Long-term prognostic value of coronary flow reserve in patients without significant left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis: results from the SZEGED Study

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Coronary flow reserve (CFR) measured by pulsed Doppler echocardiography is a useful hemodynamic index to evaluate coronary microcirculatory (dys)function in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), in the absence of macrovascular lesions. The present study was designed to evaluate long-term prognostic value of CFR in patients without significant epicardial LAD stenosis. A total of 166 patients without significant LAD stenosis were enrolled in this prospective follow-up study. Coronary angiography demonstrated absence of significant LAD disease in all cases. All patients underwent transthoracic and stress transesophageal echocardiography (CFR measurement) and coronary angiography. The success rate of follow-up was 124 out of 166 (75%). During a mean follow-up of 93+/-34 months 27 patients died, including 16 sudden cardiac deaths, 3 acute heart failures, 2 strokes, while 6 patients had pulmonary or gastrointestinal malignancies. Using ROC analysis, the best cut-off value for CFR was 2.13 to predict survival (sensitivity 67%, specificity 60%, area, under the curve 62%, p = 0.046). Patients with CFR < 2.13 had significantly more events (32% vs. 13%, p<0.05). The logistic regression model identified CFR (hazard ratio (HR) 2.43, p = 0.04) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (HR 1.09, p = 0.03) as independent predictors of survival. Long-term prognostic significance of CFR for prediction of survival has been demonstrated during a long-term follow-up in patients without significant LAD stenosis.