Blood-based genomic test helps evaluate obstructive CAD

MOLECULAR diagnostics company, CardioDx, Inc., a specializing in cardiovascular genomics, today announced the publication of a comprehensive review of the evidence demonstrating that Corus? CAD, a blood-based gene expression test, can help clinicians accurately and safely exclude obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) as the cause of a patient's symptoms and lead to improved patient management.

The paper, available online in PLOS Currents, assessed existing peer-reviewed and published Corus CAD analytical and clinical validity as well as clinical utility data. The paper found that the extensive research supports the benefits of Corus CAD as a promising test to evaluate patients with typical and atypical symptoms suggestive of obstructive CAD.

Corus CAD is the only commercially available blood test that provides clinicians with a current-state assessment of obstructive CAD. The convenient blood test helps clinicians enhance patient care and management by optimizing the diagnostic strategy and reducing unnecessary referrals for further cardiac work-up in patients whose symptoms may not be due to a cardiac cause. Over 40,000 Corus CAD test results have been commercially delivered to clinicians.

"Inconclusive results from current noninvasive testing modalities for the diagnosis of obstructive CAD are common and may lead to unnecessary referral to invasive procedures such as coronary angiography," said Pamela S. Douglas, M.D., M.A.C.C., Ursula Geller Professor of Research in Cardiovascular Diseases, Duke University. "Only about 40 percent of patients referred for invasive angiography, the gold standard for diagnosing obstructive CAD, are estimated to have the disease, despite extensive noninvasive testing prior to the invasive angiography procedure."

Patients with suspected obstructive CAD may present with typical symptoms such as chest pain, pressure or heaviness that may radiate to the neck, shoulder, jaw, back or arm, or atypical symptoms such as sudden onset of weakness, nausea, vomiting or body aches. These atypical symptoms may occur more frequently in women, can be more difficult to diagnose and may resemble many other conditions.

Corus CAD is the only test for the assessment of obstructive CAD that accounts for the key biological differences between men and women.

"Corus CAD offers healthcare practitioners a safe, convenient, and quick method to assess a patient's likelihood of obstructive CAD," said Mark Monane, M.D., chief medical officer, CardioDx. "By accurately helping exclude obstructive CAD in symptomatic patients early in the diagnostic pathway, clinicians can reduce the amount of test overutilization in the healthcare system and help patients avoid the risks and expenses associated with cardiac testing. Corus CAD has the potential to improve a patient's overall quality and efficiency of care."

Strategically focused on coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure, CardioDx is committed to expanding patient accesNike LunarEpic Flyknit