THE DIAMETER OF THE EPICARDIAL CORONARY-ARTERIES IN PATIENTS WITH DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

We investigated the diameter of epicardial coronary arteries in 12 pat ients (ten men) with dilated cardiomyopathy, and compared to 21 normal persons (14 men). Dilated cardiomyopathy patients were younger than c ontrols with no difference in height, weight and body surface area. Ej ection fraction was lower in dilated cardiomyopathy compared to normal s (31 +/- 10% and 73 +/- 7%, respectively, P < 0.001). Left ventricula r mass was significantly larger (P = 0.04). The sum of diameters of th e proximal left anterior descending, circumflex and right coronary art eries (Total Coronary Diameter) in the dilated cardiomyopathy and cont rols was 13.4 +/- 2.7 and 10.5 +/- 1.5 mm (P < 0.001). Absolute diamet ers of the left main, left anterior descending, circumflex, proximal r ight coronary artery and the right ventricular branch in dilated cardi omyopathy were also significantly larger as was Total Coronary Diamete r adjusted for body surface area. Total Coronary Diameter adjusted for left ventricular mass, was significantly smaller (103.42 +/- 30.38, 1 46.00 +/- 41.59 mm/mg, respectively, P < 0.03). Specific arteries in t he dilated cardiomyopathy adjusted for left ventricular mass were sign ificantly smaller, or had a tendency for smaller diameter compared to normals. There was no correlation between age and coronary diameter in each group. After adjusting for left ventricular mass there was no di fference in coronary artery diameter between men and women. Thus, coro nary arteries of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy have increased a bsolute diameter compared to normals, but decreased diameter when adju sted for left ventricular mass. This may contribute to patients' compl aints and to the natural history of the disease. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sci ence Ireland Ltd.