Coronary Artery Spasm: Risk Factors, Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Novel Diagnostic Approaches

Coronary Artery Spasm: From Physiopathology to Diagnosis

Coronary artery spasm (CAS) is a reversible vasoconstriction of normal or atherosclerotic epicardial coronary arteries with a subsequent reduction in myocardial blood flow, leading to myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, severe arrhythmias, or even sudden death. It is an entity that should be recognized based on a particular clinical presentation. Numerous differences exist between CAS and obstructive coronary disease in terms of mechanisms, risk factors, and therapeutic solutions. The gold standard for CAS diagnosis is represented by transitory and reversible occlusion of the coronary arteries at spasm provocation test, which consists of an intracoronary administration of Ach, ergonovine, or methylergonovine during angiography. The pathophysiology of CAS is not fully understood. However, the core of CAS is represented by vascular smooth muscle cell contraction, with a circadian pattern. The initiating event of this contraction may be represented by endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, or autonomic nervous system unbalance. Our study explores the intricate balance of these factors and their clinical relevance in the management of CAS.

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery caused by coronary artery spasm and an increase in serum homocysteine: a case report

Background

Although elevated homocysteine levels have emerged as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, the associations between homocysteine levels and coronary artery spasm are not well established. We present a case in coronary artery spasm resulted myocardial infarction merged severe high level of serum homocysteine without conventional coronary risk factors.

Case summary

A 57-year-old male was referred to our hospital because of chest pain. Macrocytic anaemia with a decrease in the serum vitamin B12 concentration and an increase in the serum homocysteine concentration was appeared. Endoscopy was performed first due to concerns about gastritis or bleeding risk, followed by coronary angiography. He was diagnosed autoimmune gastritis. Coronary angiography revealed no arterial stenosis, and coronary artery spasm with ischaemic ST-T changes on the electrocardiogram appeared with the intracoronary administration of acetylcholine. Inferior myocardial infarction appeared via magnetic resonance imaging. Calcium channel antagonists and vitamin B12 were treated to improve coronary artery spasm and homocysteine levels. After 1 year with adjusted serum homocysteine levels, the patient had no coronary artery spasm, and his chest pain disappeared even with the intracoronary administration of acetylcholine.

Discussion

Elevated serum homocysteine levels have a possibility to worsen coronary artery spasm. We concluded that serum homocysteine levels might be a new basis for devising strategies to prevent coronary artery spasm and that optimizing serum homocysteine levels may alleviate the underlying exacerbation of myocardial ischaemia.

Association of paraoxonase-1 (Q192R) gene polymorphism with coronary artery spasm during cardiac catheterisation in Egyptians

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery spasm is among the etiology of myocardial infarction. Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of coronary artery spasm (CAS). Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an HDL-bound antioxidant enzyme that protects LDL from oxidative modification. Oxidative-stress-related genetic factors and certain polymorphisms in the paraoxonase 1 gene might influence the pathogenesis of CAS. We aimed to investigate the association between PON1 gene polymorphism and its enzymatic activity and coronary artery spasm during cardiac catheterization.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study population was 150 patients who underwent elective coronary angiography. Subjects were genotyped to the Q192R polymorphism (rs662) on the PON1 gene by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and PON1 activity was quantitatively analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results showed that the subjects carrying the RR genotype and R allele were significantly more likely to develop coronary artery spasm (OR=4.2, 2.03, P< 0.006, P˂0.02, respectively). Moreover, serum PON1 levels were significantly decreased (P˂0.001) in the CAS group. RR genotype of PON1 Q192R polymorphism, Tc, LDLc, TG, catheter size, and paroxonase-1 serum level are independent predictors of coronary spasm.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the PON1 (rs662) gene polymorphism is associated with CAS during cardiac catheterization in Egyptians. The PON1-192R allele and lower serum enzyme concentration may play an important role in coronary spasm.

