Prognostic significance of small vessel coronary artery disease in patients with acute coronary syndromes treated with percutaneous coronary interventions.

Abstract

Small vessel disease (SVD) usually refers to atherosclerosis within vessels of diameter of < 2.5 mm. Conflicting data exist regarding the outcomes of its revascularization. To evaluate the outcome of invasive treatment in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and SVD and the predictors of angina recurrence after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This was an observational, retrospective, single-center study. It covered consecutive 127 patients (26.77% women; median age: 69.74 ±8.97 years) with ACS who underwent PCI in the Upper-Silesian Medical Center in Katowice between 2018 and 2020. The study population was stratified by means of presence of SVD defined by PCI of the culprit artery with a diameter of ≤ 2.5 mm. The major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and angina recurrence were analyzed in a 12-month follow-up period. Overall 99 (77.95%) patients were diagnosed with small-vessel coronary artery disease. MACCE were documented in 14 (11.02%) patients. Univariate analysis revealed the following factors associated with MACCE: left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR = 0.95, p = 0.0212), left main (LM) stenting (OR = 18.17, p = 0.0216), number of former PCIs (OR = 1.48, p = 0.0235). According to logistic regression analysis the factors were LM stenting (OR = 20.04, p = 0.0216) and number of former PCIs (OR = 1.53, p = 0.0203). Patients with SVD had more often refractory or recurrent angina in symptomatic class III/IV on follow-up (52.53% vs. 10.71%, p < 0.001). Outcome of invasive treatment in patients with ACS is related to LM stenting and former PCIs but not to SVD occurrence. Patients with SVD have a high rate of recurrent/refractory angina despite successful PCI in this clinical setting.