[Examination of the usefulness of echocardiography with dobutamine for diagnosis of coronary disease].

To assess the feasibility, safety and usefulness of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the detection of coronary artery disease we evaluated 63 patients (45 men, 18 women) with effort chest pain. All patients underwent electrocardiographic submaximal bicycle exercise testing and 2-dimensional echocardiography during dobutamine infusion. Echocardiographic dobutamine test response was considered positive when new wall motion abnormalities were observed during dobutamine infusion. Sensitivity and specificity of electrocardiographic exercise test and dobutamine stress echocardiography were assessed in 25 patients who underwent selective coronary angiography. The sensitivity and specificity of dobutamine stress echocardiography, respectively 93.3% and 83.3%, were higher than those of exercise electrocardiography. 2-dimensional echocardiography during dobutamine infusion is a well tolerated, feasible and effective test for detecting coronary artery disease.