Irregular results on a PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) stress test imply significantly increased risk of cardiac-related deaths among diabetics, according to a study published online June 27 in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging.
The research supports the role of PET MPI for people in this population, according to a team led by Dr. Hicham Skali of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Skali's group conducted a study that included 7,061 participants, 1,966 of whom had diabetes. All patients underwent PET MPI and were followed to track adverse events such as heart attacks.
The research showed that an abnormal PET MPI was associated with increased risk of cardiac death among diabetics, Skali's team found.
"The data from the stress test among diabetic patients actually allowed us to better risk-stratify people in greater than 39% of the cases," he said in a statement released by the journal. "Patients with diabetes remain at a significantly higher risk of cardiac death compared to patients without diabetes, and the data from a stress test helps us further stratify those at greatest risk."
