Angina pectoris in presumably healthy middle-aged men. Validation of two questionnaire methods in making the diagnosis of angina pectoris.

In 2014 presumably healthy men aged 40-59 yr the prevalence of previously undiagnosed angina pectoris was assessed by two angina questionnaires: (1) World Health Organization Questionnaire (WHO-Q) and (2) Greater New York Health Insurance Plan Survey Questionnaire (NY-Q). The angina prevalence given by the questionnaires singly or in combination varied between 1.15 and 4.7% (lowest prevalence by the WHO-Q interview version (WHO-Qi) and highest by the WHO-Q self-administered version and the NY-Q in combination), indicating a considerable variation in prevalence with variation in criteria used. Validation of the questionnaires by means of (1) coronary angiography, and (2) follow-up in selected cases, indicated NY-Q superiority over WHO-Q in predicting the presence of coronary heart disease (CHD). WHO-Qi had a particularly low sensitivity without being more specific. However, CHD-risk factor patterns in subgroups of individuals classified as angina-positive or -negative by the respective questionnaires were similar.