The Impact of Aortic Stiffness on the Development of Coronary Artery Disease Using Echocardiography

Abstract

Objective: To correlate to the echocardiographic data with coronary angiographic finding, investigate the relation of aortic stiffness with coronary artery disease using echocardiography. 
Study Design: A case control study 
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Cardiac Care Unit, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Iraq from 1st November 2023 to 1st July 2024. 
Methods: A total of 100 adult people, 50 patients with coronary artery disease and other 50 healthy participants matched with case group in age and gender were enrolled. The collected data of all patient’s information including history blood pressure measurement and pulse measurement. We used transthoracic echocardiography to measure 
the dimension of ascending aorta, thickness of the wall, maximum systolic and diastolic aortic dimension depending on reference points on the patient ECG which was connected to the echocardiography. Then the patient was admitted to the catheterization lab for coronary angiography. After that, we compared the results of the measures 
from the transthoracic echo study with the report on coronary angiography. 
Results: The blood pressure measurements and aortic dimensions along with wall thickness measurements were significantly higher in coronary artery disease patients with catheterization when compared to control subjects. The measurements of aortic wall thickness revealed statistically significant positive relationships between blood 
pressures that measured systolic and diastolic pressure values as well as aortic diameter measurements in both their systolic and diastolic states. 
Conclusion: A significant correlation found between aortic stiffness and coronary artery disease.