Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Testing Acetylcholine Followed by Adenosine for Invasive Diagnosis of Coronary Vasomotor Disorders
Published on: February 3, 2021
The value of the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) in predicting ischaemia in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy - a
Marc J George1, Shivani A Kasbekar, Dolin Bhagawati
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.
Insights
The Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) effectively identifies reversible ischemia in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. This functional capacity assessment shows promise for risk stratification before further cardiac investigation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Functional capacity assessment aids in stratifying coronary artery disease (CAD) risk.
- The Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) evaluates daily living activities and cardiovascular fitness via a questionnaire.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the correlation between established CAD risk factors and DASI scores with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) results.
- To determine the DASI's utility in identifying reversible ischemia and its relationship with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Main Methods:
- 117 participants completed the DASI questionnaire and underwent patient history for risk factors.
- Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) was performed, analyzing reversible ischemia and resting left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
- Logistic and linear regression analyses were employed.
Main Results:
- DASI was the sole significant predictor of reversible ischemia on MPS.
- Established CAD risk factors did not show significant association with reversible ischemia.
- A non-significant trend was observed between DASI score and LVEF.
Conclusions:
- DASI shows potential as a powerful tool for CAD risk stratification before diagnostic procedures.
- Larger studies are needed to confirm DASI's predictive value and association with LVEF.
Background:
Functional capacity assessment may be a useful tool to stratify patients according to risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). The Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) is a functional assessment based on activities of daily living and cardiovascular fitness, assessed using a self-administered questionnaire.
Material And Methods:
We assessed the relationship between established clinical risk factors for CAD and the DASI with results of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS). The MPS results used in the analysis were the presence of reversible ischaemia and the resting left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). A DASI self-administered questionnaire was completed by 117 consecutive participants, and a patient history was taken to ascertain established risk factors. All participants underwent a stress test, and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy was performed. Statistical analysis consisted of logistic and linear regression using a statistical software package.
Results:
The DASI was the only factor that correlated significantly with reversible ischaemia on MPS. None of the previously established risk factors had a significant association with reversible ischaemia within the model. Our study found a potential relationship between the DASI score and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) although this was not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
Our study findings suggest that the DASI may represent a powerful tool for risk stratification prior to investigation of CAD. A further study with a larger sample size will be required to investigate the predictive value of the DASI and the association with LVEF.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:17Assessment of Diffusion and Perfusion
The Role of Diffusion in Respiration
Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In the respiratory system, this principle...