title: Relation between the GRACE score and severity of atherosclerosis in acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome are heterogeneous in terms of clinical presentation and immediate- and long-term risk of death or non-fatal ischemic events. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score and severity of coronary artery disease angiographically evaluated by Gensini score in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 245 patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome were enrolled to the study. Based on the GRACE risk score classification system, the patients were divided into low- (n=97, 39.6%), intermediate- (n=84, 34.3%), and high- (n=64, 26.1%) risk groups. All patients underwent coronary angiography within five days after admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Gensini scores were 26±29 in the low-risk group, 29±19 in the intermediate-risk group, and 38±23 in the high-risk group (p=0.016). The low-risk group was significantly different from the high-risk group (p=0.013), and the difference from the intermediate-risk group almost reached significance. Normal, noncritical, one and two, or multivessel disease were identified in 15 (6.1%), 31 (12.7%), 75 (30.6%), and 124 (50.6%) patients, respectively. The prevalence of multivessel disease was 28% in the low-risk group, 30% in the intermediate-risk group, and 42% in the high-risk group. The high-risk group was significantly different from the low-risk group (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that the GRACE score has significant value for assessing the severity and extent of coronary artery stenosis in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey. Electronic address: makifcakar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cakar
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahinkus
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Bulent
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Vatan
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurgul
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Keser
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akdemir
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, 54100 Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gunduz
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012306:Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; GRACE score; Gensini score