Functional versus morphological assessment of vascular age in patients with coronary heart disease.

Communicating cardiovascular risk based on individual vascular age (VA) is a well acknowledged concept in patient education and disease prevention. VA may be derived functionally, e.g. by measurement of pulse wave velocity (PWV), or morphologically, e.g. by assessment of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether both approaches produce similar results. Within the context of the German subset of the EUROASPIRE IV survey, 501 patients with coronary heart disease underwent (a) oscillometric PWV measurement at the aortic, carotid-femoral and brachial-ankle site (PWVao, PWVcf, PWVba) and derivation of the aortic augmentation index (AIao); (b) bilateral cIMT assessment by high-resolution ultrasound at three sites (common, bulb, internal). Respective VA was calculated using published equations. According to VA derived from PWV, most patients exhibited values below chronological age indicating a counterintuitive healthier-than-anticipated vascular status: for VAPWVao in 68% of patients; for VAAIao in 52% of patients. By contrast, VA derived from cIMT delivered opposite results: e.g. according to VAtotal-cIMT accelerated vascular aging in 75% of patients. To strengthen the concept of VA, further efforts are needed to better standardise the current approaches to estimate VA and, thereby, to improve comparability and clinical utility.

A deep-learning system for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk via the measurement of retinal-vessel calibre.

Retinal blood vessels provide information on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we report the development and validation of deep-learning models for the automated measurement of retinal-vessel calibre in retinal photographs, using diverse multiethnic multicountry datasets that comprise more than 70,000 images. Retinal-vessel calibre measured by the models and by expert human graders showed high agreement, with overall intraclass correlation coefficients of between 0.82 and 0.95. The models performed comparably to or better than expert graders in associations between measurements of retinal-vessel calibre and CVD risk factors, including blood pressure, body-mass index, total cholesterol and glycated-haemoglobin levels. In retrospectively measured prospective datasets from a population-based study, baseline measurements performed by the deep-learning system were associated with incident CVD. Our findings motivate the development of clinically applicable explainable end-to-end deep-learning systems for the prediction of CVD on the basis of the features of retinal vessels in retinal photographs.

Contribution of cystatin C- and creatinine-based definitions of chronic kidney disease to cardiovascular risk assessment in 20 population-based and 3 disease cohorts: the BiomarCaRE project.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease has emerged as a strong cardiovascular risk factor, and in many current guidelines, it is already considered as a coronary heart disease (CHD) equivalent. Routinely, creatinine has been used as the main marker of renal function, but recently, cystatin C emerged as a more promising marker. The aim of this study was to assess the comparative cardiovascular and mortality risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) using cystatin C-based and creatinine-based equations of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in participants of population-based and disease cohorts. METHODS: The present study has been conducted within the BiomarCaRE project, with harmonized data from 20 population-based cohorts (n = 76,954) from 6 European countries and 3 cardiovascular disease (CVD) cohorts (n = 4982) from Germany. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess hazard ratios (HRs) for the various CKD definitions with adverse outcomes and mortality after adjustment for the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) variables and study center. Main outcome measures were cardiovascular diseases, cardiovascular death, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of CKD stage 3-5 by creatinine- and cystatin C-based eGFR, respectively, was 3.3% and 7.4% in the population-based cohorts and 13.9% and 14.4% in the disease cohorts. CKD was an important independent risk factor for subsequent CVD events and mortality. For example, in the population-based cohorts, the HR for CVD mortality was 1.72 (95% CI 1.53 to 1.92) with creatinine-based CKD and it was 2.14 (95% CI 1.90 to 2.40) based on cystatin-based CKD compared to participants without CKD. In general, the HRs were higher for cystatin C-based CKD compared to creatinine-based CKD, for all three outcomes and risk increased clearly below the conventional threshold for CKD, also in older adults. Net reclassification indices were larger for a cystatin-C based CKD definition. Differences in HRs (between the two CKD measures) in the disease cohorts were less pronounced than in the population-based cohorts. CONCLUSION: CKD is an important risk factor for subsequent CVD events and total mortality. However, point estimates of creatinine- and cystatin C-based CKD differed considerably between low- and high-risk populations. Especially in low-risk settings, the use of cystatin C-based CKD may result in more accurate risk estimates and have better prognostic value.

