Background: Increased stiffening and decreased distensibility of the large arteries are associated with the presence of coronary artery disease and has been related to increased cardiovascular mortality in different populations.
Aim: Aim of this present study was to investigate the elastic properties of the aortic wall in patients with slow coronary flow phenomenon.
Material and method: We studied 20 patients with slow coronary flow phenomenon (age: 40+/-12 years)and 15 normal control subjects by echocardiography. Aortic strain (%) and distensibility (10(-3) mmHg(-1)) were calculated from the echocardiographically-derived thoracic Ao diameters (mm). The measurement of pulse pressure was obtained by cuff sphygmomanometry.
Results: There was no difference in the left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, left atrial diameters, left ventricular mass index between patients with slow coronary flow phenomenon and control groups. Maximal aortic diastolic diameter was increased in patients with slow coronary flow phenomenon compared with control group (p<0.05). Ao distensibility and Ao strain were lower in the patients with slow coronary flow phenomenon compared with control group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Reduced thoracic aortic elastic properties in patients with slow coronary flow phenomenon,assessed by echocardiography, apart from demonstrating subclinical atherosclerosis may also contribute to the etiopathogenesis of the slow coronary flow phenomenon necessitating more aggressive primary preventive measure.