CAD Consortium Score: Comprehensive Explanation and Clinical Context
The CAD Consortium Score is a validated clinical tool developed to estimate the pre-test probability of obstructive coronary artery disease (>50% stenosis in at least one major epicardial vessel) in patients with stable chest pain.
It replaces older prediction models such as the Diamond–Forrester model, which consistently overestimated risk in the modern era.
Model Components
The CAD Consortium Clinical Model integrates eight predictors: age, sex, chest pain type, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking status.
It generates a patient-specific probability that can be used to decide whether further testing (such as CT coronary angiography) is warranted.
Interpretation
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<5%: Low risk → No further testing; focus on prevention.
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5–15%: Borderline risk → Consider CTCA if symptoms persist.
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15–50%: Intermediate risk → CTCA recommended.
- >50%: High risk → Consider invasive angiography or aggressive management.
Clinical Significance
Using the CAD Consortium Score allows for a more individualized, evidence-based evaluation of chest pain, minimizing unnecessary invasive testing and improving patient outcomes.
It is endorsed by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the assessment of stable coronary syndromes.
References:
1.
Genders TSS et al. A clinical prediction rule for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: validation and update of the Diamond–Forrester model. Eur Heart J. 2011;32(11):1316–1330.
2.
Genders TSS et al. Prediction model to estimate presence of coronary artery disease: a pooled analysis of existing cohorts. BMJ. 2012;344:e3485.
3.
ESC 2019 Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Coronary Syndromes. Eur Heart J. 2020;41(3):407–477.
4.
Adamson PD et al. CAD Consortium models for stable chest pain: diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(25):2401–2408.