This prospective study shows that a ST-segment depression of 0.1 mV or more in the exercise electrocardiogram is an independent predictor of perioperative cardiac complications.

Noninvasive cardiokymography has been further developed to be able to record wall motion abnormalities during exercise. The study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of stress cardiokymography and electrocardiography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. 223 patients were included in a prospective investigation using a newly developed computerized cardiokymography device. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were 61, 69 and 90% for exercise cardiokymography, and 57, 74 and 91% for exercise electrocardiography, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between cardiokymography and electrocardiography. The combination of electrocardiography and cardiokymography did not produce a significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy in comparison to exercise electrocardiography alone.