The relation between coronary flow rate, plasma endothelin-1 concentrations, and clinical characteristics in patients with normal coronary arteries

Celebi, Huseyin; Catakoglu, Alp Burak; Kurtoglu, Hilal; Sener, Murat; Hanavdelogullari, Ruken; Demiroglu, Cemsid; Aytekin, Vedat; Aytekin, Saide

doi:10.1016/j.carrev.2007.11.002

« Previous Next »Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine
Volume 9, Issue 3 , Pages 144-148, July 2008

The relation between coronary flow rate, plasma endothelin-1 concentrations, and clinical characteristics in patients with normal coronary arteries

Huseyin Celebi
- Department of Cardiology, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Alp Burak Catakoglu
- Department of Cardiology, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Hilal Kurtoglu
- Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bilim University, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Murat Sener
- Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bilim University, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Ruken Hanavdelogullari
- Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bilim University, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Cemsid Demiroglu
- Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bilim University, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Vedat Aytekin
- Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bilim University, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Saide Aytekin
- Department of Cardiology, Istanbul Bilim University, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
- Corresponding author. Abide-i Hurriyet C. No:290, 34381 Sisli, Istanbul, Turkey. Tel.: +90 212 224 4950; fax: +90 212 296 5222.

Received 22 September 2007; received in revised form 31 October 2007; accepted 2 November 2007.

Abstract

Background

Coronary slow flow (CSF) is characterized by delayed opacification of epicardial arteries in the absence of occlusive disease. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relation between coronary flow rate, plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations, and clinical characteristics in patients with normal coronary arteries.

Methods

The study population included 77 patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries who underwent coronary angiography on suspicion of ischemic heart disease due to typical chest pain or ischemic findings on treadmill exercise test or myocardial scintigraphy. Based on the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction frame count (TFC), patients were grouped into those with normal coronary flow and those with slow coronary flow.

Results

Forty-eight (61.5%) patients were found to have CSF. Plasma ET-1 concentrations were significantly higher with the presence of CSF (P=.03). There were significant differences between plasma ET-1 concentrations, and mean TFC, TFC for left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), TFC for left circumflex coronary artery (CX), and TFC for right coronary artery separately in patients with and without CSF (P=.033, P<.001, P<.001, P<.001, and P<.001, respectively). Mean TFC, TFC for LAD, and TFC for CX, and ET-1 concentrations were significantly higher in smokers than in nonsmokers (P<.001, P<.001, P=.004, and P=.033, respectively). However, logistic regression analysis suggested that ET-1 concentration was not an independent determinant of CSF.

Conclusions

Although there is a significant relation between ET-1 concentrations and coronary flow rate, ET-1 concentrations are not sufficient to determine the presence of CSF. Smoking is strongly associated with CSF, TFC, and increased ET-1 concentrations.

Keywords: Slow coronary flow, Smoking, Coronary angiography, Angina pectoris, Normal coronary arteries, Endothelin-1