Comparison of coronary risk factors and angiographic findings in younger and older patients with significant coronary artery disease

Impact of premature coronary artery disease on adverse event risk following first percutaneous coronary intervention

Objectives

We assessed differences in risk profile and 3-year outcome between patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for premature and non-premature coronary artery disease (CAD).

Background

The prevalence of CAD increases with age, yet some individuals develop obstructive CAD at younger age.

Methods

Among participants in four randomized all-comers PCI trials, without previous coronary revascularization or myocardial infarction (MI), we compared patients with premature (men <50 years; women <55 years) and non-premature CAD. Various clinical endpoints were assessed, including multivariate analyses.

Results

Of 6,171 patients, 887 (14.4%) suffered from premature CAD. These patients had fewer risk factors than patients with non-premature CAD, but were more often smokers (60.7% vs. 26.4%) and overweight (76.2% vs. 69.8%). In addition, premature CAD patients presented more often with ST-segment elevation MI and underwent less often treatment of multiple vessels, and calcified or bifurcated lesions. Furthermore, premature CAD patients had a lower all-cause mortality risk (adj.HR: 0.23, 95%-CI: 0.10-0.52; p < 0.001), but target vessel revascularization (adj.HR: 1.63, 95%-CI: 1.18-2.26; p = 0.003) and definite stent thrombosis risks (adj.HR: 2.24, 95%-CI: 1.06-4.72; p = 0.034) were higher. MACE rates showed no statistically significant difference (6.6% vs. 9.4%; adj.HR: 0.86, 95%-CI: 0.65-1.16; p = 0.33).

Conclusions

About one out of seven PCI patients was treated for premature CAD. These patients had less complex risk profiles than patients with non-premature CAD; yet, their risk of repeated revascularization and stent thrombosis was higher. As lifetime event risk of patients with premature CAD is known to be particularly high, further efforts should be made to improve modifiable risk factors such as smoking and overweight.

TWENTE trials

(TWENTE I, clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01066650), DUTCH PEERS (TWENTE II, NCT01331707), BIO-RESORT (TWENTE III, NCT01674803), and BIONYX (TWENTE IV, NCT02508714).

Age Related Differences in Acute Coronary Syndrome: an Observation at a Central Hospital in Vietnam

Background and Objectives

There is little data regarding the characteristics of young Vietnamese patients (<40 years old) who get acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to compare the risk factors, clinical-subclinical characteristics, coronary lesions, and mortality prediction (based on the GRACE and TIMI scores) of young ACS patients with their older counterparts.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted amongst 69 patients with ACS at the Cardiovascular Center of Hue Central Hospital from May 2017 to December 2018. These patients were divided into two groups: 33 patients were < 40 years old (group 1), and 36 patients were ≥ 40 years old (group 2). Demographic data, risk factors profile, clinical-subclinical characteristics, coronary lesions, and mortality prediction were compared between the two groups.

Results

Compared with group 2, group 1 had a higher proportion of severe angina (the prevalence of angina graded III-IV by CCS classification was 69.7% in group 1 versus 36.1% in group 2, P = 0.0108) and lower systolic pressure (median was 120 mmHg in group 1 versus 135 mmHg in group 2, P = 0.006). The prevalence of unstable angina and STEMI was higher in group 1 (51.5% and 36.4% in group 1 versus 30.6% and 11.1% in group 2, respectively), while NSTEMI was higher in group 2 (58.3% in group 2 versus 12.1% in group 1, P = 0.0002). The prevalence of single-vessel CAD, normal coronary angiography (CAG), nonobstructive CAD in group 1 was also higher and multi-vessel CAD was lower than group 2 (45.5%, 33.3%, 12.1% and 9.1% in group 1 versus 33.3%, 2.8%, 2.8% and 61.2% in group 2, respectively). The Gensini, GRACE, and TIMI scores were lower in group 1 (median was 5; medium was 78.55 and median was 2 in group 1 versus 37.5, 130.22 and 3 in group 2, respectively). Smoking was a risk factor for obstructive CAD in group 1 (OR = 7.12, 95% CI: 1.25–40.63, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Young patients with ACS tended to be males, smokers, and with positive familial history; the grade of angina was more severe, and systolic pressure was lower; the prevalence of unstable angina and STEMI was higher. Smoking was a risk factor for obstructive CAD in young patients.

Associations between IL-6 and Echo-Parameters in Patients with Early Onset Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND

Over the last two decades, many studies have investigated the association between interleukin 6 (IL-6) and pathogenesis and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients with CAD manifested at a young age are a particularly interesting group. They differ from older patients, not only in terms of the severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis, but also risk factor profiles, short- and long-term prognosis after myocardial infarction (MI). The role of IL-6 in younger patients with CAD is less well-known. Therefore, our study aimed to analyze the relationship between IL-6 level and other inflammations, atherosclerosis, and cardiac function parameters in early onset CAD patients.

METHODS

The study covered 100 patients with early onset CAD and a group of 50 healthy participants. Plasma levels of IL-6 and basic biochemical parameters, anthropometric, echocardiographic, and arteries Doppler ultrasound measurements were performed.

RESULTS

We did not observe a significant difference in IL-6 concentration in plasma between patients with early onset CAD and a control group, but IL-6 level was negatively correlated with echocardiographic measurements of ascending aorta diameter, left ventricular shortening fraction, and right ventricular end-diastolic diameter in our patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with early onset CAD, plasma IL-6 level is associated with other inflammation parameters and with cardiac function, potentially contributing to right ventricular remodeling and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. This suggests possible prognostic benefits of long-time observation of IL-6 level after the acute coronary syndrome.