Holter recording during treadmill testing in assessing myocardial ischemic changes.

One hundred forty-four patients underwent a Bruce protocol treadmill exercise test during which an electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded simultaneously with a 2-channel Holter recorder with bipolar V3- and V5-like leads and by a conventional 12-lead system. Sixty-eight patients had no ST depression on either the Holter or on the 12-lead ECG during the exercise test, whereas in 70 patients ischemic changes were recorded by both methods; thus, in 138 of the 144 patients (96%), the results of the 2 tests were concordant. The severity of ST depression, as judged by the heart rate at which ischemic changes were first noted and the maximal ST depression observed, were similar on both recording systems. The Holter system identified 6 of the 7 patients whose ischemic changes were confined to the inferior wall on the 12-lead ECG. The addition of the V3 lead as a second ischemic lead increased the ischemia detection by 10%. Ninety-five patients also underwent coronary arteriography. In these patients the sensitivity of the Holter system during exercise in detecting significant coronary artery disease was 81% and that of 12-lead ECG was 84%, the specificity was 85% and 85%, respectively, and the positive predictive value 91% and 91%, respectively. Thus, the 2-channel Holter recording system with bipolar V3- and V5-like leads was as accurate as the 12-lead system in detecting ischemic changes during exercise and proved that ambulatory monitoring system can reliably reproduce ST segment.