Ascending aortic blood pressure-derived indices are not correlated with the extent of coronary artery disease in patients with impaired left ventricular function.

Background: Ascending aortic blood pressure-derived indices were shown to be related to coronary atherosclerosis. Unfortunately, most studies published so far included patients with preserved left ventricular function. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between ascending aortic blood pressure-derived indices and the extent of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with impaired left ventricular function.

Methods: The study group consisted of 375 patients (302 men and 73 women; mean age: 59.0+/-10.1 years) with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease and ejection fraction < or =55%. Invasive ascending aortic blood pressure during catheterization and conventional sphygmomanometer measurements were taken.

Results: None of the brachial or aortic blood pressure-derived indices differed between patients with one-, two- and three-vessel coronary artery disease. They were not independently related to the risk of having three-vessel coronary artery disease in none of the constructed models in logistic regression analysis. Moreover, none of the studied indices was correlated with Gensini or severity scores. We also did not find any significant correlation between blood pressure-derived indices and extent of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with ejection fraction < or =25%, 25-40% or >40%.

Conclusion: Ascending aortic blood pressure-derived indices are not correlated with the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with coronary artery disease and impaired left ventricular function.