Aortic distensibility and extent and complexity of coronary artery disease in patients with stable hypertensive and nonhypertensive coronary artery disease

Aortic elasticity indices as predictors of coronary artery disease severity assessed by SYNTAX score

Background:

Aortic elastic properties have been related to coronary artery disease (CAD) morbidity and mortality. We aimed to assess the relation of aortic elasticity indices to the severity and complexity of CAD assessed using the SYNTAX Score (SS), evaluating which of these indices have better predictivity for CAD severity.

Materials and Methods:

We prospectively enrolled 150 individuals who underwent elective coronary angiography for suspected CAD, out of them 29 (19.3%) had normal or nonsignificant angiographic findings (Group I), whereas 121 (80.7%) had significant CAD (Group II) for whom the SS was calculated. Echo-derived aortic elasticity indices were performed for all patients.

Results:

Logistic regression analyses showed that each of aortic distensibility, stiffness index, elastic modulus, aortic strain, and aortic peak early diastolic velocity were predictors for significant CAD and further for more complex CAD as indicated by intermediate-high SS. Receiver operator characteristic curves-derived cutoff points were performed for each of the aortic elasticity indices. Along with diabetes, decreased aortic strain ≤10.2% was the only independent predictor of intermediate-high SS (odds ratio = 4.31, 95% confidence interval = 1.38–13.50, P = 0.01).

Conclusion:

Simple M-mode derived aortic elasticity indices, particularly aortic strain ≤10.2%, might predict patients with more severe and complex CAD.

Aortic Distensibility Can Predict Events in Patients With Premature Coronary Artery Disease: A Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Study

Noninvasive assessment of aortic distensibility (AD) is feasible with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). We investigated the relationship between AD (assessed by CMR) and coronary artery disease (CAD) severity (assessed by the SYNTAX score) in patients with premature CAD. We recruited 125 patients with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography (males were <55 years old and females <65 years old). We excluded patients with significant aortic disease or contraindications to CMR. We also recruited 25 age- and sex-matched healthy patients as controls. One-year follow-up was also carried out. Aortic distensibility at the aortic root (AR) and descending aorta (DA) was significantly (P < .001 for both) lower in the patient group. There was a significant negative correlation between SYNTAX score and AD at the AR (r = -0.56; P < .001) and DA (r = -0.34; P < .001), but insignificant correlation with distensibility at the ascending aorta (AA; r = -0.03; P = .81). AR, AA, and DA distensibility, as well as left ventricular ejection fraction were predictors of adverse events. The severity of CAD in young patients is associated with decreased AD, especially at the level of the AR. Aortic distensibility can predict adverse events in these patients.

The Impact of Chronic Repetitive Leg Ischemia on Left Ventricular Function and Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on left ventricular (LV) function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The medical records of the patients who were referred to Ankara Bayindir Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, due to a first episode of ACS were reviewed. Patients with concomitant PAD and CAD (group 1) were compared with those who had CAD only (group 2). The Mann-Whitney U and χ2 tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively.

RESULTS

Baseline demographic data of 53 patients with PAD + CAD (42 men and 11 women; mean age 62.5 ± 9.5 years) and a group of 60 patients with CAD only (41 men and 19 women; mean age 59.9 ± 9.8 years) were similar, except for the serum creatinine level which was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (1.32 ± 0.34 vs. 1.03 ± 0.22 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Patients with CAD + PAD had significantly higher Gensini scores (62.6 ± 19.7 vs. 41.4 ± 26.8, p = 0.004) and more 3-vessel disease than patients with CAD alone (62.2 vs. 31.6%, p < 0.045). There was a significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the LV ejection fraction at the time of the diagnosis (52.0 ± 8.2% in the CAD + PAD group and 43.7 ± 13.3% in the CAD-alone group; p = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

CAD concomitant with PAD was associated with preserved LV function at early stages of diagnosis in patients with ACS.