Validation of the CHA2DS2-VASc Score in Predicting Coronary Atherosclerotic Burden and In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Although the CHA2DS2-VASc score has been initially recommended for the assessment of the risk of thromboembolic event in patients with atrial fibrillation, in recent years, it is used to predict adverse outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about its predictive value for coronary atherosclerotic burden in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of the present study is to investigate whether the CHA2DS2-VASc score could predict higher coronary atherosclerotic burden assessed by SYNTAX score (SS) in ACS. A total of 2,222 ACS patients (mean age 59.8 ± 12.7 years) who underwent coronary angiography were divided into 3 SS tertiles stratified by SS: low (≤22) (n = 1,445); intermediate (23 to 32) (n = 556); and high (≥33) (n = 221). The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 2.71 ± 1.51 (range 1 to 9) and CHA2DS2-VASc score was higher in patients with high SS than in those with intermediate and low SS (4.24 ± 1.49, 2.89 ± 1.49, and 2.40 ± 1.36, respectively, p <0.001). In multivariate analysis, CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥4 (odds ratio [OR] 3.048, 95% confidence interval 1.658 to 5.617, p <0.001) was an independent predictor of high SS, as well as body mass index (OR 0.929, p = 0.015), chronic total occlusion (OR 11.363, p <0.001), current smoking (OR 0.476, p = 0.026), and chronic renal disease (OR 1.828, p = 0.033). The CHA2DS2-VASc score was also an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality in multivariate Cox regression analysis. In conclusion, CHA2DS2-VASc, as a simply calculated and reliable score, is independently associated with high SS and in-hospital mortality in patients with ACS. Thus, this score provides an additional level of risk stratification regarding coronary atherosclerotic burden and prognosis beyond that provided by traditional risk factors.