Coronary arteriographic profile in young and old Indian patients with ischaemic heart disease: a comparative study.

We analysed coronary arteriographic profile in 125 young patients (below 40 years, mean age 37.3 years) with clinical evidence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (Group I) and compared it with 125 older patients with IHD (more than 40 years, mean age 52.8 years) (Group II) studied during the same period. Left anterior descending coronary artery was the most frequently involved vessel in both the groups, 102/125 (81.6%) in Group I and 120/125 (96%) in Group II (P less than 0.001). The incidence of left main coronary artery involvement was 5/125 (4%) in Group I and 15/125 (12%) in Group II (P less than 0.05) and coronary artery calcification was 17/125 (13.7%) in Group I and 72/125 (57.6%) in Group II (P less than 0.001). Triple vessel disease was the most common form of involvement, 56/125 (44.8%) in Group I and 65/125 (52.8%) in Group II (P = NS). The incidence of diffuse disease was 35/125 (28%) in Group I vs 39/125 (31.2%) in Group II (P = NS), ectasia was observed in 13/125 (10.1%) in Group I vs 15/125 (12%) in Group II (P = NS) and coronary collaterals were found in 42/125 (33.6%) in Group I and 56/125 (44.8%) in Group II (P = NS). Thus left main and left anterior descending coronary artery disease and coronary calcification were more common in the older age group. Our findings suggest that in young Indian patients with IHD, multivessel and extensive coronary artery involvement in frequently seen. This pattern of involvement has many features resembling the disease pattern in their older counterparts.