Self-reported exercise activity influences the relationship between coronary computed tomography angiographic finding...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Preventive Medicine
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Exercise activity questionnaires, including single-item questions, may enhance prognostic accuracy alongside imaging.
• Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a key imaging modality for assessing coronary artery disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prognostic efficacy of exercise activity in patients undergoing CCTA.
• To determine if physical activity level predicts mortality risk in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 9772 patients who underwent CCTA between 2007 and 2020.
• Patients were stratified into four physical activity groups (no, mild, moderate, high) based on a single-item questionnaire.
• Coronary stenosis severity was categorized, and all-cause mortality was tracked over a median follow-up of 4.64 years.

Main Results:

• A significant stepwise inverse relationship was observed between exercise activity and mortality (p < 0.001).
• The no-exercise group exhibited a 3-fold higher mortality risk compared to the high-exercise group, even after adjusting for clinical factors.
• Mortality rates were inversely associated with exercise levels across all CCTA stenosis severities.

Conclusions:

• Physical activity, assessed via a simple questionnaire, is a potent inverse predictor of mortality in CCTA patients.
• High physical activity may mitigate mortality risk, even in the presence of obstructive coronary stenosis.