Supra-aortic extracranial artery atherosclerotic lesions in patients diagnosed for coronary artery disease: prevalence and predictors.
BACKGROUND
In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), the presence of atherosclerotic lesions in other vascular beds is associated with a markedly worse prognosis.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and predictors of extracranial supra-aortic artery atherosclerotic disease (SAD) in patients with suspected CAD.


METHODS
Supra-aortic artery angiography was performed in 379 consecutive patients aged 64.2 +/- 8.8 years (231 male) referred for coronary angiography. Clinical and laboratory data (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL cholesterol, hs-CRP, creatinine level) and left ventricular ejection fraction were analysed.


RESULTS
Significant stenosis (> or =50% by quantitative angiography) within at least one main branch of the coronary arteries was found in 314 (82.8%) patients, including 87 (27.7%), 96 (30.6%) and 131 (41.7%) with 1-vessel, 2-vessel, and 3-vessel CAD, respectively. Among all 379 patients, stenosis > or =50% of the carotid artery was documented in 9.5%, vertebral in 13.7%, and subclavian in 7.4% of patients. We found 130 stenoses > or =50% within the supra-aortic arteries in 90 patients (23.7% of the whole study group, and 28.7% of CAD patients), including 42 internal carotid artery stenoses in 36 patients, 58 vertebral artery stenoses in 52, and 30 subclavian stenoses in 28 patients. In 24 (6.3%) patients more than one SAD was present. The SAD > or =50% was found in 8 (12.3%) patients without significant CAD, in 22 (25.3%), 17 (17.7%) and 43 (32.8%) with 1-, 2- and 3-vessel CAD, respectively (p = 0.001). Independent predictors of SAD > or =50% identified by multivariate analysis were: previous neurological ischaemic event (p = 0.001), CAD (p = 0.015), creatinine level (p = 0.031), male gender (p = 0.001), claudication (p < 0.001) and low HDL cholesterol (p = 0.033). The following independent predictors of vertebral and/or subclavian artery stenosis > 50% were identified: CAD severity (p = 0.002), creatinine level (p = 0.024), male gender (p = 0.013), claudication (p < 0.001) and low HDL cholesterol level (p = 0.059).


CONCLUSIONS
In a large patient sample, we have found that significant supra-aortic atherosclerosis is present in a quater of patients with suspected CAD. Importantly, SAD prevalence increases with CAD severity. Previous neurological ischaemic event, CAD, creatinine level, male gender, claudication and hyperlipidaemia were identified as independent predictors of SAD > or =50%.
Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, The John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland. tadeuszprzewlocki@op.pl
Tadeusz
T
Przewłocki
Anna
A
Kabłak-Ziembicka
Artur
A
Kozanecki
Piotr
P
Musiałek
Adam
A
Piskorz
Daniel
D
Rzeźnik
Piotr
P
Pieniazek
Paweł
P
Rubiś
Wiesława
W
Tracz
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D021921:Aortic Stenosis, Supravalvular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
D003404:Creatinine