title: [Characteristics of patients with coronary ectasias with and without stenotic coronary artery disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The term "coronary ectasia" describes the dilatation of one or more coronary artery segments with the signs of an impaired coronary blood flow. The prevalence, clinical significance and necessity of treatment of such a lesion is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic coronary angiographies of 7101 patients (2131 women and 4970 men) were retrospectively evaluated for the presence of dilated coronary segments. Prevalence, age- and gender distribution, cardiovascular risk factors, clinical symptoms, CRP-concentrations, prevalence of myocardial infarction as well as the coronary morphology of patients with coronary ectasia were studied. The occurrence of myocardial infarction in this group was compared to that in a control group consisting of patients with stenotic coronary artery disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of coronary ecstasy was 1.4 % (women: 0.56 %; men: 1.79 %), mean age of patients was 63.5 +/- 10.5 years. The right coronary artery was most frequently involved (RCA: 97 %, LAD: 30 %, RCX: 23 %, LCA: 35 %). In patients with one-vessel disease the right coronary artery was exclusively affected. In 85.1 % the dilatation of coronary segments was associated with stenotic coronary artery disease. 73.3 % of the patients with coronary ectasias suffered from angina, 33.7 % CCS (Canadian Cardiovascular Society) class III and IV. Angina in patients with coronary ecstasy did not differ from that of patients with stenotic coronary artery disease only. Patients with coronary ectasias had a higher incidence of myocardial infarction than patients with stenotic coronary heart disease (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coronary ectasia is a relatively rare entity and often associated with stenosis. Angina is a common symptom. Patients with coronary ectasias seem to suffer more frequently from myocardial infarctions than patients with only stenotic coronary heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Klinik III für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln. Sabine.groenke@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grönke
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Diet
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kilter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Böhm
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erdmann
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins