Coronary Artery Narrowing Research Articles

Radial artery intima-media thickness predicts major cardiovascular events in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

In the present study, we investigated the prognostic value of radial artery intima-media thickness (rIMT) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Carotid artery intima-media thickness is a well-known surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. Recently, using very high-resolution ultrasound, we showed rIMT can be imaged with great precision and is related to various cardiovascular risk factors. We recruited a total of 416 patients (62 ± 9 years, 44% male) with suspected CAD, referred to myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS). Among these patients, 133 underwent coronary angiography on clinical indication. Two-dimensional images of carotid and radial arteries were acquired bilaterally (using 8 and 55 MHz ultrasound, respectively). All patients were followed regarding major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary revascularization. A group of 20 healthy subjects (aged 61 ± 3, 50% male) were recruited for reference. During 3 years of follow-up, 77 MACE occurred. Patients with MACE exhibited significantly thicker rIMT vs. those without (0.35 ± 0.06 vs. 0.32 ± 0.07 mm, P < 0.001). Increased rIMT was associated with an increased occurrence of significant coronary artery narrowing, diagnosed by coronary angiography (P = 0.028). Patients with rIMT values above the median had a nearly three-fold increased risk for MACE (hazard ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval 1.6-4.8). In multivariate analysis, rIMT (P = 0.011) remained a significant predictor of MACE, along with type II diabetes (P = 0.012), body mass index (P = 0.024), and MPS-verified ischaemia (P < 0.001). Radial artery IMT, assessed by very high-resolution ultrasound, confers prognostic information in patients with suspected CAD.

Three-Year Results Comparing Platinum-Chromium PROMUS Element and Cobalt-Chromium XIENCE V Everolimus-Eluting Stents in De Novo Coronary Artery Narrowing (from the PLATINUM Trial)

In the randomized PLATINUM trial, the PROMUS Element platinum-chromium everolimus-eluting stent (PtCr-EES; Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) was noninferior to the XIENCE V cobalt-chromium everolimus-eluting stent (CoCr-EES; Boston Scientific and Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) for the primary end point of 1-year target lesion failure. This study reports the 3-year outcomes. Patients (n=1,530) with 1 or 2 de novo native coronary artery lesions (baseline vessel diameter≥2.50 mm to ≤4.25 mm and length≤24 mm) were randomized 1:1 to PtCr-EES versus CoCr-EES. Three-year follow-up was available in 93.9% (703 of 749) of patients with CoCr-EES and 96.7% (733 of 758) of patients with PtCr-EES. Comparing CoCr-EES with PtCr-EES, 3-year rates of death (4.3% vs 3.7%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52 to 1.48, p=0.62), cardiac death (1.9% vs 1.2%, HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.45, p=0.27), myocardial infarction (2.5% vs 2.3%, HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.79, p=0.81), ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (4.9% vs 3.5%, HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.20, p=0.21), and Academic Research Consortium definite or probable stent thrombosis (0.5% vs 0.7%, HR 1.23, 95% CI 0.33 to 4.57, p=0.76) were not significantly different. In conclusion, 3-year results of the PLATINUM randomized, controlled, clinical trial demonstrate comparable safety and efficacy outcomes of the PROMUS Element PtCr-EES and the XIENCE V CoCr-EES.

Utility of late gadolinium enhancement cardiac MRI (LGE-CMRI) in troponin-positive chest pain with unobstructed coronary arteries

Background A surprising proportion of troponinpositive chest pain patients referred for contrast coronary angiography exhibit no or minor coronary arterial luminal narrowings at the time of presentation. We assessed whether the presence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) during cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) forecasts adverse cardiovascular (CV) events in patient presenting with serum troponin elevations and chest pain but without obstructive coronary artery disease during contrast coronary angiography.

Angiographic profile of coronary arteries in Keralite population

Background and aims: The incidence of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) has reached alarming proportions in India. The pathological hall mark of CAD is myocardial ischemia resulting from the atherosclerotic narrowing of coronary arteries. In this era of advanced interventions and cardiac surgery, a thorough knowledge of normal and variant anatomy of coronary arteries is of prime significance and of great use both to the clinicians and anatomists. Materials and methods: One hundred coronary angiograms of patients free of disease were studied in detail in different profiles. The data obtained was quantified according to their frequencies. The relation between the length of left main coronary artery and coronary artery dominance was statistically analyzed using the ‘Chi Square test for Trend’. Results: This study highlighted some interesting findings such as the origin of Sino- atrial nodal artery from the second segment of right coronary artery in 3% of cases, double right marginal artery in 4% cases. Other variations such as Mouchet’s posterior recurrent interventricular artery, origin of circumflex artery from the right coronary artery and abnormal communication between the terminal parts of right coronary artery and circumflex artery were each noticed in 1 % of cases. Conclusions: Coronary arteries and their branches are prone to variations in their course and morphology. Prior knowledge about this is important for the interpretation of coronary angiograms and surgical myocardial revascularization. The present work on normal and variant pattern of coronary arteries will help in gathering momentum to the already advancing research work in this field.

