title: [Sex differences in coronary atherosclerosis: coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasonography].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute Hospital, Tokyo.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kirigaya
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oikawa
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahara
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakatsu
authors.forename: Tadanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aizawa
mesh_terms: 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