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Published on: May 3, 2018
Arterial Stiffness Index as an Indicator of Coronary Artery Disease Presence and Severity
Haihua Ye1,2, Dingguo Zhang3
1Department of Geratology, Nanjing Central Hospital, No. 300, Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Insights
Arterial Stiffness Index (ASI) accurately assesses coronary artery disease (CAD) severity and endothelial function. Higher ASI levels correlate with increased CAD risk, showing its value in clinical assessment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Arterial Stiffness Index (ASI) is a key metric for evaluating arterial endothelial function and predicting cardiovascular disease.
- This study validates ASI as a non-invasive tool for assessing atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the Arterial Stiffness Index (ASI) as a non-invasive clinical assessment tool for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD).
- To evaluate the association between ASI and CAD severity, as determined by SYN-TAX scores (SXscore).
Main Methods:
- A retrospective observational study of 396 patients undergoing coronary angiography.
- ASI was measured using the CardioVision MS-2000 system; SYN-TAX scores (SXscore) were calculated to assess CAD severity.
- Patients were grouped by SXscore: low (<22) and intermediate-high (≥ 22).
Main Results:
- ASI was significantly higher in CAD patients (120.82 ± 76.26 mmHg×10) versus non-CAD patients (56.60 ± 35.89 mmHg×10; p < 0.01).
- ASI showed a significant independent association with CAD (OR: 1.031; p < 0.0001) and intermediate-high SXscore (aOR: 1.027; p < 0.0001).
- ASI demonstrated 59% sensitivity and 90% specificity for detecting CAD.
Conclusions:
- The Arterial Stiffness Index (ASI) accurately reflects arterial elastic function.
- ASI provides valuable information regarding the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Introduction:
The arterial stiffness index (ASI) is a widely recognized metric used to assess arterial endothelial function and predict cardiovascular issues. This study has validated ASI as a non-invasive clinical assessment tool for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective, observational study involving 396 patients undergoing coronary angiography. ASI was measured using the CardioVision MS-2000 system, and the SYNTAX scores (SXscore) were computed to evaluate CAD severity. Patients were divided into two groups according to the SXscore: low SXscore (<22) and intermediate-high SXscore (≥ 22).
Results:
In total, 257 (64.9 %) patients had CAD, of whom 166 (64.6%) had low (<22), 75(29.2%) had intermediate (23-32), and 16 (6.2%) had high (≥ 33) SXscore. ASI was significantly higher in CAD patients (120.82 ± 76.26 mmHgx10) compared to non-CAD patients (56.60 ± 35.89 mmHgx10; p < 0.01). In the multivariate regression model, a significant association was observed between ASI and CAD, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.031 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.022-1.040; p < 0.0001]. Additionally, ASI demonstrated an independent association with both intermediate and high SXscore (adjusted OR: 1.027; 95% CI: 1.020-1.034; p < 0.0001). The levels of ASI differed significantly in groups of patients with control, low SXScore, and intermediate-high SXScore as follows: 56.60±35.89 mmHg×10, 92.67±51.79 mmHg×10, and 172.2±86.6 mmHg×10, respectively (p < 0.01). ASI exhibited 59% sensitivity and 90% specificity for recognizing CAD.
Discussion:
ASI serves as a non-invasive biomarker that independently predicts the risk of CAD and shows a positive correlation with coronary plaque burden and the severity of atherosclerosis. By assessing arterial elasticity and vascular endothelial function, this metric offers significant clinical value for the early detection of vascular dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggested ASI to accurately evaluate arterial elastic function and provide information on CAD severity.
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