Atherosclerosis, Segmental Involvement and Grading of Luminal Narrowing of Coronary Artery: A Autopsy Study

Background and Objectives: Atherosclerosis is a complex disease contributing to increased mortality. The exact global incidence of atherosclerosis is beyond calculation. Autopsy studies can provide information about the impact and course of atherosclerosis. Methods: 50 heart specimens with aorta up to its bifurcation were obtained from medico-legal autopsies. Sections from representative areas were studied for gross and microscopic evidence of atherosclerosis. Percentage of variations compared with other studies. Results: Heart specimens were obtained from medico-legal autopsies. Sections from representative areas were studied for gross and microscopic evidence of atherosclerosis. Interpretation and Conclusion: Among the 50 cases studied, 35 were males and 15 were females. Coronary arteries of 24 males (72.72%) and 9 females (27.27%) showed atherosclerosis. Males were affected more than females. Age has a dominant influence on atherosclerosis. Among coronaries, left anterior descending artery is most commonly involved. Autopsy studies give occurrence of atherosclerosis. This study will help radiologists and interventional cardiologists, in diagnosis and treatment. The incidence of atherosclerosis in developing countries is same as developed countries.

Quantification of Coronary Arterial Narrowing in Autopsy Cases

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of human mortality and morbidity in the world and has been a matter of great concern for continuing research and its management. The principle cause of CAD worldwide is coronary atherosclerosis. Various studies conducted globally have revealed marked variations in incidence and extent of CAD. The initiation of the atherosclerotic process starts at a very tender age in the aorta; however the clinical presentations and manifestations are seen later on. The basic pathological process involved in CAD is stenosis of the coronary lumen which is quantified in living patients by coronary angiography. The present study quantifies the coronary luminal stenosis with the help of necropsy histo-pathological study in autopsy cases which has distinct advantage of being able to measure cross-sectional area of the artery concerned. The findings of present study with relation to defining and quantifying the coronary artery dia and cross-sectional area in necropsy specimens of an Indian population will be discussed in this paper.

Risk of Coronary Artery Injury With Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoablation of Epicardial Posteroseptal Accessory Pathways Within the Coronary Venous System

Ablation of epicardial posteroseptal accessory pathways requires ablation within the coronary venous system. We assessed the risk of coronary artery (CA) injury with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) within the coronary venous system as a function of the distance between the CA and ablation site. We also examined the efficacy and safety of cryoablation close to a CA. Two-hundred forty patients underwent ablation for epicardial posteroseptal accessory pathways. Coronary angiography was performed before ablation in the last 169 patients and was repeated after ablation if performed in the coronary venous system within 5 mm of a significant CA. The distance between the ideal ablation site and closest CA was <2 mm in 100 (59%), 3 to 5 mm in 28 (16%), and >5 mm in 41 of 169 (25%) patients. CA injury was observed in 11 of 22 (50%) and 1 of 15 (7%) patients when RFA was performed within 2 and 3 to 5 mm of a CA, respectively. Cryoablation was performed in 26 patients with a significant CA located within 5 mm. Cryoablation alone eliminated epicardial posteroseptal accessory pathway conduction in 17 of 26 (65%) patients and in 8 patients with additional RFA without CA narrowing in any patient. During a follow-up period of 3 to 6 months, single procedure success rates were 90% and 77% for RFA and cryoablation at the ideal site, respectively. The risk of CA injury with RFA is correlated inversely with the distance from the ablation site. Cryoablation is a safe and reasonably effective alternative when a significant CA is located close to the ideal ablation site.