[PROGNOSIS ASSESSMENT OF THE COMBINED COURSE OF STABLE CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND NON-ALCOHOLIC STEATOHEPATITIS IN PATIENTS AFTER REVASCULARIZATION INTERVENTIONS].

Purpose - to assess the probability of occurrence of the main cardiovascular events in the patients after revascularization interventions with a combined course of a stable coronary heart disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) by indicators of fibrogenesis. 164 patients with stable coronary heart disease were observed, including: 54 patients with NASH (a main group); 110 patients without NASH (a comparison group). All patients underwent general clinical examination, electrocardiography, coronary angiography, echocardiography, assessment of liver function, markers of fibrosis and long-term prognosis by the Kaplan-Meier method. It was found that the patients with stable coronary heart disease, combined with NASH, are characterized by the fibrosis progression, that is characterized by a significantly high value of fibrogenesis markers. The presence of NASH in patients with stable coronary heart disease causes a worsening of the disease and forms a negative prognosis in such patients in a two-year term. The prognosis of the patients who underwent coronary artery stenting depends on the course of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and is the most prognostically unfavorable against the combination of the FIB-4 index ≥2.0 and NASH.

Assessment of risk of fasting during Ramadan under optimal diabetes care, in high-risk patients with diabetes and coronary heart disease through the use of FreeStyle Libre flash continuous glucose monitor (FSL-CGMS).

AIM: Most of Muslims patients with diabetes and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) elect to fast in Ramadan, but the actual risk in this subset of patients with diabetes is largely unknown. We aimed to understand the safety of fasting in CHD patients with diabetes insisting on fasting Ramadan under optimal care. We also monitored the change in biophysical and biochemical parameters of these patients before and after Ramadan. We conducted this prospective study in a tertiary care hospital in Dubai during Ramadan 2016, (June 6th till July 5th). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 21 Patients with T2DM with stable known CHD during the three months prior to study and insisted on fasting despite advice against it were recruited for the study. All patients received continuous glucose monitoring with free style libre monitoring device (FSL-CGM) during and outside Ramadan period. We recorded DM or CVD-related emergency visit or hospitalisation, change in BMI, systolic and diastolic BP, lipids profile, e-GFR, HBA1c, and frequency of hypoglycemia during Ramadan fasting and not -fasting period. RESULTS: This is first study using CGM in CHD patients with diabetes who observe fast in Ramadan. Patients had a significantly higher incidence (3.2 ±â€¯2.8 vs 1.1 ±â€¯1.6 episodes, p = 0.033) and prolonged duration of hypoglycemia (117.8 ±â€¯87.2, 49.1 ±â€¯59.1 min p 0.022) during fasting compared to non-fasting respectively. No significant alteration was seen in BMI, SBP and DBP, lipid profile and renal function. There is a significant improvement in HBA1c during Ramadan. CONCLUSION: We could not associate any adverse cardiovascular effects with fasting Ramadan in patients with stable CHD under optimal diabetes care. FSL-CGMS data showed higher frequency of hypoglycemia during Ramadan fasting. Studies with larger sample size are needed for further validation of these findings.

Assessment of the clinical utility of adding common single nucleotide polymorphism genetic scores to classical risk factor algorithms in coronary heart disease risk prediction in UK men.

