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Published on: August 28, 2018
Higher prevalence and greater severity of coronary disease in short versus tall men referred for coronary
O N Nwasokwa1, M Weiss, C Gladstone
1Division of Cardiology, Harris Chasanoff Heart Institute, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11042, USA.
Insights
Short men have a higher prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease compared to tall men. This may explain why short individuals experience more myocardial infarctions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Biology
- Human Genetics
Background:
- Previous studies indicate a higher incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) in shorter individuals.
- The relationship between height and the prevalence/severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether short men exhibit greater prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease compared to tall men.
- To determine if height is an independent predictor of coronary artery disease characteristics.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 1046 men undergoing coronary arteriography.
- Participants were categorized into "short" (height < mean - 1 SD) and "tall" (height > mean + 1 SD) groups.
- Multivariate analysis was employed to assess the independent predictive value of height on CAD severity.
Main Results:
- Short men demonstrated a higher frequency of significant coronary artery stenosis (≥50% diameter).
- Short men had more diseased vessels, a higher prevalence of three-vessel disease, and more total occlusions.
- Height independently predicted the number of diseased vessels, three-vessel disease, and total coronary occlusions.
Conclusions:
- Shorter stature is associated with increased prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease.
- These findings suggest that height may be a significant risk factor for coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction.
Abstract:
The incidence of myocardial infarction is higher in short individuals than in tall ones. To test whether the prevalence and severity of coronary disease is greater in short than in tall individuals, we compared a group of short men (height < [mean height - one SD]) to a group of tall men (height > [mean height + one SD]) drawn from a sample of 1046 consecutive men referred for coronary arteriography. Short men had a higher frequency of > or = 50% diameter stenosis; more diseased vessels (1.61 +/- 1.09 vs 1.15 +/- 1.11, p = 0.0004); a higher frequency of three-vessel disease (26.8% vs 16.1%, p = 0.04); and more total occlusions (40.1% vs 27.3%, p = 0.03). By multivariate analysis, height independently predicted > or = 50% lesions in the right coronary artery (p = 0.01) and left anterior descending artery (p = 0.06); three-vessel disease (p = 0.04); total occlusion (p = 0.04); and the number of diseased vessels (p = 0.005). This higher prevalence and greater severity of coronary disease may explain the higher incidence of and deaths caused by myocardial infarction previously reported in short men.
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