Presentation and Therapy of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection and Comparisons of Postpartum Versus Nonpostpartum Cases

Predisposing risk factors, clinical course, and prognosis of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) remain poorly understood. We reviewed medical records and coronary angiograms of patients admitted to our institution with the diagnosis of SCAD from 1999 through 2010. A definite diagnosis of SCAD required the agreement of 2 blinded board-certified interventional cardiologists who reviewed all images separately. Baseline characteristics of patients (n = 23) included mean age 45 ± 11 years, female gender in all (100%), history of hypertension in 13 (57%), and postpartum in 7 (30%). Eleven (48%) had ST-segment elevation on initial electrocardiogram. SCAD involved the left main in 5 patients (21.7%), left anterior descending coronary artery in 16 (70%), left circumflex coronary artery in 8 (35%), and right coronary artery in 6 (26%). Four patients (17%) underwent coronary stenting and 6 (26%) required urgent bypass surgery. Comparison between postpartum and nonpostpartum patients revealed significant differences in mean peak troponin levels: 50 ± 34 ng/ml vs 21 ± 23, p = 0.04, mean left ventricular ejection fraction: 34 ± 6% vs 49 ± 9, p <0.01, proximal coronary segment distribution: 6 (86%) vs 3 (19%), p = 0.004, and left anterior descending coronary artery distribution: 7 (100%) vs 9 (56%), p = 0.04, respectively. Repeat coronary angiographies were performed in 11 patients (46%) during a mean follow-up of 39 ± 38 months and 10 (91%) were found to have healed SCAD, including those who had undergone bypass surgery. In conclusion, our patients with SCAD were characterized by female gender, absence of coronary risk factors, and a high rate of vascular healing without residual stenosis. Larger infarct was found in postpartum patients.