Pretreatment with theophylline does not affect adenosine-induced thallium-201 myocardial imaging

Reconciling discordant myocardial perfusion imaging and coronary angiography

A common clinical conundrum presents itself in the discordance between nuclear stress testing and invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in the patient presenting with angina. A patient with an abnormal perfusion scan and "normal coronary angiography" may result in the patient's symptoms being dismissed as "non-cardiac." Alternatively, a patient with a "normal perfusion study," who nonetheless undergoes ICA and is found to have significant coronary artery disease may confound efforts to risk stratify and potentially treat patients with angina. This paper will review the current evidence to explain these apparent paradoxical scenarios.

Effect of caffeine on adenosine-induced reversible perfusion defects assessed by automated analysis

OBJECTIVES

This prospective study investigated the effects of caffeine ingestion on the extent of adenosine-induced perfusion abnormalities during myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).

METHODS

Thirty patients with inducible perfusion abnormalities on standard (caffeineabstinent) adenosine MPI underwent repeat testing with supplementary coffee intake. Baseline and test MPIs were assessed for stress percent defect, rest percent defect, and percent defect reversibility. Plasma levels of caffeine and metabolites were assessed on both occasions and correlated with MPI findings.

RESULTS

Despite significant increases in caffeine [mean difference 3,106 μg/L (95% CI 2,460 to 3,752 μg/L; P < .001)] and metabolite concentrations over a wide range, there was no statistically significant change in stress percent defect and percent defect reversibility between the baseline and test scans. The increase in caffeine concentration between the baseline and the test phases did not affect percent defect reversibility (average change -0.003 for every 100 μg/L increase; 95% CI -0.17 to 0.16; P = .97).

CONCLUSION

There was no significant relationship between the extent of adenosine-induced coronary flow heterogeneity and the serum concentration of caffeine or its principal metabolites. Hence, the stringent requirements for prolonged abstinence from caffeine before adenosine MPI - based on limited studies - appear ill-founded.

Effect of Caffeine on Ischemia Detection by Adenosine Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Perfusion Imaging

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this research was to study the effect of one cup of coffee taken 1 h before adenosine stress on the results of myocardial perfusion imaging.

BACKGROUND

Caffeine is believed to attenuate the coronary hyperemic response to adenosine by competitive blockade of the A2a receptor. Caffeine is commonly withheld before adenosine single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion imaging so as not to mask ischemia detection.

METHODS

We studied the effect of one 8-oz cup of coffee taken 1 h before adenosine stress in patients who had demonstrable reversible defects on adenosine SPECT perfusion imaging performed while off caffeine.

RESULTS

There were 22 men and 8 women, age 64 +/- 9 years. The blood level of caffeine 1 h after intake was 3.1 +/- 1.6 mg/l. There were two patients with ST-segment depression before and one after caffeine intake (p = NS). The summed stress score (SSS) based on 17 segments (scale of 0 to 3, 3 being normal) was 44 +/- 5 before and 45 +/- 5 after caffeine (p = NS). The summed difference score was 3.8 +/- 1.9 before and. 3.9 +/- 2.3 after caffeine (p = NS), reflecting that around 50% of the perfusion abnormality was reversible before and after caffeine. Using polar maps, the perfusion abnormality was 12 +/- 10% at baseline and 12 +/- 10% after caffeine (p = NS) in agreement with SSS. The left ventricular ejection fraction by gated SPECT was 50 +/- 13% at baseline and 51 +/- 13 % after caffeine (p = NS).

CONCLUSIONS

A cup of coffee does not mask the presence or severity of reversible defects induced by adenosine SPECT imaging.

Acute beta-blockade reduces the extent and severity of myocardial perfusion defects with dipyridamole Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT imaging

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of acute beta-blockade on dipyridamole Tc-99m sestamibi myocardial perfusion imaging (DMPI).

BACKGROUND

Studies suggest that antianginal drugs may reduce the presence and severity of myocardial perfusion defects with dipyridamole stress. However, there are no data regarding specific drugs.

METHODS

Patients with catheterization-proven coronary artery disease (CAD) were enrolled in this prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and randomly assigned to DMPI after placebo, low-dose metoprolol (up to 10 mg), and high-dose metoprolol (up to 20 mg). Patients underwent one Tc-99m sestamibi study at rest on a separate day. The interval between DMPI studies was <or=14 days. Images were interpreted by three observers blinded to clinical data using a 17-segment, five-point model. For each image, a summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS), and summed difference score (SDS) were calculated (SDS = SSS - SRS). Images with an SSS <4 were considered normal.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients completed all four Tc-99m sestamibi studies. The sensitivity of DMPI for detection of CAD was 85.7% with placebo versus 71.4% with low- and high-dose metoprolol. In comparison with placebo, the SSS was significantly lower (p < 0.05) with low- and high-dose metoprolol (12.0 +/- 10.1 vs. 8.7 +/- 9.0 and 9.3 +/- 10.6, respectively). The SDS also was significantly lower (8.4 +/- 8.8 with placebo vs. 5.0 +/- 6.7 [p < 0.001] and 5.4 +/- 7.9 [p < 0.01] with low- and high-dose metoprolol, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence and severity of CAD may be underestimated in patients receiving beta-blocker therapy undergoing dipyridamole stress myocardial perfusion imaging.