Clinical implication of coronary tortuosity in patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Coronary tortuosity (CT) is a common coronary angiography finding. The exact pathogenesis, clinical implication and long-term prognosis of CT are not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of CT in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) in a Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 1010 consecutive patients underwent coronary angiography with complaints of chest pain or related symptoms were included in the present study (544 male, mean age: 64±11 years). CT was defined by the finding of ≥3 bends (defined as ≥45° change in vessel direction) along main trunk of at least one artery in systole and in diastole. Patients with or without CAD were further divided into CT-positive and CT-negative groups, all patients were followed up for the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) for 2 to 4 years. RESULTS: The prevalence of CT was 39.1% in this patient cohort and incidence of CT was significantly higher in female patients than that in male patients (OR = 2.603, 95%CI 1.897, 3.607, P