Association Between Severity of Peripheral Artery Disease Angio CT-derived Coronary Syntax Score in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia

Peripheral artery disease, a frequent consequence of atherosclerosis, is usually associated with concomitant ischaemic coronary artery disease and with a high rate of cardiovascular mortality. The study population consisted of 24 patients, admitted to our clinic with peripheral artery disease, 10 of them with critical limb ischaemia. In all cases, cardiovascular risk factors, left ventricular dysfunction and ejection fraction were analyzed. Peripheral Multislice Angio CT examination was used to determine the TASC class and to assess the peripheral arterial lesions. The Coronary Calcium Score and the Syntax Score were determined with angio CT of the coronary arteries. Patients were between 39 and 84 years of age, and 54% were in Fontaine class 2B, 21% in Fontaine class 3 and 25% in Fontaine class 4. 12.5% of patients presented TASC class A, 33.3% TASC class B, and 54.2% TASC class C. Coronary Calcium Scores were between 0 and 100 in 16.6% of patients, between 100 and 400 in 41.8%, and >400 in 41.6% of patients. The SYNTAX Score was 32 in 8.5% of patients. A significant correlation was found between the Coronary Calcium Score and the SYNTAX Score (r = 0.82, p = 0.03). The Syntax Score was 22.43 ± 3.2 in TASC A patients, 26.2 ± 5.4 in TASC B patients, 32.1 ± 2.3 in TASC C patients (p = 0.005). The severity of coronary artery disease characterized by the Syntax Score, by the presence of left main stenosis and segmental left ventricular hypokinesis presents significant correlation with the severity of peripheral artery disease, characterized by the TASC classification.