Impact of multi-vessel vasospastic angina on cardiovascular outcome

Since clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with multi-vessel vasospastic angina (VSA) are not clear, we investigated the nature and prognosis of multi-vessel VSA in Koreans.

Among 2960 patients enrolled in the VA-KOREA (Vasospastic Angina in Korea) registry, 104 definite multi-vessel VSA patients, 163 single vessel VSA patients and 737 non-VSA patients were identified using the intracoronary ergonovine provocation test.

Multi-vessel VSA and single vessel VSA groups showed similar baseline characteristics and medical treatment on discharge, but different from the non-VSA group. The primary composite endpoint (cardiac death, acute coronary syndrome, and symptomatic new onset arrhythmia) over a 36-month follow-up period was significantly higher in the multi-vessel VSA group than in the single vessel VSA and non-VSA groups (8.7% vs. 1.8% and 1.1%, each log-rank p < 0.05, respectively). The rate of death and acute coronary syndrome of the multi-vessel VSA group was higher than in the single vessel VSA and non-VSA groups (5.8% vs. 1.2% and 0.9%, each log-rank p < 0.05, respectively). In addition, multi-vessel VSA was an independent predictor of the primary composite endpoint at 36 months (HR 8.5, 95% CI [2.6-27.2], p < 0.0001).

Patients with multi-vessel VSA had worse clinical outcomes than single vessel VSA and non-VSA groups, suggesting that the existence of multi-vessel VSA itself is highly prognostic.