The correlation between cumulative cigarette consumption and infarction-related coronary spasm in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction across different age groups

Coronary artery spasm (CAS) is a key contributor to the pathogenesis of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). While smoking is recognized as a major risk factor for CAS, the relationship between cumulative cigarette consumption and infarction-related CAS across different age groups in STEMI patients remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between cumulative cigarette consumption and infarction-related CAS across different age groups through a retrospective analysis. This retrospective study included STEMI patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) at the General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, between December 2014 and March 2018. STEMI was diagnosed based on the 2017 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines. Patients were divided into CAS and non-CAS groups according to CAG results, and further categorized by age into three groups: young (≤ 45 years), middle-aged (46-59 years), and elderly (≥ 60 years). Cumulative cigarette consumption was calculated using the smoking index (cigarettes/day × years). Smoking status was graded as follows: grade 0 (non-smokers), grade 1 (index ≤ 100), grade 2 (index > 100 and ≤ 200), and grade 3 (index > 200). Statistical analyses, including Chi-square tests, Spearman correlation, and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to evaluate the relationship between smoking and CAS in different age groups. Among the 1156 STEMI patients analyzed, 80 (6.9%) were diagnosed with CAS. The CAS group exhibited a higher proportion of young adults (35.0% vs. 13.8%, P < 0.001) and grade 3 smokers (62.5% vs. 46.6%, P < 0.001) compared to the non-CAS group. A positive correlation between cumulative cigarette consumption and CAS was observed in all patients (r = 0.124, P < 0.001), heavy smoking (grade 2 and grade 3) was significantly associated with CAS in young adults (r = 0.321, P < 0.001) and middle-aged adults (r = 0.127, P = 0.006) but not in elderly patients. Logistic regression demonstrated that heavy smoking significantly increased CAS risk, with adjusted odds ratios of 6.397 for grade 2 smokers and 6.926 for grade 3 smokers, relative to non-smokers. Among heavy smokers( grade 2 and grade 3), young adults had a 4.912-fold higher CAS risk, while middle-aged adults had a 2.041-fold higher risk, compared to elderly individuals. Cumulative cigarette consumption is closely linked to infarction-related CAS in STEMI patients. Heavy smoking (grade 2 and grade 3) is a key factor linked to infarction-related coronary spasm, especially in younger and middle-aged adults. Effective smoking control is essential for preventing and managing STEMI, particularly among younger and middle-aged populations in China. Further validation of our findings using prospective studies and large registries is warranted.

Drug-Induced Myocardial Infarction: A Review of Pharmacological Triggers and Pathophysiological Mechanisms

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a significant cardiovascular event caused by the decrease in or complete cessation of blood flow to a portion of the myocardium. It can arise from a variety of etiological factors, including pharmacological triggers. This review aims to explore the diverse drugs and substances that might lead to drug-induced myocardial infarction, focusing on their mechanisms of action and the pathophysiological processes involved. Various established and emerging pharmacological agents that could elevate the risk of myocardial infarction, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal therapies, anticoagulants, and antipsychotic medications, are discussed. The role of drug-induced endothelial dysfunction, coronary artery spasm, and thrombosis are presented in order to highlight the underlying mechanisms. This review emphasizes the need for increased awareness among healthcare professionals to mitigate the risks associated with different pharmacological therapies to improve patient outcomes.

Cellular Characteristics and Protein Signatures of Human Adipose Tissues from Donors With or Without Advanced Coronary Artery Disease

Background/Objectives: Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) exerts a paracrine effect on blood vessels and our objective was to understand PVAT molecular signatures related to cardiovascular disease. Methods: We studied two groups: those undergoing mitral valve repair/replacement (VR, n = 16) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG, n = 38). VR donors did not have coronary artery disease, whereas CABG donors had advanced coronary artery disease. Clinical and tissue pathologies and proteomics from adipose tissue were assessed. Results: Donors undergoing VR had a lower body mass index (p = 0.01), HbA1C (p = 0.0023), and incidence of diabetes (p = 0.022) compared to CABG. VR donors were overall healthier, with higher cardiac function compared to CABG donors, based on ejection fraction. Although adipose histopathology between groups was not markedly different, PVAT had smaller and more adipocytes compared to subcutaneous adipose tissues. These differences were validated by whole specimen automated morphological analysis, and anisotropy analysis showed small (2.8-7.5 μm) and large (22.8-64.4 μm) scale differences between perivascular and subcutaneous adipose tissue from CABG donors, and small scale changes (2.8-7.5 μm) between perivascular and subcutaneous adipose tissue from VR donors. Distinct protein signatures in PVAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue include those involved in secretion, exosomes and vesicles, insulin resistance, and adipocyte identity. Comparing PVAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue from CABG donors, there were 82 significantly different proteins identified with log fold change ≥ 0.3 or ≤-0.3 (p < 0.05). Using this threshold, there were 36 differences when comparing PVAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue from VR donors, 58 differences when comparing PVAT from CABG or VR donors, and 55 when comparing subcutaneous adipose tissue from CABG vs. VR donors. Conclusions: Routine histopathology cannot differentiate between PVAT from donors with or without coronary artery disease, but multiscale anisotropy analysis discriminated between these populations. Our mass spectrometry analysis identified a cohort of proteins that distinguish between adipose depots, and are also associated with the presence or absence of coronary artery disease.

