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[Coronary artery ectasia: clinical and angiographic characteristics and prognosis]
P Farto e Abreu1, A Mesquita, J A Silva
1Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital de Santa Cruz, Carnaxide, Portugal.
Insights
The incidence of coronary ectasia is 3.6%, most frequently affecting the right coronary artery
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Interventional Cardiology
- Clinical Research
Context:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) management.
- Understanding coronary ectasia prevalence and characteristics.
Purpose:
- Evaluate the incidence, distribution, natural history, and follow-up of coronary ectasia in CAD patients.
- Analyze risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with coronary ectasia.
Summary:
- Retrospective study of 1100 CAD patients identified a 3.6% incidence of coronary ectasia.
- Right coronary artery and proximal segments were most frequently affected.
- Long-term follow-up revealed major cardiac events and need for bypass surgery, with prognosis linked to associated stenotic lesions.
Impact:
- Confirms typical incidence and R.C.A. predominance of coronary ectasia.
- Highlights proximal segment involvement.
- Suggests prognosis is influenced by coexisting stenotic coronary artery disease rather than pure ectasia.
Objective:
To evaluate the incidence of coronary ectasia and its distribution by coronary vessels, natural history and follow-up in coronary artery disease patients.
Design:
Retrospective study from 1982 to 1985.
Setting:
Hemodynamics Cardiology Department of a Central Hospital.
Patients:
In 1100 patients with coronary artery disease, there were 40 patients, 39 men and 1 woman, with mean age of 53.98 +/- 7.49 years.
Material And Methods:
Coronary ectasia was defined by CASS criteria as: Diameter of a vessel in the coronarography up to one and half times the diameter of a adjacent normal branch. In the clinical profile, both risk factors and clinical parameters such as angina or myocardial infarction were evaluated. The distribution of coronary ectasia by segments and vessels was also noted. In follow-up we analysed major cardiac events, as well as the need for by-pass surgery.
Results:
The incidence of coronary ectasia was 3.6%. Smoking was the most frequent risk factor. 42.5% of patients had anti-ischemic therapy and 87.5% has previous angina, 62.5% of whom had myocardial infarction. Angiographic findings showed only one ectatic coronary artery in 25 patients. Right coronary artery was the most frequent ectatic vessel (75%), and there was a higher prevalence of coronary ectasia in the proximal segments (p < 0.001). 33 patients had stenotic lesions associated to coronary ectasia. At a mean follow-up of 63.15 +/- 30.46 months, there were nine major cardiac events (one death, three myocardial infarctions and five new episodes of unstable angina), and eighteen patients underwent coronary by-pass surgery. There were no differences between "pure" ectatic and stenotic coronary associated groups, even in patients who needed bypass surgery.
Conclusions:
These results confirmed the usual incidence of coronary ectasia, as well as the predominance of right coronary artery ectasia. Proximal segments were more frequently ectatic. Although "pure" coronary ectasia can be implicated in angina or myocardial infarction, we think that a worse prognosis depends on the association of stenotic coronary artery disease.