Comparison of Epicardial Fat Volume by Computed Tomography in Black Versus White Patients With Acute Chest Pain

Disparities in the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) between races may be influenced by differences in the thoracic adipose tissue. We compared computed tomography (CT)-derived volumes of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), mediastinal adipose tissue (MAT), and pericoronary fat thickness (PFT) and correlations with CAD between black and white patients. This institutional review board-approved Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant study included 372 age- and gender-matched black versus white patients (186 black, 54 ± 11 years, 50% men; 186 white, 54 ± 11 years, 50% men) who underwent CT for chest pain evaluation. EAT, MAT, and PFT were measured. The amount of coronary calcium was quantified as calcium score. CAD was defined as ≥50% coronary artery narrowing. EAT and MAT volumes were significantly lower in black than white patients (59 [twenty-fifth to seventy-fifth percentile 39 to 84] vs 97 [67 to 132] cm(3) and 44 [27 to 77] vs 87 [52 to 157] cm(3), for both p <0.001). Mean PFT in black patients was slightly lower than white patients (17.2 ± 3.2 vs 18.1 ± 3.4 mm, p <0.01). The relation between race and extent of adipose tissue remained significant after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors. Significant correlations were observed between EAT and MAT volumes and calcium score in black and white patients (r = 0.19 to 0.26, p <0.01). For both races, the level of thoracic fat measurements was higher in present versus absent coronary calcification. A greater amount of thoracic fat was found with obstructive CAD only in white patients. In conclusion, CT-derived measurements of thoracic fat differ between symptomatic black and white patients, suggesting a differential relation between thoracic adipose tissue and CAD pathophysiology by race.

Diagnostic performance of hyperaemic myocardial blood flow index obtained by dynamic computed tomography: does it predict functionally significant coronary lesions?

The severity of coronary artery narrowing is a poor predictor of functional significance, in particular in intermediate coronary lesions (30-70% diameter narrowing). The aim of this work was to compare the performance of a quantitative hyperaemic myocardial blood flow (MBF) index derived from adenosine dynamic computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging with that of visual CT coronary angiography (CTCA) and semi-automatic quantitative CT (QCT) in the detection of functionally significant coronary lesions in patients with stable chest pain. CTCA and CTP were performed in 80 patients (210 analysable coronary vessels) referred to invasive coronary angiography (ICA). The MBF index (mL/100 mL/min) was computed using a model-based parametric deconvolution method. The diagnostic performance of the MBF index in detecting functionally significant coronary lesions was compared with visual CTCA and QCT. Coronary lesions with invasive fractional flow reserve of ≤0.75 were defined as functionally significant. The optimal cut-off value of the MBF index to detect functionally significant coronary lesions was 78 mL/100 mL/min. On a vessel-territory level, the MBF index had a larger area under the curve (0.95; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.92-0.98) compared with visual CTCA (0.85; 95% CI: 0.79-0.91) and QCT (0.89; 95% CI: 0.84-0.93) (both P-values <0.001). In the analysis restricted to intermediate coronary lesions, the specificity of visual CTCA (69%) and QCT (77%) could be improved by the subsequent use of the MBF index (89%). In this proof-of-principle study, the MBF index performed better than visual CTCA and QCT in the identification of functionally significant coronary lesions. The MBF index had additional value beyond CTCA anatomy in intermediate coronary lesions. This may have a potential to support patient management.

Myocardial perfusion distribution and coronary arterial pressure and flow signals: clinical relevance in relation to multiscale modeling, a review

Coronary artery disease, CAD, is associated with both narrowing of the epicardial coronary arteries and microvascular disease, thereby limiting coronary flow and myocardial perfusion. CAD accounts for almost 2 million deaths within the European Union on an annual basis. In this paper, we review the physiological and pathophysiological processes underlying clinical decision making in coronary disease as well as the models for interpretation of the underlying physiological mechanisms. Presently, clinical decision making is based on non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, of myocardial perfusion and invasive coronary hemodynamic measurements of coronary pressure and Doppler flow velocity signals obtained during catheterization. Within the euHeart project, several innovations have been developed and applied to improve diagnosis-based understanding of the underlying biophysical processes. Specifically, MRI perfusion data interpretation has been advanced by the gradientogram, a novel graphical representation of the spatiotemporal myocardial perfusion gradient. For hemodynamic data, functional indices of coronary stenosis severity that do not depend on maximal vasodilation are proposed and the Valsalva maneuver for indicating the extravascular resistance component of the coronary circulation has been introduced. Complementary to these advances, model innovation has been directed to the porous elastic model coupled to a one-dimensional model of the epicardial arteries. The importance of model development is related to the integration of information from different modalities, which in isolation often result in conflicting treatment recommendations.

