Clinical, scintigraphic, and angiographic predictors of oxygen pulse abnormality in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Background: The oxygen (O ) pulse curve obtained at cardiopulmonary exercise testing provides information on cardiorespiratory fitness and the presence of cardiovascular disease. O pulse abnormalities have been attributed to myocardial ischemia, among other conditions, but the predictors of abnormal O pulse curves are not completely known.

Hypothesis: Perfusion abnormalities detected by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) may be associated with abnormal O pulse curves.