Bronchial artery hypertrophy is correlated with coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Bronchial arteries support the systemic pulmonary vasculature and physiologically communicate with pulmonary arteries and coronary arteries. While there is evidence supporting the link between pulmonary diseases and bronchial artery hypertrophy (BAH), few data on the correlation between coronary artery disease (CAD) and BAH have been published.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a possible association between BAH and CAD in patients without known pulmonary diseases undergoing computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA).


METHODS
This retrospective study was approved by the local ethics committee. One hundred patients with varying degrees of CAD underwent CTCA. Patients were stratified into four groups as follows: group I, 25 patients without CAD or with non-significant CAD; group II, 25 untreated patients with significant CAD; group III, 25 stented patients; group IV, 25 patients with coronary artery bypass grafts. The number and diameter of bronchial arteries were recorded. Correlation between age, CAD, and BAH was estimated.


RESULTS
One hundred and ninety-nine bronchial arteries were detected. Approximately 51% were hypertrophic (diameter, >1.5 mm) with a mean diameter of 1.7 ± 0.5 mm. Seventy-six patients showed no pulmonary alterations; 24 were found to have previously undiagnosed pulmonary findings, six of which were severe. Presence and degree of CAD correlated with patients' mean age (60 in group I, 68 in group II, 65 in group III, 69 in group IV; P = 0.023), and mean bronchial artery transverse diameter (1.6 mm, 1.7 mm, 1.8 mm, and 2.0 mm, respectively; P = 0.009). The bronchial artery diameter was not associated with pulmonary findings (P = 0.390).


CONCLUSIONS
There is an association between CAD and BAH. In patients with no pulmonary alterations, BAH could be caused by undiagnosed underlying CAD.
Servizio di Radiologia Diagnostica ed Interventistica, Azienda Ospedaliera San Paolo, Milan, Italy.
Silvia
S
Tresoldi
Giovanni
G
Di Leo
Federica
F
Villa
Silvia Amaryllis Claudia
SA
Squarza
Irene Maria
IM
Beneggi
Nicola
N
Flor
Francesco
F
Sardanelli
Gianpaolo
G
Cornalba
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001981:Bronchial Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Bronchial artery hypertrophy; coronary angiography computed tomography; coronary artery disease; pulmonary alterations; spiral computed tomography