Background The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published an updated stable chest pain guideline in 2019, recommending the use of an updated pre-test probability (PTP) risk score (RS) to assess the likelihood of coronary artery disease (CAD). We sought to compare the 2019 and 2013 PTPRS in a contemporary cohort of patients. Methods 612 patients who were investigated with computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) for stable chest pain were included in a retrospective analysis. Results There were 255 patients with 2019 PTPRS 15–50% with a 9% yield of severe CAD on CTCA, compared with 402 patients and a 4% yield using the 2013 PTPRS (p = 0.01). 355 patients had a 2019 PTPRS of <15%, with 3% found to have severe CAD, compared with 67 patients and none with severe CAD using the 2013 PTPRS (p = 0.14). 336 of patients with 2019 PTPRS of <15% had a calcium score as part of the CTCA. 223 of these had a zero calcium score and only one had severe CAD. In comparison, 113 patients had a positive calcium score, and 10 (9%) had severe CAD (p < 0.001). Discussion The ESC 2019 PTPRS classifies more patients as at lower risk of CAD and hence reduces the risk overestimation associated with the 2013 PTPRS. However, in patients with a 2019 PTPRS of <15%, who would not be investigated, the use of the calcium score detected the majority of patients with significant CAD, who may benefit from secondary prevention and an associated mortality benefit as per the SCOT-Heart trial.

BackgroundThe National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2016 guidelines (CG95) recommend patients with new stable chest pain be investigated with computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA). An updated guideline (MTG32) recommended using CT fractional flow reserve (CTFFR) as a gatekeeper to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) for patients with coronary stenosis on CTCA. Subsequently, NHS England negotiated a UK-wide contract with HeartFlow, the provider of CTFFR. We describe our experience with CTFFR and consider the impact of the recent ISCHEMIA trial on these guidelines. MethodsWe prospectively collected ICA and revascularisation data on all patients undergoing CTFFR from January 2019 to March 2020. ResultsOne-hundred and twenty-five of 140 patients completed CTFFR analysis. Eighty-one patients had CTCA stenosis >50%. Thirty-six had positive CTFFR; 29 underwent ICA with 22 (75.9%) revascularised. Forty-five had negative CTFFR; 14 underwent ICA and four (28.6%) were revascularised. The average cost of investigation per patient (PP) was £971.95. Had these patients undergone ICA directly with no functional test after CTCA, the average cost would be £932.51 PP. ConclusionOur revascularisation rates suggest that CTFFR can potentially be a gatekeeper to ICA but does not necessarily yield cost savings.

No abstract

No abstract

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published an updated stable chest pain guideline in 2019. It recommends the use of an updated pre-test probability (PTP) risk score (RS) to assess the likelihood of coronary artery disease (CAD), to try and reduce the risk overestimation associated with previous risk scores. We sought to assess the performance of the 2019 PTPRS in a contemporary cohort of patients undergoing CT coronary angiography (CTCA). Furthermore, we focussed on patients with PTPRS &lt;15%, and assessed the utility of CT calcium scores as a discriminator of risk. Methods 652 patients who were investigated with CTCA for stable chest pain between January 2017 and May 2018 were included in a retrospective analysis. CTCA reported CAD degree of stenosis as normal/minimal stenosis, mild (30-50%), moderate (50-70%), or severe (&gt;70%). ESC 2019 pre-test probability risk scores were retrospectively calculated and compared. Results A total of 652 patients underwent CTCA between 01 January 2017 and 31 May 2018, of which 330 were male and 322 were female, with an average age of 55 years ±11 years. Using the ESC 2019 PTPRS there were no patients with PTPRS &gt;85%. 2 patients had PTPRS 50-85%; one patient had moderate stenosis and one mild stenosis on CTCA.  There were 267 patients with PTPRS 15-50%; 23 (9%) patients had severe CTCA stenosis, 37 (14%) a moderate stenosis, and 34 (13%) a mild stenosis. A further 379 patients had PTPRS &lt;15%; 11 (3%) had severe stenosis and 20 (5%) moderate stenosis. A further 27 (7%) patients had mild CTCA stenosis.  A total of 357 of 379 patients with PTPRS &lt;15% based on ESC 2019 had a CT calcium score. 236 patients were found to have a calcium score of zero, and 121 patients had a score greater than zero, with a range between 1 and 930. Of patients with zero calcium score, only 1 (0.4%) patient had severe stenosis, 2 (0.8%) moderate stenoses and 6 (2.5%) mild stenosis. In contrast, in patients with positive calcium scores, 10 (8%) had severe stenosis, 18 (15%) moderate stenosis, and 22 (18%) mild stenosis. Conclusions The ESC 2019 PTPRS classified this as an overall low risk cohort. The downward risk modification of PTPRS has led to a large number of patients being classified as low risk with PTPRS &lt;15%. No or deferred investigation is recommended by the ESC in this cohort. However, the use of CT calcium scores  in patients with PTPRS &lt;15%, detected the majority of patients with any degree of CAD. CT calcium scores are a simple and low cost risk modifier, and may help identify patients who may benefit from primary prevention as per SCOT-Heart. Patients with calcium score greater than zero could be investigated with CTCA.