Prediction of coronary artery disease using pulse wave velocity and retinal artery lesions

Retinal changes in patients with angina pectoris and anginal equivalents: a study of patients with normal coronary angiography

Background and aims. Approximately 10-30% of the patients with typical symptoms of angina pectoris have normal angiography showing normal macrovasculature. In these patients, however, the microvascular problems should be monitored. Hence, the main aim of this study is to evaluate retinal changes in normal angiographic patients.Methods. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 60 normal angiographic patients with typical chest pain or anginal equivalents visiting Modarres Hospital Cardiology Research Center between 2018 and 2019 were enrolled and retinal changes were determined in Labbafinejad Hospital by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography using Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ), Superficial Vascular Density (SVD), and Deep Vascular Density (DVD).Results. The results of this study demonstrated that FAZ was normal in all subjects, but SVD and DVD were abnormal in 45% and 8.3%, respectively. Totally, 18.5% and 66.7% showed abnormal SVD among stable angina (SA) and unstable angina (UA) cases, respectively (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between abnormal DVD in SA and UA cases (P = 0.058). Abnormal SVD was significantly more common among diabetic patients (P < 0.001), while DVD was not related to diabetes presence in the study population (P > 0.05). Moreover, abnormal SVD was more common among patients with chest pain (P = 0.036), while there was no significant difference for DVD (P = 0.371). Interestingly, abnormal ECG was associated with both abnormal DVD and SVD.Conclusions. The results of this study showed that nearly half of the patients with angina pectoris or anginal equivalents who revealed normal angiographic findings may suffer from retinal changes. Thus, retinal assessment is needed in these patients to evaluate microvascular changes.

Association between Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity and Microalbuminuria and to Predict the Risk for the Development of Microalbuminuria Using Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity Measurement in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) provides a useful means of assessing cardiovascular events and diabetic complications. However, the nature of associations between baPWV and microalbuminuria (MAU) and its presence in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) have rarely been investigated. This study aimed to examine the association between baPWV and MAU coupled with prediction of MAU using baPWV measurement among Type 2 DM patients. In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 424 Type 2 DM patients who visited the cardiology and endocrinology department at a tertiary level health care facility, Republic of Korea between 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008. Clinical and laboratory data were collected, and risk factors associated with MAU and prediction of risk for the development of MAU using baPWV measurement. The association between MAU and baPWV was examined using multivariable logistic regression analysis and predicted MAU by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Of the 424 Type 2 DM patients, 93 (21.9%) had MAU (20-200 μg/min). baPWV (cm/sec) was found to be significantly correlated with MAU levels (ug/min) (r = 0.791, p < 0.001). Further, baPWV was significantly associated MAU with higher odds ratio (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 10.899; 95% confidence interval (CI) (4.518-26.292)). Similarly, smoking (AOR 10.899; 95% CI (4.518-26.292)), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (mg/dL) (AOR 1.017; 95% CI (1.001-1.033)) were also significantly associated with MAU. The appropriate cut-off value for baPWV to predict MAU 20 μg/min in our study was 1700 cm/sec (area under ROC curve = 0.976). This study shows that baPWV, cigarette smoking, and LDL-cholesterol are associated with MAU in Type 2 DM patients and suggests that a baPWV cut-off of 1700 cm/sec could be used to predict the presence of MAU (20 μg/min) in Type 2 DM patients in the Korean community.

Retinal artery lesions and long-term outcome in Chinese patients with acute coronary syndrome

Objective

To investigate the relationship between staging of retinal artery lesions and the prognosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a Chinese population.

Methods

A total of 436 Chinese patients with ACS underwent coronary angiography and the eyes fundus examinations. All the patients were divided into three groups: group 1, no retinal artery lesions (n=111); group 2, retinal artery lesions of <Stage 2 (Stage 1—a broadening of the light reflex from the artery can be seen, with minimal or no arteriovenous compression; n=135); and group 3, retinal artery lesions of ≥Stage 2 (Stage 2—the changes similar to those in Stage 1, but more prominent, Stage 3—the arteries have a ‘copper wire' appearance and this is much more arteriovenous compression, and Stage 4—the arteries have a ‘silver wire' appearance and the arteriovenous crossing changes are more severe; n=190). The endpoints were main adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), including all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke after 3–6 years of follow-up.

Results

There was no significant differences of the baseline data among the three groups. After 3–6 years of follow-up, we found that patients of group 3 had more MACCE and death than those of the group 1 or group 2. Cox regression analysis found that factors related to the prognosis of ACS was staging of retinal artery lesions (P<0.05) in addition to traditional risk factors such as age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.

Conclusion

Staging of retinal artery lesions plays an important role in the long-term outcome of patients with ACS.

A histological investigation into the correlation of central retinal artery atherosclerosis with the systemic circulation

Current research suggests that retinal arterial changes such as arteriovenous nicking and arterial narrowing are pathologically distinct from atherosclerosis. Other studies have found a positive correlation between retinal changes and systemic atherosclerosis. However, limited recent histopathologic evidence assessing atherosclerosis in the central retinal artery exists. We investigated atherosclerosis in the central retinal artery and how it correlates to atherosclerosis in the carotid and coronary arteries. Twenty-two cadavers (12 males, 10 females) were dissected, obtaining one orbit, one carotid artery, and one coronary artery from each. The specimens were sectioned and stained for histologic analysis by light microscopy using hematoxylin and eosin, Verhoeff's elastic, and Gomori's trichrome stains. The degree of atherosclerosis was graded from absent, or I (least severe) to VIII (most severe) based on the current American Heart Association guidelines. Atherosclerotic changes were present in the central retinal, coronary, and carotid arteries. A positive correlation was found between the central retinal artery and the carotid artery (r = 0.23, P = 0.15), the central retinal artery and the coronary artery (r = 0.31, P = 0.08), and the carotid artery and the coronary artery (r = 0.45, P = 0.02). The presence of low-grade atherosclerosis in the central retinal artery is prevalent in a population of advanced vascular disease. However, central retinal artery atherosclerotic lesion severity is poorly correlated with disease severity in the carotid and coronary arteries.