ASSESSMENT OF THE CORONARY OSTIA PARAMETERS IN MEN: INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND STUDY
Authors: Pidvalna U. Ye. 
Published: January 2023

Morphometric parameters are an important component in the assessment of the anatomy of the cardiovascular system; they are the basis for choosing an appropriate intervention method. The use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for conducting a morphometric study allows for measurements from the lumenal surface of the vessel, which ensures high accuracy of calculations. Limited use of IVUS in Ukraine has resulted in insufficient data on morphometric analysis of coronary ostia among Ukrainian citizens.

The Aim is to measure the minimum diameter, average diameter, maximum diameter, and area of the right and left coronary ostia in men with structural changes of the coronary arteries using IVUS; to evaluate the correlation of the obtained data with age and anthropometric indicators.

Materials and methods. The research materials include the images of intravascular ultrasound examination (performed during coronary angiography) of 16 men with structural lesions of the coronary arteries. The following methods were applied: IVUS, angiography, mathematical and statistical calculations. The measured parameters were as follows: the minimum diameter, the maximum diameter, the mean diameter, the area of the ostia of the coronary arteries. Clinical data were the following: age, height, weight, body mass index and body surface area.

Results of the study. Analysis of the coronary arteries’ parameters according to IVUS in men with structural changes of the coronary arteries (mean age 61.69±10.03 years, n=16) showed that, on average, the area of vessels is 22.89±5.92 mm2, the mean diameter of the coronary ostia (mean d) is 5.34±0.73 mm, minimum diameter (min d) is 4.78±0.89 mm, and maximum diameter (max d) is 5.91±0.66 mm.

When comparing the parameters of the left and right coronary ostia, it was proved that all indicators of the right coronary artery are higher than those of the left coronary artery. A significant difference between these parameters was inherent in the indicators of the area – by 29.86% (26.29±2.74 m2 vs. 20.25±6.49 m2, p=0.023), the maximum diameter – by 15.90% (6.40±0.40 mm vs. 5.52±0.57 mm, p=0.002) and the average diameter – by 13.42% (5.72±0.40 mm vs. 5.04±0.80 mm, p=0.043). A direct relationship of medium strength between age and height was also proved (τ=+0.62, p=0.030).

Conducting a study of paired correlations in patients who underwent IVUS examination of the right coronary artery (n=7), proved the existence of a strong inverse relationship between the minimum diameter of the right coronary artery and body weight in men with structural changes of the coronary arteries (τ=-0.83, p=0.020) and with the BSA indicator (τ=-0.75, p=0.021), as well as the inverse relationship of the medium strength between the mean diameter of the right coronary artery and body weight (τ=-0.65, p =0.046). No significant pairwise correlations were established between age, height, and other anthropometric data in the studied patients (p>0.05).

Conclusions. In men with structural changes of the coronary arteries who underwent the intravascular ultrasound examination, the minimum diameter, mean diameter, maximum diameter, and area of the right coronary ostium were bigger than the corresponding parameters of the left coronary ostium. Different relationships with age and anthropometric parameters were established for the right and left coronary arteries.