Prevalence and grading of coronary artery stenosis: Correlation with associated risk factors – an autopsy based study

Atherosclerosis, a major cause of cardiovascular mortality, involves plaque formation in arterial walls, leading to their narrowing and hardening. This chronic inflammatory process begins with endothelial dysfunction and lowdensity lipoproteins (LDL) accumulation, progressing to fatty streaks, fibrous plaques, and complicated lesions. Coronary artery stenosis (CAS), a consequence of atherosclerosis, can cause angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure and sudden death. This study investigates CAS prevalence, severity, and associated risk factors in a population of Northern India.

This prospective, cross-sectional autopsy study (n=100, age ≤ 20) examined CAS. Hearts were examined grossly and microscopically. Coronary arteries were sectioned, processed, embedded, further sectioned and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The compiled data was analysed using SPSS 26.0 Software.

Of the 100 cases studied, CAS was prevalent in 79%; 29% mild, 24% moderate, and 26% showed complicated changes. Males had higher smoking and alcohol consumption rates. Sedentary lifestyles correlated with severe atherosclerosis. Smoking, diabetes, and hypertension increased vessel involvement.

This study found a high CAS prevalence (79%), with severity linked to lifestyle (sedentary behaviour) and comorbidities (smoking, diabetes, hypertension). These findings emphasize the interplay of lifestyle, demographics, and comorbidities in CAS, influencing clinical practice and future research.