Discordant Association of C‐Reactive Protein With Clinical Events and Coronary Luminal Narrowing in Postmenopausal Women: Data From the Women's Angiographic Vitamin and Estrogen (WAVE) Study

The incidence of cardiovascular events had been shown to be associated with C-reactive protein (CRP). However, it is unclear that the cardiovascular risk associated with CRP is due to progressive coronary narrowing or to other factors such as formation of unstable plaque. This study was designed to determine the effect of baseline CRP on cardiovascular events and on the progression of atherosclerotic narrowing among 423 postmenopausal women with angiographic stenosis between 15% and 75%. Baseline CRP levels may affect cardiovascular events and progression of atherosclerotic coronary artery narrowing among postmenopausal women. Baseline and follow-up (2.8 years) angiographic data were analyzed among 320 women. Women were stratified into 4 quartiles according to baseline CRP levels. The changes in lumen diameter and clinical events in each quartile were compared. The annualized changes in minimal and average lumen diameter in diseased and nondiseased coronary segments were not significantly associated with baseline CRP levels. The composite end point of all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction (MI) increased from 3% (3/107) in the first CRP quartile to 14% (14/98) in fourth CRP quartile (P < 0.001). Similar results were found for cardiovascular death and MI (increased from 1% (2/107) in the first quartile to 11% (11/98) in fourth quartile). The difference remained significant even after adjustment for baseline differences and cardiovascular risk factors. Higher baseline CRP was associated with increased risk of clinical events but was not associated with annualized change in luminal diameters. Thus, increased risk of adverse events among patients with higher baseline CRP events was independent of progression of atherosclerosis as measured by change in minimal or average luminal diameter.

Histopathological and Ultrastructural Examinations of Rabbit Coronary Artery Vasculitis Caused by Bovine Serum Albumin: An Animal Model of Kawasaki Disease

Objective: To observe the histopathological and ultrastructural features of coronary artery vasculitis in rabbits caused by repeated intravenous injections of bovine serum albumin (BSA), mimicking Kawasaki disease.Materials and Methods: Twenty weanling rabbits were randomly and equally divided into treatment groups for BSA or normal saline (NS), and administered the respective treatment by intravenous injection once every 12 days for two cycles. Six weeks after the first treatment, rabbits underwent coronary angiography and coronary arteries were removed within 1 h. Histopathological examination was performed by light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy.Results: Coronary arteriography revealed that 3 rabbits (3/10) in the BSA group had various levels of dilation and narrowing of the left coronary arteries, while histological examination showed that 10 rabbits (10/10) had infiltration of the coronary arteries by inflammatory cells. Incomplete endothelium, breakage of elastic fiber, and intimal thickening were also observed in 8 rabbits (8/10) from the BSA group. Ultrastructurally, in 3 rabbits (3/10) in the BSA group, leukocyte migration, shedding of endothelial microparticles from the plasma membranes, incomplete endothelium, abscission of endothelial cells, breakage of the internal elastic lamina (IEL), degeneration of smooth muscle cells in the medial membrane, and swollen mitochondria were detected. By contrast, the IEL of the NS control group was continuous and of uniform thickness.Conclusion: This rabbit model of coronary arteritis displayed histopathological and ultrastructural features similar to those of Kawasaki disease in humans. Breakage of the IEL, a key factor in aneurysm formation, was observed in the coronary arteries. Therefore weanling rabbits may serve as an experimental model for immune complex vasculitis involving coronary arteries that mimics Kawasaki disease.

Effect of Cystatin C Levels on Angiographic Atherosclerosis Progression and Events Among Postmenopausal Women With Angiographically Decompensated Coronary Artery Disease (from the Women’s Angiographic Vitamin and Estrogen [WAVE] Study)

End-stage renal disease and mild renal insufficiency are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Cystatin C, a novel marker of kidney function, was found to be associated with a higher frequency of cardiovascular events and mortality independent of glomerular filtration rate. It remained uncertain, however, whether enhanced cardiovascular risk associated with cystatin C is due to accelerated progression of atherosclerosis or to plaque instability. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of baseline cystatin C on annual change in coronary artery narrowing and clinical events in 423 postmenopausal women with angiographically documented coronary artery disease enrolled in the Women's Angiographic Vitamin and Estrogen (WAVE) trial. Baseline and follow-up (mean 2.8 ± 0.9 years) angiography was performed in 320 women. Angiographic progression of disease and clinical events in each cystatin C quartile were compared. Women with cystatin C levels in the highest quartile were older and more likely to have histories of heart failure and stroke. Annualized changes in minimal and average luminal diameters were similar in diseased and nondiseased segments. All-cause death or myocardial infarction (3.6% vs 15.6%, p <0.001), cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction (2.3% vs 13.5%, p <0.001), and cardiovascular events (3.6% vs 13.5%, p <0.001) were significantly higher in women with baseline cystatin C levels in the highest quartile compared with women with cystatin C levels in the lower 3 quartiles. The risk for clinical events associated with cystatin C remained significantly higher in multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for baseline differences and cardiovascular risk factors. The risk for clinical events was also independent of estimated glomerular filtration rate. In conclusion, in postmenopausal women with angiographically documented coronary artery disease, baseline cystatin C levels were associated with worse clinical outcomes without accelerated progression of atherosclerosis.

