Aorta unfolding index as an indicator for coronary artery disease severity

Amal Abdelsattar Sakrana1, Ahmed Abdel Khalek Abdel Razek1, Ahmed Ibrahim Bedier Abdelnaby2

  • 1Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, 68780Mansoura University Hospital, Mansoura, Egypt.

Insights

The aortic unfolding index (AUI) predicts severe coronary artery disease (CAD) independent of age. AUI ≥66 showed high sensitivity and specificity for detecting significant stenosis in patients with CAD.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Radiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • The aortic unfolding index (AUI) is a known predictor of cardiovascular events.
  • Limited research exists on the association between AUI and coronary artery disease (CAD) severity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the correlation between aortic unfolding and the severity of coronary artery disease.
  • To evaluate AUI's potential as a biomarker for CAD severity.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 115 patients with varying degrees of CAD.
  • Correlation of AUI, derived from non-contrast CT, with the Gensini score.
  • Assessment of AUI's sensitivity and specificity for detecting severe stenosis.

Main Results:

  • Aortic unfolding index (AUI) significantly correlated with CAD severity and patient age.
  • Multivariate analysis confirmed AUI as an independent predictor of severe CAD.
  • An AUI cutoff of ≥66 demonstrated 94.9% sensitivity and 81.6% specificity for severe stenosis.

Conclusions:

  • Aortic unfolding index (AUI) ≥66 is a significant predictor of severe coronary artery disease.
  • This association is independent of patient age, highlighting AUI's specific predictive value.
Abstract

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