BACKGROUND: Risk prediction algorithms for coronary heart disease (CHD) are recommended for clinical use. However, their predictive ability remains modest and the inclusion of genetic risk may improve their performance. METHODS: QRISK2 was used to assess CHD risk using conventional risk factors (CRFs). The performance of a 19 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) gene score (GS) for CHD including variants identified by genome-wide association study and candidate gene studies (weighted using the results from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D meta-analysis) was assessed using the second Northwick Park Heart Study (NPHSII) of 2775 healthy UK men (284 cases). To improve the GS, five SNPs with weak evidence of an association with CHD were removed and replaced with seven robustly associated SNPs - giving a 21-SNP GS. RESULTS: The weighted 19 SNP GS was associated with lipid traits (p<0.05) and CHD after adjustment for CRFs, (OR=1.31 per standard deviation, p=0.03). Addition of the 19 SNP GS to QRISK2 showed improved discrimination (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve 0.68 vs. 0.70 p=0.02), a positive net reclassification index (0.07, p=0.04) compared to QRISK2 alone and maintained good calibration (p=0.17). The 21-SNP GS was also associated with CHD after adjustment for CRFs (OR=1.39 per standard deviation, 1.42×10-3), but the combined QRISK2 plus GS score was poorly calibrated (p=0.03) and showed no improvement in discrimination (p=0.55) or reclassification (p=0.10) compared to QRISK2 alone. CONCLUSIONS: The 19-SNP GS is robustly associated with CHD and showed potential clinical utility in the UK population.

Effect of genetic and non-genetic factors, including aging, on waist circumference and BMI, and inter-indicator differences in risk assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors on indicators derived from waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) as well as inter-indicator differences in risk assessment age-related diseases including diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and liver cancer. METHODS: Height, weight and WC were measured in 100 families (students and their two parents), 41 subjects with regular physical exercise routines, and 170 patients with diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease or liver cancer. The BMI, waist-height ratio (WHtR) and waist circumference density index (WCDI) were calculated for each subject. RESULTS: BMI was less affected by genetic factors, while WHtR and WCDI were greatly affected by genetic factors as revealed using multiple regression analysis. BMI, WHtR and WCDI were all sensitive to physical exercise according to ROC analysis; among these factors, the most sensitive indicator was WHtR. However, ROC analysis demonstrated that WCDI was more effective than BMI and WHtR for assessing the risk of three diseases. CONCLUSIONS: WCDI more accurately reflects the roles of both genetic and non-genetic factors, including aging, which can better predict disease.

Social and behavioral risk marker clustering associated with biological risk factors for coronary heart disease: NHANES 2001-2004.

BACKGROUND: Social and behavioral risk markers (e.g., physical activity, diet, smoking, and socioeconomic position) cluster; however, little is known whether clustering is associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. Objectives were to determine if sociobehavioral clustering is associated with biological CHD risk factors (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and diabetes) and whether associations are independent of individual clustering components. METHODS: Participants included 4,305 males and 4,673 females aged ≥ 20 years from NHANES 2001-2004. Sociobehavioral Risk Marker Index (SRI) included a summary score of physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption, smoking, and educational attainment. Regression analyses evaluated associations of SRI with aforementioned biological CHD risk factors. Receiver operator curve analyses assessed independent predictive ability of SRI. RESULTS: Healthful clustering (SRI = 0) was associated with improved biological CHD risk factor levels in 5 of 6 risk factors in females and 2 of 6 risk factors in males. Adding SRI to models containing age, race, and individual SRI components did not improve C-statistics. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that healthful sociobehavioral risk marker clustering is associated with favorable CHD risk factor levels, particularly in females. These findings should inform social ecological interventions that consider health impacts of addressing social and behavioral risk factors.

Cardiovascular risk assessment beyond Systemic Coronary Risk Estimation: a role for organ damage markers.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular risk assessment in the clinical practice is mostly based on risk charts, such as Framingham risk score and Systemic Coronary Risk Estimation (SCORE). These enable clinicians to estimate the impact of cardiovascular risk factors and assess individual cardiovascular risk profile. Risk charts, however, do not take into account subclinical organ damage, which exerts independent influence on risk and may amplify the estimated risk profile. Inclusion of organ damage markers in the assessment may thus contribute to improve this process. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the influence of implementation of SCORE charts with widely available indexes of organ damage, with the purpose to ameliorate individual risk assessment. METHODOLOGY: We searched www.Pubmed.gov for evidence about the predictive value of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), microalbuminuria (MAU) and metabolic syndrome on different risk profiles estimated by SCORE. Interventional and observational trials including at least 200 patients and published after 2000 were selected. RESULTS: The presence of organ damage as well as the number of abnormal parameters indicating organ damage is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, independently of SCORE. In the area of high risk, the impact of different markers of organ damage is heterogeneous. Combined risk models of SCORE and subclinical organ damage have major impact on risk stratification and may impact on recommendation in primary prevention in all SCORE categories. CONCLUSION: Available evidence suggests a tangible clinical advantage of adding the evaluation of simple organ damage markers to risk charts in cardiovascular risk prediction.

