Diagnostic value of questionnaires regarding angina pectoris and oesophageal dysfunction in patients with chest pain.

Questionnaires aimed at detecting angina pectoris and oesophageal dysfunction (OD) were used in 281 patients with central chest pain of a type which gave suspicion of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Signs of IHD were found in 208 patients (74%), 172 of whom had a positive angina pectoris questionnaire. The sensitivity of the questionnaire regarding the diagnosis of IHD was 83%, the specificity 48% and the predictive accuracy 82%. OD was found in 137 of the of the 281 patients (49%). "Do you often have heartburn" was the question which distinguished the OD and non-OD groups the best (p less than 0.001). The sensitivity of this question in detecting OD was 34%, the specificity 93% and the predictive accuracy 82%. In conclusion, the diagnostic value of the angina pectoris questionnaire was limited by a low specificity and the diagnostic value of the oesophageal questionnaire by a low sensitivity in these patients with chest pain.