Assessment of relation between aortic elastic properties and the complexity of coronary artery disease

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is an independent association between impaired aortic elasticity properties and the complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) using the SYNTAX score (SS).Methods Three hundred sixty-seven patients (male 64.9%) aged 31 to 89 years (average age 62.07 years) with CAD who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in this study. Patients with a SS ≤ 17 (n = 211; male 66.8%) were classified as the low SS group (Low-SSG), from 18 to 28 (n = 108; male 61.1%) were classified as the intermediate SS group (In-SSG), and ≥ 29 (n = 44; male 64.6%) classified as the high SS group (High-SSG). In all groups, aortic elastic properties were obtained from hospital records. These properties, including aortic diameter change (AoDC), aortic stiffness (AoS), aortic stiffness index- β(AoSI-β), aortic distensibility (AoD), aortic Petersen’s elastic modulus (AoEp), aortic compliance (AoCI) and the compliance to distensibility ratio (AoCDR), were compared.Results AoS was significantly lower in High-SSG than in Low-SS and In-SSG, (P =0.004). However, the AoEp in High-SSG was significantly higher than in Low-SSG and In-SSG, (P =0.012). A negative correlation was detected between the SS and each of AoDC, AoS, AoD, AoCI and AoCDR. A positive correlation was detected between the SS and AoSI- βand AoEp in the patients with CAD.Conclusion This study demonstrated that aortic elastic properties are more impaired in patients with severe and complex CAD. There is an independent relationship between reduced aortic elasticity and the severity and complexity of CAD.