Khat chewing and cardiovascular risk profile in a cohort of Yemeni patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore the prevalence of khat chewing and cardiovascular risk profile in a cohort of Yemeni patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD).
METHODS: We enrolled 100 consecutive Yemeni patients who underwent elective coronary catheterisation. Patients were considered eligible for enrolment if they had angiographically documented significant CAD (>50% obstruction). History of khat chewing was obtained and recorded at the time of presentation. Coronary angiography was performed using the standard technique. Reference vessel diameter and the per cent diameter stenosis were measured using quantitative coronary analysis. Patients were classified according to the number of sizable coronary arteries affected by significant stenosis into three groups: single-vessel disease, two-vessel disease and multi-vessel disease groups.
RESULTS: The mean age was 54.7±11.8 years (16% females); 86% were khat users, 46% had single-vessel disease, 36% had two-vessel disease and 18% had multi-vessel disease. Fifty-four per cent were smokers, 11% were diabetic and 15% were hypertensive. The mean body mass index was 24.7±3.6, the mean serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 129±41 mg/dl, whereas the mean serum triglyceride level was 187±90 mg/dl; the mean serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 38±11 mg/dl. No correlation was found between the extent of CAD and any of the clinical, echocardiographic or laboratory data.
CONCLUSIONS: In Yemeni patients undergoing elective coronary angiography, khat use was highly prevalent, whereas several classic risk factors were relatively infrequent. None of the risk factors or khat use differed substantially with the extent of CAD.