Relationship between significant coronary artery disease and coronary artery anomalies

Purpose: In the present study we aimed to investigate the frequency and types of Coronary Artery Anomalies (CAAs) and their correlation with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Methods: We assessed retrospectively the coronary angiography records of 8120 adult patients. We defined and classified the CAAs according to the classification system described by Angelini et al. Significant CAD was defined as the presence of angiographic coronary stenosis >50% of the luminal diameter in at least one of the epicardial coronary arteries. Moreover, we compared the frequencies and features of the CAAs between the CAD. Results: We detected coronary artery anomalies in 3.32% and 64.4% of the patients contained the significant CAD. The percentage of anomalous coronary artery origin was significantly higher in CAD (-) patients than CAD (+) patients. The incidence of the absence of Left Main Coronary Artery (LMCA) and the left anterior descending artery originating from the right sinus of Valsalva or the right coronary artery was significantly higher in CAD (-) patients than CAD (+) patients. Table 1. The incidence of CAA with regard to the presence of a coronary artery disease Abbreviations: CAD(+), coronary artery disease positive; CAD(–), coronary artery disease negative; LMCA, left main coronary artery; RCA, right coronary artery; LSV, left sinus of Valsalva; Cx, circumflex artery; LAD, Left anterior descending artery; RSV, right sinus of Valsalva; CA, coronary artery. Conclusion: The development of coronary artery disease might be associated with coronary artery anomalies. In particular, the lack of LMCA seems to restrict the development of CAD.