[Gender-specific features of the prevalence and clinical manifestations of multifocal atherosclerosis].

Unlabelled: Multifocal atherosclerosis (MFA) has negative effect on prognosis in various groups of patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, gender-specific features of MFA are practically unexplored which provided a rationale for the present work.

Aim: To study gender-specific features of MFA in patients with atherosclerosis of different localization.

Materials And Methods: 1018 patients examined and treated prior to planned surgical intervention on coronary arteries, carotid basin, aorta, and arteries of lower extremities. Group 1 included 193 women aged 59 = 69 (mean 63) years, group 2 was comprised of 825 men aged 53-63 (mean 57 years). All the patients underwent coronarography (CG). Analysis of MFA prevalence was made.

Results: The women were older than the men, they were more frequently overweight, suffered arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), showed the higher left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.011). Smokers more frequently occurred among men (p < 0.001). CG revealed more lesions in a single vessel (p = 0.023) and less t lesions affecting three vessels (p = 0.015) in men. Signs of MFA were recorded in 28.0% of the men and 24.4% of the women (p = 0.306). Combined lesions of the coronary and carotid basins were more frequent in women (p = 0.048). Clinically significant stenosis of the coronary bed, aortoiliac segment or lower limb arteries occurred more frequently in men (p = 0.012). All three basins were more frequently affected in men (p = 0.061).

Conclusion: MFA before planned cardiovascular surgery was diagnosed in 27.3% of the cases. Combined lesions in coronary and carotid arteries more frequently occurred in women and those in coronary and lower limb arteries in men (p < 0.05). Most risk factors (except smoking) are more frequently inherent in women in association with the enhanced frequency of three-vessel lesions affecting coronary arteries.