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation as the First Presentation of Coronary Artery Spasm

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia with increasing incidence and prevalence, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The list of predisposing factors is extensive and includes coronary artery disease (CAD) as a significant trigger. Coronary spasm, an uncommon form of CAD, can very rarely present with AF. We report an adult male with no significant risk factors or family history, except for smoking, who presented with recurrent palpitations diagnosed and managed as paroxysmal AF. Within one year, the patient experienced recurrent attacks of acute chest pain associated with paroxysms of AF. Coronary angiography showed normal coronary anatomy, and coronary spasm was confirmed by a provocation test, which was associated with the development of arrhythmia. The calcium channel blocker (CCB) nifedipine and isosorbide mononitrate prevented the recurrence of these attacks. CAD should be managed as part of the holistic management of paroxysmal AF, and coronary artery spasms should be considered and treated with coronary dilators, especially CCBs.

Frequency and Clinical Impact of Family History of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Vasospastic Angina

BACKGROUND

Family history (FH) of coronary artery disease (CAD) [FH-CAD] is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerotic CAD. However, FH-CAD frequency in patients with vasospastic angina (VSA) remains unknown, and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of VSA patients with FH-CAD are unclear. Therefore, this study compared FH-CAD frequency between patients with atherosclerotic CAD and those with VSA and examined the clinical characteristics and prognosis of VSA patients with FH-CAD.

METHODS

Coronary angiography and spasm provocation tests (SPT) were used to investigate chest pain of coronary artery origin in patients classified into atherosclerotic CAD (362 cases), VSA (221 cases; positive for SPT) and non-VSA (73 cases; negative for SPT) groups, with FH-CAD being defined. In the VSA group, flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-independent vasodilation (NID) via brachial artery echocardiography and clinical symptoms in the groups with and without FH-CAD were checked, with Kaplan-Meier curves revealing major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiac death and rehospitalisation for cardiovascular disease) between the two groups.

RESULTS

The atherosclerotic CAD group had a significantly lower FH-CAD frequency (12%, p = 0.029) than the VSA (19%) and non-VSA groups (19%). FH-CAD was more common in females in the VSA and non-VSA groups than in the atherosclerotic CAD group (p < 0.001). Nonpharmacological treatment for CAD in FH-CAD was more common in the atherosclerotic CAD group (p = 0.017). In the VSA group, FH-CAD tended to be more common in females (p = 0.052). Although no differences in FMD of the brachial artery were observed between the groups, the FH-CAD (+) group had significantly higher NID than the FH-CAD (-) group (p = 0.023). Kaplan-Meier's analysis revealed a similar prognosis between the two groups, and other clinical characteristics did not differ.

CONCLUSION

Patients with VSA have a higher FH-CAD frequency than those with atherosclerotic CAD, especially in females. Although FH-CAD may affect vascular function in patients with VSA, its effect on the severity and prognosis of VSA appears to be minimal. FH-CAD and its confirmation may assist in CAD diagnosis, especially in female patients.

Serum SELENBP1 and VCL Are Effective Biomarkers for Clinical and Forensic Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Spasm

Coronary artery spasm (CAS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many ischemic heart entities; however, there are no established diagnostic biomarkers for CAS in clinical and forensic settings. This present study aimed to identify such serum biomarkers by establishing a rabbit CAS provocation model and integrating quantitative serum proteomics, parallel reaction monitoring/mass spectrometry-based targeted proteomics, and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Our results suggested that SELENBP1 and VCL were potential candidate biomarkers for CAS. In independent clinical samples, SELENBP1 and VCL were validated to be significantly lower in serum but not blood cells from CAS patients, with the reasons for this possibly due to the decreased secretion from cardiomyocytes. The areas under the curve of the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis were 0.9384 for SELENBP1 and 0.9180 for VCL when diagnosing CAS. The CAS risk decreased by 32.3% and 53.6% for every 10 unit increases in the serum SELENBP1 and VCL, respectively. In forensic samples, serum SELENBP1 alone diagnosed CAS-induced deaths at a sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 72.73%, and its combination with VCL yielded a diagnostic specificity of 100.0%, which was superior to the traditional biomarkers of cTnI and CK-MB. Therefore, serum SELENBP1 and VCL could be effective biomarkers for both the clinical and forensic diagnosis of CAS.