Dual-energy CT for the assessment of chronic myocardial infarction in patients with chronic coronary artery disease: comparison with 3-T MRI.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to compare the performance of dual-energy CT with that of 3-T MRI with late enhancement for the detection of chronic myocardial infarction during first-pass coronary CT angiography (CTA). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-six patients underwent coronary CTA for the assessment of coronary bypass graft patency on a first-generation dual-source CT scanner in dual-energy mode. Gray-scale images (100 kV, 140 kV, and blended virtual 120 kV) were assessed for areas of hypodense myocardium during the arterial phase. In addition, a color-coded map of myocardial iodine distribution was calculated from the dual-energy data for perfusion analysis. Dual-energy CT data were compared with data from 3-T MRI with late enhancement, which served as the reference standard for scar detection using the American Heart Association's 17-segment model of the left ventricle. RESULTS: One hundred one (17%) of 612 myocardial segments in 22 (61%) of 36 patients showed late enhancement on MRI. Although myocardial iodine mapping was prone to artifacts, mostly arising from sternal wires (70% sensitivity), 100-kV gray-scale images showed the highest sensitivity (80%) for the detection of myocardial scar. Blended virtual 120-kV images with lower noise and higher resolution had the best diagnostic accuracy (77% sensitivity, 97% specificity, 85% positive predictive value, 96% negative predictive value, and 94% accuracy). CONCLUSION: Detection of chronic myocardial infarction on color-coded iodine distribution analysis with first-generation dual-energy CT is impeded by thoracic metallic devices. This group of patients benefits more from adequate blending of high- and low-kilovoltage gray-scale images. Further technical improvements are desirable to lower artifact burden and improve sensitivity on myocardial iodine distribution mapping.

Radial arterial wave reflection is associated with the MEGA risk prediction score, an indicator of coronary heart disease risk, in middle-aged men with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.

AIM: The present study examined the association between the radial augmentation index (AI), a marker of arterial wave reflection, and the MEGA risk prediction score (MEGA score), an indicator of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, in middle-aged men with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia. METHODS: Radial AI was measured during a company health examination in 266 men (age: 47+/-5 years) with total cholesterol levels ranging 220-270 mg/dL who were not taking antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, or antidiabetic agents. The MEGA score was calculated based on sex, age, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose level, and smoking status. The higher MEGA score indicates increased CHD risk. A MEGA score > or = 22 corresponds to a 5-year CHD risk > or = 2.5% and we defined a MEGA score > or = 22 as a high estimated CHD risk. RESULTS: The mean AI was 74.4+/-12.6%. A high estimated CHD risk was seen in 32 subjects (12.0%). After adjusting for height and heart rate, the AI was higher in subjects with a high estimated CHD risk (81.5+/-10.6%) than in those without (73.4+/-10.4%, p<0.001). The odds ratio for high estimated CHD risk in the highest tertile of AI was 8.14 (p=0.002) in comparison to the lowest tertile, after adjusting for multiple potential confounders which did not constitute the MEGA score. CONCLUSION: The radial AI was positively associated with the estimated risk of CHD. These results suggest the usefulness of radial AI as a risk marker for future onset of CHD in middle-aged men with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.

Socioeconomic status and subclinical coronary disease in the Whitehall II epidemiological study.