A dancing stone in the pericardial cavity

An 80-year-old man visited to our department because of exertional dyspnoea. Cardiac computed tomography revealed multi-vessel coronary artery narrowing. Ultrasonography showed calcified aortic valve of 1.0 cm2 valve area. Cardiac catheterization revealed three-vessel coronary disease with a chronic total occlusion in the left …

Myocardial bridge: The cause of angina in a young man

Myocardial bridging is basically the systolic narrowing of epicardial coronary arteries, secondary to their tunneled course in myocardium. Though it is a benign condition it can have the symptoms like acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. We report a 32-year-old male, who presented with typical exertional angina, had positive exercise treadmill and thallium-201 test. Coronary angiography revealed myocardial bridge of distal left anterior descending coronary artery. He was put on β-blockers and was doing well at 8 years of follow-up.

Evaluation of coronary microvascular function in patients with vasospastic angina

To investigate endothelium-dependent and -independent coronary microvascular functions in patients with vasospastic angina (VSA). Thirty-six patients with VSA (30 men and 6 women; mean age, 58 years) were enrolled in this study. VSA was defined as ≥ 90% narrowing of the epicardial coronary arteries on angiography performed during a spasm provocation test, presence of chest pain, and/or ST-segment deviation on an electrocardiogram (ECG). Patients (n = 36) with negative spasm provocation test results and those matched for age and sex were enrolled as a control group (nonVSA group). Low-dose acetylcholine (ACh; 3 μg/min) was infused into the left coronary ostium for 2 min during the spasm provocation test. Following the spasm provocation test, nitroglycerin (0.2 mg) was administered intracoronally. Coronary blood flow (was calculated from quantitative angiography and Doppler flow velocity measurements, and the coronary flow reserve was calculated as the ratio of coronary flow velocity after injection of adenosine triphosphate (20 μg) to the baseline value. Changes in the coronary artery diameter in response to ACh and nitroglycerin infusion were expressed as percentage changes from baseline measurements. Body mass index was significantly lower in the VSA group than in the nonVSA group. The frequency of conventional coronary risk factors and the rate of statin use were similar between the 2 groups. The left ventricular ejection fraction as evaluated by echocardiography was similar between the 2 groups. The duration of angina was 9 ± 2 mo. The results of blood chemistry analysis were similar between the 2 groups. Low-dose ACh did not cause coronary spasms. The change in coronary artery diameter in response to ACh was lower in the VSA group (-1.4% ± 9.3%) than in the nonVSA group (3.1% ± 6.5%, P < 0.05), whereas nitroglycerin-induced coronary artery dilatation and coronary blood flow increase in response to ACh or coronary flow reserve did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. These findings suggest that microvascular coronary function may be preserved despite endothelial dysfunction of the epicardial coronary arteries in patients with VSA.

Early detection of coronary artery disease in patients studied with magnetocardiography: An automatic classification system based on signal entropy

We propose an automatic system for the classification of coronary artery disease (CAD) based on entropy measures of MCG recordings. Ten patients with coronary artery narrowing≥or≤50% were categorized by a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network based on Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Best results were obtained with MCG at rest: 99% sensitivity, 97% specificity, 98% accuracy, 96% and 99% positive and negative predictive values for single heartbeats. At patient level, these results correspond to a correct classification of all patients. The classifier's suitability to detect CAD-induced changes on the MCG at rest was validated with surrogate data.

