Quantitative demonstration of dipyridamole-induced coronary steal and alteration by angioplasty in man: analysis by simultaneous, continuous dual Doppler spectral flow velocity

Pathophysiology of coronary collaterals

While the existence of structural adaptation of coronary anastomoses is undisputed, the potential of coronary collaterals to be capable of functional adaptation has been questioned. For many years, collateral vessels were thought to be rigid tubes allowing only limited blood flow governed by the pressure gradient across them. This concept was consistent with the notion that although collaterals could provide adequate blood flow to maintain resting levels, they would be unable to increase blood flow sufficiently in situations of increased myocardial oxygen demand.

However, more recent studies have demonstrated the capability of the collateral circulation to deliver sufficient blood flow even during exertion or pharmacologic stress. Moreover, it has been shown that increases in collateral flow could be attributed directly to collateral vasomotion.

This review summarizes the pathophysiology of the coronary collateral circulation, ie the functional adapation of coronary collaterals to acute alterations in the coronary circulation.

Direct demonstration by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography of adenosine-induced coronary steal in the collateral-dependent vessel

Coronary flow velocity reserve was measured to assess the frequency of coronary steal in the collateral-dependent coronary arteries using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Coronary steal occurred in half the vessels studied. There was no significant difference between coronary flow velocity reserve in poorly and well-developed collaterals.

Angiographically documented coronary steal phenomenon evoked by the intracoronary infusion of bradykinin

While studying flow-dependent coronary dilation using a Doppler flow velocity guidewire, total occlusion of a stenosed segment of the left circumflex artery during the intracoronary infusion of bradykinin was angiographically documented. Total occlusion was not demonstrated during intracoronary infusion of bradykinin after angioplasty. This is angiographic confirmation of the coronary steal phenomenon that has been previously described in the field of stress scintigraphy.

Direct intracoronary evidence of collateral steal in humans

BACKGROUND

Coronary steal is defined as a fall in blood flow toward a certain vascular region in favor of another area during arteriolar vasodilatation, ie, a coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) <1. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of steal in patients with a wide range of collateral supply to a vascular area of interest and to assess whether steal is associated with the amount of collateral flow.

METHODS AND RESULTS

One hundred patients 57+/-9 years old with a coronary artery stenosis to be dilated were examined with intracoronary (IC) Doppler guidewires. IC adenosine-induced CFVR<1 obtained distal to the stenosis was defined as steal. An index for collateral flow was determined by positioning the Doppler guidewire in the collateral-dependent vessel distal to the stenosis and measuring the flow velocity time integral during (Vi(occl), cm) and after (Vi(ø-occl)) balloon occlusion. Vi(occl)/Vi(ø-occl) was determined without and with intravenous adenosine (140 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)). Coronary steal occurred in 10 of 100 patients. Patients with steal showed superior collaterals compared with those without steal: Vi(occl)/Vi(ø-occl)=0.65+/-0.24 in patients with steal versus 0.29+/-0.18 in those without steal (P=.0001). In all patients with steal, there was a reduction in collateral flow during intravenous adenosine-induced hyperemia, whereas in the majority (70%) of patients without steal, collateral flow increased or remained unchanged during hyperemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Coronary steal assessed by intracoronary Doppler flow velocity measurements occurs in 10% of patients with a wide range of coronary collaterals to the vascular area from which blood flow is redistributed. There is a direct association between the presence of steal away from and the amount of collateral flow toward the region under investigation. Collateral flow to the vascular region studied decreases during adenosine-induced hyperemia, which indicates a mechanism of steal via the extensive collaterals.

Intracoronary demonstration of adenosine-induced coronary collateral steal

A steal phenomenon was detected by intravascular Doppler guidewire in a patient with a well collateralised coronary vascular area supplied by a reopened left circumflex coronary artery. This phenomenon accounted for the fall in blood flow velocity reserve during hyperaemic conditions to 50% of the baseline value. The collaterals must have been the cause of the steal phenomenon because complete revascularisation of the lesion barely reversed it.

Dobutamine stress testing in the cardiac catheterization laboratory

Dobutamine stress ventriculography is a safe test that appears to separate groups of patients with and without significant coronary artery stenoses. In this study, all 7 patients with significant coronary artery stenoses who reached a heart rate > or = 110 beats/min had a positive stress test, whereas 9 of 10 control patients had a negative stress test.

Coronary flow velocity changes after intravenous dipyridamole infusion: measurements using intravascular Doppler guide wire. A documentation of flow inhomogeneity

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed changes in coronary flow velocity measured distal to a significant stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery and at the adjacent normal left circumflex coronary artery, produced by intravenous administration of dipyridamole, in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty with a documented perfusion defect on dipyridamole-thallium-201 scintigraphy.

BACKGROUND

Significant flow inhomogeneity is believed to develop during coronary vasodilation induced by dipyridamole, causing a defect in the thallium-201 scintigram. The recently developed intracoronary Doppler guide wire permits assessment of flow velocity variables in normal and stenotic arteries.

METHODS

In 17 patients with stable angina we studied changes in time-averaged peak velocity and the diastolic/systolic velocity ratio simultaneously using two 0.014-in. (0.36-mm) Doppler guide wires at baseline and after 4 min of dipyridamole infusion (0.56 mg/kg body weight). Coronary flow velocity reserve and relative flow reserve were correlated with the degree of stenosis on coronary angiography and quantitative analysis of thallium-201 images.

RESULTS

No changes in distal flow velocity was observed in the stenotic vessel (5.5 +/- 33.7% [mean +/- SD]), in contrast to a significant increase observed in the adjacent normal vessel (162.4 +/- 39.8%). Poststenotic coronary flow velocity reserve correlated with percent lumen diameter stenosis (r = -0.66, p < 0.05). A correlation was also observed between the relative flow reserve/thallium-201 relative perfusion ratio (r = 0.90, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, these findings represent the first direct proof of dipyridamole-induced flow inhomogeneity producing a perfusion defect on thallium-201 imaging. The degree of inhomogeneity is related to the extent of the perfusion defect.