PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE OF LEFT MAIN CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE DETECTEDBY INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND

The prognostic importance of intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) detected left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease is unknown. To determine the long-term outcome of LMCA disease detected by ICUS, 3 year (range 2-4 years) clinical followup was obtained in 30 consecutive patients who u nderwent ICUS study following left coronary artery intervention. ICUS and quantitative angiography were analyzed for predictors of clinical outcome. Angiographically, 21 patients had normal. LMCA and 9 were ins ignificantly abnormal; by ICUS 23 had >20% area stenosis. Major cardio vascular events occurred in 9. In patients with greater than or equal to 20% area stenosis by ICUS, 35% had a major event compared to 0% whe n <20% stenosis was noted, (p=.07,x(2)=3.3). Thus, the presence of ICU S determined LMCA disease may predict long-term cardiovascular