title: Isolated and significant left main coronary artery disease: demographics, hemodynamics and angiographic features.
abstract: Left main coronary artery disease carries a poor prognosis. The etiology of isolated and significant left main coronary artery (ILMCA) disease is not well understood. Studies so far were limited by small numbers. The authors identified 46 patients with ILMCA disease from their database over 10 years (group I) and compared them with 83 consecutive patients undergoing catheterization (group II). They also compared patients with ostial vs distal ILMCA disease. Group I represented 0.1% of catheterization patients. The demographic profile and atherosclerotic risk factor profile of the 2 groups as well as ostial and distal ILMCA disease were compared. This is the largest study of ILMCA disease. Risk factors for atherosclerosis were commonly seen. Nonatherosclerotic causes of ILMCA disease were not seen. This study suggests coronary atherosclerosis as the predominant cause of ILMCA disease. ILMCA disease is more common in women. Diabetes is more commonly associated with distal ILMCA lesion. There is a trend suggesting that ostial ILMCA lesion is more common in smokers and women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA. nmahajan@maimonidesmed.org
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahajan
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Temple
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thekkoott
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abrol
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schulhoff
authors.forename: Joydeep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shani
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lichstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*