title: Clinical risk stratification correlates with the angiographic extent of coronary artery disease in unstable angina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether clinical risk stratification correlates with the angiographic extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patient with unstable angina.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) guidelines stratify patients with unstable angina according to short-term risk of myocardial infarction or death. Whether these guidelines are useful in predicting the extent of CAD is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  All residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, undergoing emergency department evaluation from January 1, 1985 through December 31, 1992 for unstable angina without a history of prior coronary artery bypass grafting, and who underwent early angiography (within seven days of presentation) were classified into low, intermediate and high risk subgroups based on AHCPR criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven hundred ninety-five patients underwent early angiography: 159 high risk, 572 intermediate risk and 64 low risk patients. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that low risk patients had a greater likelihood of normal or mild CAD relative to intermediate risk (odds ratio [OR], 4.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.70-8.06; p < 0.001) and high risk (OR, 11.1; 95% CI, 5.71-22.2; p < 0.001). Significant 1-, 2-, 3-vessel coronary disease or left main coronary disease was more likely in high relative to low risk (OR, 8.09; 95% CI, 4.22-15.5; p < 0.001), intermediate relative to low risk (OR, 4.11; 95% CI, 2.34-7.22; p < 0.001), and high relative to intermediate risk (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.31-2.96; p = 0.0012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients with unstable angina undergoing early coronary angiography, risk stratification according to the AHCPR guidelines correlates with the angiographic extent of CAD.
authors: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. mathew.verghese@mayo.edu
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Mathew
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Farkouh
authors: D E
authors: DE
authors: Grill
authors: L H
authors: LH
authors: Urban
authors: J T
authors: JT
authors: Cusma
authors: G S
authors: GS
authors: Reeder
authors: D R
authors: DR
authors: Holmes
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Gersh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment