Coronary CTA-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve Can ID Three-Year Outcomes in Angina

Risk for all-cause death, nonfatal spontaneous myocardial infarction identified in overall cohort, those with high coronary artery calcium scores

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Sept. 12, 2023 (HealthDay News) — For patients with stable angina pectoris, a coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) can identify the three-year risk for all-cause death or nonfatal spontaneous myocardial infarction, according to a study published online Sept. 12 in Radiology.

Kristian T. Madsen, M.D., from the University Hospital of Southern Denmark in Esbjerg, and colleagues examined the prognostic value of coronary CTA-derived FFR test results on three-year clinical outcomes in patients with coronary stenosis. Participants included 900 patients with new-onset stable angina pectoris who underwent coronary CTA-derived FFR; a lesion-specific value of 2 cm with distal-to-stenosis value at or below 0.80 was considered an abnormal test result.

Of the participants, 523 had normal results and 377 had abnormal results from coronary CTA-derived FFR. The researchers found that 2.1 and 6.6 percent of patients with normal and abnormal coronary CTA-derived FFR results, respectively, met the primary end point (composite of all-cause death and nonfatal spontaneous myocardial infarction; relative risk, 3.1). Among those with high levels of coronary artery calcium, the primary end point occurred in 2.2 and 9.0 percent of participants with normal and abnormal coronary CTA-derived FFR results, respectively (relative risk, 4.1).

“Our study provides evidence for the prognostic potential of CT-FFR in patients with high coronary artery calcium scores,” Madsen said in a statement. “Regardless of the patient’s baseline risk and extent of coronary artery disease measured by coronary artery calcium, if CT-FFR results are normal, the prognosis is good.”

Several authors disclosed ties to the medical device industry.

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