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Heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. and together with cerebrovascular disease accounted for 31% of deaths in 2007. Individuals with signs and symptoms of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), the result of a chronic inflammatory process that ultimately results in progressive luminal narrowing and acute coronary syndromes, may be evaluated with a variety of tests according to prior risk. Coronary angiography is the gold standard for diagnosing obstructive CAD, but it is invasive and associated with a low but finite risk of harm. Thus, coronary angiography is recommended for patients at a high prior risk of CAD according to history, physical findings, electrocardiogram, and biomarkers of cardiac injury. For patients initially assessed at low to intermediate risk, observation and noninvasive diagnostic methods, which may include imaging methods such as coronary computed tomographic angiography, may be recommended. Nevertheless, even noninvasive imaging methods have potential risks of exposure to radiation and contrast material. In addition, coronary angiography has a relatively low yield despite risk stratification recommendations. In one study of nearly 400,000 patients without known CAD undergoing elective coronary angiography, approximately 38% were positive for obstructive CAD (using the CAD definition, stenosis of 50% or more of the diameter of the left main coronary artery or stenosis of 70% or more of the diameter of a major epicardial or branch vessel that was more than 2.0 mm in diameter; result was 41% if using the broader definition, stenosis of 50% or more in any coronary vessel). Thus, methods of improving patient risk prediction prior to diagnostic testing are needed.

A CAD classifier has been developed based on the expression levels, in whole blood samples, of 23 genes plus patient age and sex. This information is combined in an algorithm to produce a score from 1 to 40, with higher values associated with a higher likelihood of obstructive CAD. The test is marketed as Corus CAD™ (CardioDx, Inc.). The intended population is stable, nondiabetic patients suspected of CAD either because of symptoms, a high-risk history, or a recent positive or inconclusive test result by conventional methods.

The Corus CAD™ test is not a manufactured test kit and has not been reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Rather, it is a laboratory-developed test (LDT), offered by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA)-licensed CardioDx Commercial Laboratory.

Related medical policies are as follows:

• KIF6 Genotyping for Predicting Cardiovascular Risk and/or Effectiveness of Statin Therapy
• Genotyping for 9p21 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms to Predict Risk of Cardiovascular Disease or Aneurysm

The coverage guidelines outlined in the Medical Policy Manual should not be used in lieu of the Member's specific benefit plan language.

07/17/2012:  Policy reviewed; no changes.

Non-Covered Codes

This is not an all-inclusive list of non-covered procedure codes.

All codes billed for this procedure are considered investigational and not eligible for coverage. 

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