Chest Pain and Heart Disease Risk: A 10-Year Study
Author Information
Author(s): Munk Estrid Muff, Nørgård Bente, Dethlefsen Claus, Gregersen Hans, Drewes Asbjørn Mohr, Funch-Jensen Peter, Sørensen Henrik Toft
Primary Institution: Aarhus University Hospital
Hypothesis
Is unexplained chest/epigastric pain in patients with normal endoscopy a predictor for ischemic heart disease and mortality?
Conclusion
Unexplained chest/epigastric pain in patients with normal endoscopy is a strong marker for ischemic heart disease and increased mortality.
Supporting Evidence
- The 10-year relative risk of hospitalization for ischemic heart disease was 1.6 for UCEP patients compared to controls.
- The 10-year mortality rate for UCEP patients was 16%, higher than the 13% for controls.
- In the first year after endoscopy, the mortality rate ratio for UCEP patients was 2.4 compared to controls.
Takeaway
If someone has chest pain but their endoscopy looks normal, they might still be at risk for heart problems and could have a higher chance of dying from certain diseases.
Methodology
The study followed 386 patients with unexplained chest pain and normal endoscopy over 10 years, comparing them to 3,793 matched controls.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of symptoms and outcomes due to reliance on administrative data.
Limitations
The study may have residual confounding due to misclassification of underlying conditions and the inability to completely rule out undiagnosed ischemic heart disease.
Participant Demographics
Patients were predominantly middle-aged, with a mean age of 46.4 years, and included 58% females.
Statistical Information
P-Value
1.6
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 1.1–2.2
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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