LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF CORONARY NARROWING WITH SPASM

In order to clarify the fate of coronary narrowing with spasm, repeat angiograms of coronary narrowing with and without spasm were compared. The mean interval between the first and second angiograms was 3.6 yea rs (range, 1.1-8.5 years). Improvement of narrowing was more frequent in the vasospastic group (23%) than in the group without spasm (3%, P < 0.005). The cause of this improvement in the vasospastic group may h ave been the resolution of the spasm in the first angiogram, but the p resence of intravascular thrombus or bleeding or edema of the coronary arterial wall may have resolved in the second angiogram.