Comparison of Clinical Outcomes of Calcified and Non-Calcified Coronary Artery Lesion Intervention Under IVUS Guidance.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical results of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided intervention for calcified coronary artery lesions.

Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2013 to January 2020.

Methodology: A cohort of 134 consecutive patients who underwent intravascular ultrasonography-guided assessment of coronary arteries were included. Patients were divided into two groups: those with coronary artery calcification (CAC, n=77) and those without (non-CAC, n=57). The two groups were compared for their clinical characteristics, management, in-hospital events, follow-up, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs).

Results: The mean follow-up duration was 40.3 ± 30.1 months. Most of the patients were male (n=97, 72.3%), and the mean age was 63.1 ± 12.9 years. In the CAC group, age was the most common risk factor, followed by dyslipidaemia (n=68, 88%), hypertension (n=64, 83%), and Diabetes mellitus (n=44, 57%). CAC group patients were more commonly presented with acute coronary syndrome (n=59, 76.6%), had prior PCI (n=40, 52%), had more LM disease (n=34, 44%, p=0.005), and a significant number of prior stent-ISR (n=27, 35%, p=0.024). Those who had CAC had higher MACE.

Conclusion: Patients with CAC had more co-morbidities and commonly presented with acute coronary syndrome. MACEs frequency was recorded higher in the CAC group although the results were not statistically significant.

Key Words: Coronary artery calcification, Intravascular imaging, Coronary artery disease, Target vessel revascularisation, Percutaneous coronary intervention.