[Correlation between Coronary Artery Tortuosity and Stenosis in Patients with Myocardial Bridge]

Dong Xu Cai1, Jin Xi Shi1, Xin Bin Zhao1

  • 1Department of CT,the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology,Tangshan,Hebei 063000,China.

Insights

Patients with a tortuous left anterior descending artery (LAD) have a higher incidence of coronary artery stenosis. Mild tortuosity is associated with increased stenosis severity compared to non-tortuous or moderately tortuous arteries.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Radiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Myocardial bridges (MB) on the left anterior descending artery (LAD) are a known anatomical variation.
  • Vascular tortuosity is increasingly recognized as a factor influencing coronary artery disease (CAD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between LAD tortuosity and the presence and severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with MB.
  • To determine if LAD tortuosity is an independent risk factor for coronary artery stenosis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) data from 556 patients with LAD MB.
  • Patients were categorized into groups based on the presence and degree of LAD tortuosity (none, mild, moderate, severe).
  • Clinical characteristics, incidence, and severity of LAD stenosis were compared between groups.

Main Results:

  • The incidence of coronary artery stenosis was significantly higher in patients with LAD tortuosity (71.9%) compared to those without (57.6%).
  • Mild tortuosity showed a significantly higher stenosis rate (78.5%) compared to non-tortuous (57.6%) and moderate tortuosity (61.5%) groups.
  • A positive correlation was found between the degree of tortuosity and the severity of stenosis (r=0.169, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Coronary artery tortuosity, particularly mild tortuosity, is associated with a higher likelihood and severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with LAD MB.
  • Patients with non-tortuous LAD are more prone to milder stenosis, while tortuous LAD is linked to more severe stenosis.

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