Ga. Stouffer et al., Left main coronary artery disease in adults younger than 50 years: A comparison with older patients, CATHET C IN, 51(1), 2000, pp. 11-17
Left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease is a potentially lethal disease th
at can be effectively treated if it is recognized expeditiously, To determi
ne whether clinical signs and symptoms vary with age, we examined data from
100 patients with angiographically significant LMCA disease (greater than
or equal to 50% stenosis), The majority of patients had myocardial infarcti
on (32%) or Braunwald class I unstable angina (46%), There were no differen
ces in initial symptoms, electrocardiographic findings (normal or only nons
pecific changes in 52% of patients), or left ventricular function (normal o
r only mildly impaired in 76% of patients) between younger patients (<50 yr
; n = 29) and older patients (n = 71). Severe atherosclerosis was common in
both groups. Risk factor profiles were different, however, in that diabete
s mellitus (10% vs. 34%; P = 0.028) and hypertension (38% vs, 73%; P = 0.00
2) were less common and tobacco use was more common (79% vs. 39%; P < 0.001
) in younger patients. In summary, age influenced the risk factors associat
ed with but not the clinical signs and symptoms of LMCAD. Cathet Cardiovasc
. Intervent. 51: 11-17, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.