Predictors of Angiographically Normal Coronary Arteries in Stable Patients with Suspected Coronary Disease

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Abstract

Introduction: Coronary angiography (CA) is the gold standard test to identify patients with coronary artery disease. Despite a proportion of normal CAs is expected, this study should be minimized, given its invasive nature, the associated risk and increased health costs.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to establish the characteristics, epidemiological patterns and variables associated to angiographically “normal” coronary arteries in stable patients referred for CA.

Methods: Coronary angiographies were analyzed in 12,686 patients from five centers in Buenos Aires. All data were retrospectively obtained from 2008 to 2013. Coronary angiographies with < 50% lesions were defined as “normal”. Demographic characteristics, usual risk factors, chronic renal failure, hypothyroidism, peripheral vascular disease, symptoms, ischemia-inducing tests and social coverage were compared between the group with “normal” CA and patients with ≥ 50% obstructive coronary disease.
Results: Among the 3,990 patients included in the study (31.5%), 38.6% had a normal CA, and female gender was the most important independent predictor for this finding. In addition, younger age and absence of ischemic symptoms were associated with greater probability of “normal” CA.
Conclusions: In a population referred for CA diagnosed with stable coronary artery disease, female gender, younger age and absence of symptoms were associated with angiographically “normal” coronary arteries. Better use of clinical stratification models could optimize CA performance to detect patients with significant coronary artery disease, limiting unnecessary studies.