BACKGROUND: There are pronounced socioeconomic disparities in coronary heart disease, but the extent to which these primarily reflect gradients in underlying coronary artery disease severity or in the clinical manifestation of advanced disease is uncertain. We measured the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) as indexed by grade of employment and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in the Whitehall II epidemiological cohort, and tested the contribution of lifestyle, biological and psychosocial factors in accounting for this association. METHODS AND FINDINGS: CAC was assessed in 528 asymptomatic men and women aged 53-76 years, stratified into higher, intermediate and lower by grade of employment groups. Lifestyle (smoking, body mass index, alcohol consumption, physical activity), biological (blood pressure, lipids, fasting glucose, inflammatory markers) and psychosocial factors (work stress, financial strain, social support, depression, hostility, optimism) were also measured. Detectable CAC was present in 293 participants (55.5%). The presence of calcification was related to lifestyle and biological risk factors, but not to grade of employment. But among individuals with detectable calcification, the severity of CAC was inversely associated with grade of employment (p = 0.010), and this relationship remained after controlling for demographic, lifestyle, biological and psychosocial factors. Compared with the higher grade group, there was a mean increase in log Agatston scores of 0.783 (95% C.I. 0.265-1.302, p = 0.003) in the intermediate and 0.941 (C.I. 0.226-1.657, p = 0.010) in the lower grade of employment groups, after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, biological and psychosocial factors. CONCLUSIONS: Low grade of employment did not predict the presence of calcification in this cohort, but was related to the severity of CAC. These findings suggest that lower SES may be particularly relevant at advanced stages of subclinical coronary artery disease, when calcification has developed.

Síndrome de Wallenberg: a propósito de un caso / Wallenberg syndrome: report of a case

Se trata de paciente de sexo masculino, de 47 años de edad, quien ingresa a la emergencia del Hospital “Dr Héctor Nouel Joubert” del IVSS de Ciudad Bolívar por presentar disartria de aparición brusca, disfagia, hemiparesia derecha e hipo intermitente. Al examen físico se encontraron cifras tensionales elevadas (160/80mmHg), voz ronca, lengua lateralizada a la derecha, ptosis velopalatina derecha discreta, hemihipoestesia facial derecha con hemihipoestesia térmica izquierda, hemiparesia derecha, reflejo nauseoso ausente en el lado derecho, todo por afectación de los pares craneales: V, VII, IX, X y XII. Se realizó resonancia magnética contrastada con énfasis en fosa posterior, revelando imagen de 6 mm en bulbo raquídeo, correspondiente a oclusión aterotrombótica de la arteria cerebelosa posterior izquierda, lo cual explica la clínica del paciente. Debe resaltarse el inicio brusco de la sintomatología del paciente y que, a diferencia de otros casos presentados, éste no comenzó con vértigo, náuseas y vómitos, así como tampoco la presencia del Síndrome de Horner ipsilateral, descrito en algunos casos de Síndrome de Wallenberg

A 47-years old male patient admitted to the emergency service of the Dr. Héctor Nouel Joubert Venezuelan Institute of Social Security Hospital of Ciudad Bolivar presented with sudden-onset dysarthria, dysphagia, right-sided hemiparesis, and intermittent hiccups. A physical evaluation revealed high blood pressure (160/80mmHg), hoarseness, tongue deviation to the right, discrete ptosis of the soft palate, right facial hemihypoesthesia with left thermal hemihypoesthesia, right-sided hemiparesis and absent gag reflex on the right side all due to impairment of cranial nerves V, VII, IX, X, and XII. A contrast-enhanced MRI with focus on the posterior fossa revealed a 6mm image in the medulla oblongata, corresponding to an atheroembolic occlusion of the left posterior cerebellar artery, which explains the patient’s bodily disorder. It is worth noting that the symptoms appeared suddenly and, unlike in other cases, they did not include vertigo, nausea, pr vomits, nor the ipsilateral Horner’s Syndrome described in some cases of Wallenberg’s Syndrome

Rubidium-82 PET-CT for quantitative assessment of myocardial blood flow: validation in a canine model of coronary artery stenosis.

