Comparison of pressure measurement, dobutamine contrast stress echocardiography and SPECT for the evaluation of intermediate coronary stenoses. The COMPRESS trial.

BACKGROUND: DSE and SPECT are two well-established methods to non-invasively investigate the functional significance of coronary artery stenoses in patients with coronary artery disease. The measurement of Fractional Flow Reserve has emerged a new invasive reference standard for lesion specific quantification of coronary artery stenoses. The objective of our prospective study was to compare sensitivity and specificity of Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography (DSE) and Single Photon Emission Computer tomography (SPECT) with the pressure derived Frational Flow Reserve (FFR) for the identification of hemodynamic relevant cororonary lesions in patients with predominantely coronary multivessel disease and angiographically intermediate stenoses. METHODS: Inclusion criteria were a coronary lesion of 50-75% diameter stenosis by visual assessment in patients with known or suspected CAD. SPECT, DSE and FFR testing was performed within one week of coronary angiography RESULTS: The study comprised 48 consecutive symptom...