients went on to be revascularised. 62 patients were found to have mild stenosis. The majority of patients (n = 462) had normal/minimal stenosis. There were 36 inconclusive studies. The ESC RS was calculated retrospectively with the following results: 70 patients had an ESC RS <15% and 2 (3%) were found to have moderate stenosis. 427 patients had an ESC RS 15-50%; 17 (4%) had severe stenosis and 32 (8%) moderate stenosis. 149 patients had an ESC RS 50-85%; 17 (11%) were found to have severe stenosis and 23 (15%) moderate stenosis. Lastly 2 patients had an ESC RS >85% and one had moderate stenosis. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that CTCA is an effective first line test for most patients with new stable chest pain as the majority were found to have normal/minimal disease. In the patients that went on to have ICA, CTCA had a relatively high yield of detecting severe CAD (63%). This was achieved with some use of SE as a gatekeeper to ICA, particularly in patients with moderate CTCA stenosis. SE should be used more after CTCA in patients with moderate stenosis, as a gatekeeper to ICA. The ESC RS was predictive of significant CAD but overestimated the likelihood of CAD. Abstract P1589 Figure. Severe CTCA stenosis of the LAD

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Downstream testing after CT coronary angiography: time for a rethink?

Open Heart ◽

10.1136/openhrt-2021-001597 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. e001597

Author(s):

Gareth Morgan-Hughes ◽

Michelle Claire Williams ◽

Margaret Loudon ◽

Carl A Roobottom ◽

Alice Veitch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coronary Artery Disease ◽

Chest Pain ◽

Coronary Artery ◽

Coronary Angiography ◽

Communication Systems ◽

Ct Coronary Angiography ◽

Second Line ◽

Recent Onset ◽

Line Test ◽

Artery Disease

ObjectiveWe surveyed UK practice and compliance with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) ‘recent-onset chest pain’ guidance (Clinical Guideline 95, 2016) as a service quality initiative. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility and efficacy of CT coronary angiography (CTCA), NICE-guided investigation compliance, invasive coronary angiography (ICA) use and revascularisation.MethodsA prospective analysis was conducted in nine UK centres between January 2018 and March 2020. The reporter decided whether the CTCA was diagnostic. Coronary artery disease was recorded with the Coronary Artery Disease–Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS). Local electronic records and picture archiving/communication systems were used to collect data regarding functional testing, ICA and revascularisation. Duplication of coronary angiography without revascularisation was taken as a surrogate for ICA overuse.Results5293 patients (mean age, 57±12 years; body mass index, 29±6 kg/m²; 50% men) underwent CTCA, with a 96% diagnostic scan rate. 618 (12%) underwent ICA, of which 48% (298/618) did not receive revascularisation. 3886 (73%) had CAD-RADS 0–2, with 1% (35/3886) undergoing ICA, of which 94% (33/35) received ICA as a second-line test. 547 (10%) had CAD-RADS 3, with 23% (125/547) undergoing ICA, of which 88% (110/125) chose ICA as a second-line test, with 26% (33/125) leading to revascularisation. For 552 (10%) CAD-RADS 4 and 91 (2%) CAD-RADS 5 patients, ICA revascularisation rates were 64% (221/345) and 74% (46/62), respectively.ConclusionsWhile CTCA for recent-onset chest pain assessment has been shown to be a robust test, which negates the need for further investigation in three-quarters of patients, subsequent ICA overuse remains with almost half of these procedures not leading to revascularisation.

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