PURPOSE: Absolute quantification of myocardial blood flow expands the diagnostic potential of PET for assessment of coronary artery disease. (82)Rb has significantly contributed to increasing utilization of PET; however, clinical studies are still mostly analysed qualitatively. The aim of this study was to reevaluate the feasibility of (82)Rb for flow quantification, using hybrid PET-CT in an animal model of coronary stenosis. METHODS: Nine dogs were prepared with experimental coronary artery stenosis. Dynamic PET was performed for 8 min after (82)Rb(1480-1850 MBq) injection during adenosine-induced vasodilation. Microspheres were injected simultaneously for reference flow measurements. CT angiography was used to determine the myocardial regions related to the stenotic vessel. Two methods for flow calculation were employed: a two-compartment model including a spill-over term, and a simplified retention index. RESULTS: The two-compartment model data were in good agreement with microsphere flow (y = 0.84x + 0.20; r = 0.92, p<0.0001), although there was variability in the physiological flow range <3 ml/g per minute (y = 0.54x + 0.53; r = 0.53, p = 0.042). Results from the retention index also correlated well with microsphere flow (y = 0.47x + 0.52; r = 0.75, p = 0.0004). Error increased with higher flow, but the correlation was good in the physiological range (y = 0.62x + 0.29; r = 0.84, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Using current state-of-the-art PET-CT systems, quantification of myocardial blood flow is feasible with (82)Rb. A simplified approach based on tracer retention is practicable in the physiological flow range. These results encourage further testing of the robustness and usefulness in the clinical context of cardiac hybrid imaging.

Assessment of Pulse Wave Velocity and Augmentation Index in different arteries in patients with severe coronary heart disease.

The aim of this study was to assess pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index in different arteries in patients with severe coronary heart disease (CHD). Signal measurements were obtained from 28 subjects. Severe coronary heart disease was confirmed by coronary angiography. Aortic PWV and Augmentation Index were measured using the TENSIOMed Arteriograph. Four other pulse wave velocities (upper limb PWV1, upper limb PWV2, upper limb PWV3 and lower limb PWV) were obtained using PowerLab 4/20T device. It was found that aortic PWV was significantly increased in the CHD group compared with that in the control group (P<0.01). Augmentation index was significantly increased in the CHD group compared with the control group (P<0.01). This study shows the strong association of aortic stiffness and atherosclerosis. Pulse wave analysis can provide inexpensive and noninvasive means for studying changes in the elastic properties of the vascular system with the coronary heart disease.

Discrepancy between computed tomography coronary angiography and selective coronary angiography in the pre-stenting assessment of coronary lesion length.

We aimed to compare the lesion length measured on computed tomography coronary angiography (CT-CA) with the selective coronary angiography (SCA) lesion length measured on quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). Compared with SCA, CT-CA has the advantage of showing the lumen and the atherosclerotic plaque in the arterial wall. This prospective observational study involved 44 coronary lesions. Computed tomography coronary angiography was carried out with an electrocardiogram-gated 16-slice CT before percutaneous coronary intervention. A cardiologist and a radiologist measured CT lesion lengths in consensus, whereas an interventional cardiologist carried out QCA to obtain SCA lesion lengths independently. The median difference of (CT lesion length - SCA lesion length) was 9.84 mm (95%CI: [7.26, 13.34]). The median difference of (stent length - SCA lesion length) was 7.68 mm (95%CI: [6.29, 9.26]); the median difference of (stent length - CT length) was -2.63 mm (95%CI: [-5.80, 0.05]). The mean ratio of stent length to SCA lesion length was 2.07 (95%CI: [1.83, 2.30]). The mean ratio of stent length to CT-CA lesion length was 0.97 (95%CI: [0.83, 1.11]). In the subgroup of drug-eluting stents (17 lesions), the median difference of (stent length - SCA lesion length) was 9.76 mm (95%CI: [6.59, 13.28]); the median difference of (stent length - CT length) was -5.2 mm (95%CI: [-11, 0.5]). The mean ratio of stent length to CT-CA lesion length was 0.93 (95%CI: [0.68, 1.17]). Computed tomography lesion length was substantially longer than SCA lesion length measured by QCA. Routine practice of choosing stent length based on QCA may underestimate the actual length of target lesion. This may lead to incomplete coverage of the target lesion, particularly when drug-eluting stents are used.