Regression of Atherosclerosis in Man: Current Data and Their Methodological Limitations

  • B. Greg Brown
  • Edward L. Bolson
  • Cynthia D. Pierce
  • Robert B. Peterson
  • Harold T. Dodge
Chapter

Abstract

The current technology with greatest precision and statistical efficiency for studying the natural course of coronary atherosclerosis is the quantitative analysis of lesion change from serial arteriograms. We have performed serial computer-assisted measurements of virtually all atherosclerotic lesions in 47 patients who were prospectively enrolled and electively recatheterized 18 months after the initial, clinically indicated, arteriogram. There were 629 coronary segments analyzed, representing the entire spectrum of minimal-to-severe atherosclerosis. The frequency distribution of change in the “percent stenosis” parameter was a bell-shaped curve centered at 1.6% (average progression in 18 months), with a standard deviation of ± 8%. Using three standard deviations of the shortterm variability of the method as a criterion for “true” lesion change, we found that 12% of all lesions progressed and 4% regressed (improved by at least 10.2% in percent stenosis). The probability of lesion change is most strongly affected by initial lesion severity and, to a lesser extent, by patient age and by hyperlipidemia. Regression thus occurred about one-third as frequently and was of lesser magnitude than progression.

Keywords

Quantitative Coronary Angiography Leave Anterior Oblique Proximal Left Anterior Descend Arterial Narrowing Lesion Change 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1984

Authors and Affiliations

  • B. Greg Brown
    • 1
  • Edward L. Bolson
    • 1
  • Cynthia D. Pierce
    • 1
  • Robert B. Peterson
    • 1
  • Harold T. Dodge
    • 1
  1. 1.Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, and Cardiovascular Research & TrainingUniversity of Washington School of MedicineSeattleUSA

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