CORONARY ARTERIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN BLACK PATIENTS AND RISK MARKERS FOR CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE

Coronary arteriographic results are reported in 1535 black patients: 7 51 men (mean age 57 +/- 11) and 784 women (mean age 59 +/- 11). Among the black men 19%, 15%, 21%, and 4% had single-, double-, and triple-v essel and left main disease, respectively. Among the black women there were 12%, 10%, 15%, and 3% with similar involvement. Logistic regress ion models showed that most of the recognized risk factors were positi vely correlated with significant (at least one artery with greater tha n or equal to 50% stenosis) coronary disease, but a history of hyperte nsion was not a significant independent predictor in either sex. ECG e vidence of previous infarction increased the odds of detecting signifi cant coronary disease by the greatest amount when controlling for othe r significant risk markers in women. In men both previous infarction a nd atypical pain (negative) were equally important. This study confirm s but does not explain previous reports that have revealed less than e xpected angiographic evidence of significant coronary artery disease i n black compared with white persons.