QT Prolongation, Torsade de Pointes, Myocardial Ischemia From Coronary Vasospasm, and Headache Medications. Part 2: Review of Headache Medications, Drug–Drug Interactions, QTc Prolongation, and Other Arrhythmias

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine)(1B/1D) agonists can vasoconstrict coronary and cerebral arteries. Chest, jaw, and arm discomfort, so-called "triptan sensations," are often felt to be noncardiac. In Part 1 of this review, the relationship of triptans, coronary artery narrowing, and spasm was discussed, along with a case of a 53-year-old woman without cardiac risk factors who developed polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and cardiac ischemia with acquired corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation following oral sumatriptan. In Part 2 of this review, headache medications, drug-drug interactions, QTc prolongation, and cardiac arrhythmias are appraised and discussed. Triptans, cardiac arrhythmias, and ischemia by prescribing information are summarized. The reader is provided tables on QTc prolongation by medication. The problem of QTc prolongation with a variety of headache medications at conventional doses, including triptans, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), other antidepressants, antihistamines, and antinauseants should lead to proactively obtaining electrocardiograms and more vigilant surveillance of headache patients. This may be the place to start in protecting patients from these cardiac adverse events.

Abstract 18566: How is the Presence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associated with Vasospastic Angina?

Background: Vasospastic angina (VSA) is characterized by transient vasoconstriction of the epicardial coronary arteries leading to myocardial ischemia. It characteristically occurs from midnight to early morning. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by obstruction of the upper air passage during sleep, which leads to hypopnea. Although OSA may have an influence on VSA, the association between these two conditions remains unclear. To clarify this relationship, the frequency of OSA (Study 1) and the association between OSA and anginal attacks (Study 2) were investigated. Methods: (Study 1) Eighty-seven patients (41 men, mean age 67 years) were included in whom spasm-provocation testing for evaluation of chest symptoms was performed. VSA was defined as &gt;90% narrowing of the epicardial coronary arteries on the angiogram during a spasm-provocation test, accompanied by chest pain and/or ST-segment deviation on ECG. Polysomnography (PSG) was performed in all patients. The presence of OSA was verified using the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) &gt;15/h. The frequency of OSA in VSA patients (VSA group, n = 58) was compared with that in patients in whom negative spasm-provocation testing (non-VSA group, n = 29) was performed. (Study 2) Seventy-seven VSA outpatients were examined in whom PSG was performed (45 OSA, 32 non-OSA), and these patients followed up for at least a year. The number of anginal attacks per month was evaluated. The presence of intractable VSA was defined as uncontrollable angina even after administration of two types of coronary vasodilators. Results: (Study 1) No difference was observed in AHI (VSA group: 15.2 ± 1.3/h, non-VSA group: 12.8 ± 1.8/h) and the frequency of OSA (VSA group: 25/58, 43%, non-VSA group: 9/29, 31%) between the two groups. (Study 2) The number of anginal attacks tended to be higher in the OSA group (2.9 ± 0.6/months) than in the non-OSA group (1.3 ± 0.8/months, p = 0.09). The frequency of intractable VSA was higher in the OSA group (47%) than in the non-OSA group (19%, p &lt; 0.05). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the presence of OSA was the significant factor responsible for intractable VSA. Conclusions: These results suggest that although OSA may not be involved in the pathogenesis of VSA, it may be a deteriorating factor of VSA.

Abstract 18728: Plasma Heparin Cofactor II Activity is a Predictor of Diffuse Coronary Artery Narrowing in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Heparin cofactor II (HCII) is a major physiological inhibitor of thrombin action. We previously reported high plasma HCII was protective against in-stent restenosis after coronary stenting and carotid atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we reported that HCII was a predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease. Kataoka et al reported patients with DM had smaller coronary vessel and longer diseased segment than those with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and normal glucose tolerance. HCII and morphologic characteristics of diabetic coronary was unknown. Methods: We enrolled 20 diabetic patients examined by coronary angiography, sequentially (13 males and 7 females; age, 67.9+/-10.4yrs, HbA1c&gt;/=7.0%). Coronary cinearteriography was analyzed by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) with Cardiovascular Measurement System (CCIP-310/W). Segment diameter&lt;1.5mm as diseased lesions were determined. And diseased lesion length and HCII activity were analyzed, statistically. Results: The mean plasma level of HCII activities was 101.4+/-18.6%. And the mean of diseased lesion length was 13.7+/-12.0mm. Multivariate analysis showed age, low-HDLemia, smoking habit and disease period of DM were positively correlated with ALL, and HCII activity was negatively correlated. Univariate analysis showed HCII activity was negatively correlated with ALL, and disease period of DM was positively. That is, HCII activity and disease period of DM were correlated with lesion length of coronary artery diffuse-narrowing in diabetic patients. . Conclusions: The results suggested that low level of plasma HCII activity was correlated with diffuse coronary artery narrowing in patients with diabetic mellitus.