Correlation between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, carotid artery intima-media thickness, ankle-brachial index, and the severity of coronary lesions.

Abstract

Coronary angiography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Coronary artery Gensini scoring systems measure both the extent and the degree of stenosis of coronary artery and therefore, give clinicians a more accurate, objective, and comprehensive assessment of the severity of coronary artery disease. Using Gensini scoring systems in combination with statistical analysis, we found that five variables, namely, Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV), ankle-brachial index (ABI), carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), blood sugar, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), were all significantly different among groups of patients with different Gensini scores. All five variables can be used for early screening and assessment of coronary artery disease as independent prognostic factors for the morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular conditions. With the progression of coronary artery disease, the levels of PWV, IMT, and blood glucose are gradually increasing whereas the levels of ABI and HDL-C are gradually decreasing. These changes can be treated as warning signs and can also be helpful in evaluating the severity of coronary artery diseases. It is highly recommended to perform these five non-invasive tests as early as possible in order to identify high-risk patients at their subclinical stages. This would allow timely intervention and thereby lead to reduced morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases.