DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF QUESTIONNAIRES REGARDING ANGINA PECTORIS AND OESOPHAGEAL DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHEST PAIN

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Abstract
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.