Is there an association between coronary atherosclerosis and airway responsiveness?
OBJECTIVE
Recent data suggested a relationship between carotid artery intima/media thickness and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Our objective was to assess the potential relationship between AHR and coronary atherosclerosis plaque volume as assessed by 3-dimensional intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).


METHODS
Thirty-six subjects had a spirometry and methacholine challenge, skin prick tests, blood sampling and induced sputum analysis.


RESULTS
We found five (13.9%) patients who presented AHR to methacholine. There was no significant difference between patients with and without AHR, in plaque volume (221 +/- 45 mm3 vs. 189 +/- 13 mm3, P = 0.4), lumen volume (187 +/- 11 mm3 vs. 221 +/- 11 mm3, P = 0.2), or in total vessel volume (377 +/- 20 mm3 vs. 415 +/- 20 mm3, P = 0.5), respectively. No relationship was found between AHR, cell counts and coronary atherosclerotic plaque, lumen or total vessel volumes. There were significantly more eosinophils (1.69 +/- 1.75% vs. 0.21 +/- 0.31%, P = 0.0007) and lymphocyte counts (3.75 +/- 1.59% vs. 2.25 +/- 1.12%, P = 0.03) in patients with AHR compared to patients without.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with stable coronary artery disease, the incidence of AHR was low and there was no relationship between AHR or airway inflammation and coronary atherosclerosis.
Turmel
Julie
J
Laval Hospital/Quebec Heart-Lung Institute, Quebec City, Montreal, Canada.
Boulet
Louis-Philippe
LP
Series
Frédéric
F
Poirier
Paul
P
Tardif
Jean-Claude
JC
Rodes-Cabau
Josep
J
Larose
Eric
E
Bertrand
Olivier F
OF
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013147:Spirometry; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods
D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride