[Comparison of the results of transesophageal electrical stimulation of the left atrium, bicycle ergometry and selective coronary angiography in diagnosing ischemic heart disease].

The clinical picture and results of bicycle ergometry and selective coronarography were compared with data obtained by esophageal electric stimulation of the left atrium in 108 patients with suspected coronary disease. It was demonstrated that esophageal left-atrial electrostimulation could be used as noninvasive load test for coronary disease. Ischemic electrocardiographic changes, induced by esophageal stimulation showed good correlation to the clinical manifestation of angina pectoris and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. The sensitivity of esophageal stimulation in the diagnosis of hemodynamically-significant coronary atherosclerosis was 82%, its specificity was 76%, the predictive value of positive results was 82%, and the predictive value of negative results, 76%, that is, essentially the same as the respective parameters of bicycle ergometry.