Extent and severity of atherosclerotic vascular disease in patients undergoing coronary angiography--the Kuwait Vascular Study.

Only a few angiographic studies have correlated the presence and severity of coronary artery disease with atherosclerosis in other arteries. The presence of disease in more than 1 area clearly has important implications on management. One hundred and seventy eight patients had angiographic evaluation of their peripheral arteries and abdominal aorta after routine diagnostic coronary angiography. The extent and severity of vascular disease was correlated with those of coronary artery disease. Of the 178 patients, 73.6% were men (mean age +/- sd was 52.93 +/- 10.12 years). Hypercholesterolemia (59%), systemic hypertension (56.7%) and diabetes mellitus (50.6%) were the major risk factors. Triple-vessel coronary artery disease was present in 48.9%, and 13.5% had normal coronaries. A new atherosclerotic vascular disease score, which reflects the presence and severity of atherosclerotic vascular disease elsewhere, was seen to correlate significantly with the extent of coronary artery disease. Of particular interest was the involvement of the first part of the vertebral artery in 41.6% of patients. The combined involvement of the abdominal aorta, renal artery, and iliac artery segments (together referred to as the lower body segment) was seen almost exclusively in those with 2- or 3-vessel coronary artery disease. Also there was a direct correlation between the extent of coronary artery disease and the score in the lower body segment as opposed to the upper body segment (subclavian, vertebral, and internal mammary arteries). The presence of atherosclerotic vascular disease correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease, particularly in respect to disease in the lower body segment. Thus early detection of such disease in the iliac or femoral arteries has a potential for early diagnosis of significant coronary artery disease.