[Sex differences in coronary atherosclerosis: coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasonography].
OBJECTIVE
Women have higher mortality and frequency of complications compared with men after coronary intervention. Possible differences in coronary atherosclerosis between men and women were investigated.


METHODS
The left anterior descending arteries of 214 patients (164 men, mean age 62.3 +/- 9.10 years; 50 women, mean age 67.8 +/- 7.76 years) were examined. Lesion length, reference diameter, percentage diameter stenosis and minimal lumen diameter were measured by quantitative coronary angiography. Vessel area, lumen area, percentage area stenosis, and remodeling index were measured by intravascular ultrasonography, and presence of calcification in the lesion was classified. These parameters were compared between men and women.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in quantitative coronary angiography, but intravascular ultrasonography showed calcification was more severe in women, vessel area was significantly smaller in women (13.25 +/- 4.21 vs 15.91 +/- 4.35 mm2, p = 0.004), and remodeling index was significantly lower in women (0.95 +/- 0.13 vs 1.04 +/- 0.18, p = 0.015).


CONCLUSIONS
Vessel area measured by intravascular ultrasonography was significantly smaller in women, and calcification was more severe in women. Such factors may be involved in the higher mortality in women.
Hara
Hitoshi
H
Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute Hospital, Tokyo.
Yajima
Junji
J
Kirigaya
Hajime
H
Nagashima
Kazuyuki
K
Oikawa
Yuji
Y
Sahara
Makoto
M
Nakatsu
Yusuke
Y
Aizawa
Tadanori
T
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional