Effect of Significant Coronary Stenosis and Percutaneous Coronary Interventions on Aortic Stiffness

INTRODUCTION
Aortic stiffness (AS) is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events. In spite of clinical importance, value of AS in patients who have coronary stenosis and undergo percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) was unknown.Our hypothesis is that AS may give additional information about coronary hemodynamic status. In this study,we investigated the effect of coronary stenosis on AS.

METHODS
Totally 107 patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into three groups. Thirty-nine patients who had significant lesion (≥50%) in coronary artery were included the ‘critical group’. The ‘non-critical group’ consisted of 38 patients with non-significant lesion (0-50%). The control group was made up of 30 patients with normal angiogram. AS was measured with carotid-femoral-aortic by pulse-wave-velocity (PWV) method. (m/s)


RESULTS
PWV values were similar in control and non-critical group (5.7±1.1vs.5.8±1.1,p=0.6) However, PWV in critical group was significantly higher than other groups (p<0.0001). After PCI, 24.4% decrease in PWV was shown. In PCI group, PWV after PCI was significantly lower than baseline (9.4±2.2vs.7.1±2.0, p<0.0001).
Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that PWV is predictive factor for significant stenosis (Exp(B): 3.960 CI: 2.014-7.786).

There was significant but weak correlation between AS and age (r=.412,p=0.01) and blood pressure (r=.342,p<0.01)


CONCLUSION
The significant coronary stenosis is associated with high AS levels. Successful PCI procedures decrease AS levels. Our results suggest that AS may give additional information about coronary hemodynamic status.