ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the potential correlation between coronary artery tortuosity caused by myocardial bridge and coronary atherosclerosis. Methods The data of 88 patients with suspected coronary heart disease in the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology during the period from March 2015 to June 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.Coronary artery tortuosity caused by myocardial bridge was diagnozed by computed tomography coronary angiography.Meanwhile,the contemporary data of patients diagnosed with coronary artery tortuosity without myocardial bridge were selected as the control group.The coronary atherosclerosis as well as coronary artery stenosis were observed,and clinical data including age,gender,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes,smoking history,family history,and body mass index(BMI) were collected and compared.The incidence of coronary atherosclerosis in terms of whole coronary artery,anterior segment of tortuosity,tortuosity segment,and posterior segment of tortuosity was compared firstly,followed by the comparisons of the differences in coronary artery stenosis degree in terms of anterior segment of tortuosity,tortuosity segment,and posterior segment of tortuosity.Finally,the differences of the incidence of coronary atherosclerosis in the complete MB group,incomplete MB group,and non-MB group with different degrees of tortuosity were compared.Results The incidences of coronary atherosclerosis on whole coronary artery(χ=15.565,P=0.000),anterior segment of tortuosity(χ=8.606,P=0.003),tortuosity segment(χ=13.475,P=0.000) and posterior segment of tortuosity(χ=4.314,P=0.038) in the MB group were significantly lower than those in the non-MB group.The incidences of mild stenosis in anterior segment of tortuosity(χ=6.988,P=0.008),tortuosity segment(χ=10.050,P=0.002),and posterior segment of tortuosity(χ=4.314,P=0.038) in the MB group were significantly lower than those in the non-MB group.However,the incidences of moderate and severe stenosis on anterior segment of tortuosity(χ=0.586,P=0.444),tortuosity segment(χ=1.356,P=0.244),and posterior segment of tortuosity were not significantly different between these two groups.The incidence of coronary atherosclerosis on anterior segment of tortuosity of mild(χ=13.526,P=0.000) and moderate tortuosity(Fisher exact probability,P=0.015) in the complete MB group was significantly lower than that in the non-MB group;however,the severe tortuosity was not significantly different(Fisher exact probability,P=0.155).The incidence of coronary atherosclerosis on anterior segment of tortuosity of mild tortuosity(χ=9.167,P=0.002) in the incomplete MB group was significantly lower than that in the non-MB group;however,no significant difference of moderate(Fisher exact probability,P=0.047) and severe tortuosity(Fisher exact probability,P=0.031) was identified between these two groups(P>0.0167).Finally,no significant difference of the incidence of coronary atherosclerosis on anterior segment of tortuosity of mild(χ=1.239,P=0.266),moderate(Fisher exact probability,P=1.000),and severe tortuosity(Fisher exact probability,P=1.000) was identified between the complete MB group and the incomplete MB group.Conclusions Compared with non-MB patients,patients with coronary artery tortuosity caused by MB(especially complete MB) tend to have lower incidences of coronary atherosclerosis and mild coronary stenosis.However,coronary artery tortuosity caused by MB is not correlated with moderate or severe coronary stenosis.