The Characteristics and Risk Factors of Treadmill Exercise Test in Patients with Myocardial Bridging

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the value of the treadmill exercise test for guiding the clinical therapy of myocardial bridging (MB) patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the treadmill exercise test (TET) results of 70 patients with MB and their electrocardiography (ECG) characteristics then evaluated the relationship between the TET results and the patients’ clinical characteristics, including sex, age, bridge length, and the degree of bridge compression. Results: There were 27 patients (38.6%) with a positive TET, 31 (44.3%) negative, and 12 (17.1%) probably positive. For positive and probably positive patients, 31 patients had ECGs that shared similar ST segments depression in II, III and avF leads with or without V4-6 segments depression. Male patients had a higher TET positive rate than female patients. No relationships were found between the bridge length, bridge compression and TET results. Additionally, no relationships were identified between hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipemia, smoking, age and TET results. Conclusions: The main ECG characteristics of patients with MB whose TET results were positive were II, III, and avF ST-T segment depression with or without V4-6 segment depression. Male patients had higher TET positive rates than female patients. No relationships were identi ed between the bridge length, bridge compression and the TET results.