Abstract
Objective:
Patients with ischemic cardiac symptoms and nonobstructive coronary arteries during diagnostic testing are referred toas ‘Ischemia with no obstructive Coronary Arteries’ (INOCA), which is predominantly seen in women. It is hypothesized that
psychological distress is more prevalent in patients with INOCA. The study aimed to investigate psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with INOCA compared to patients with obstructive coronary artery disease.
Methods:
Participants (N= 202, mean age 65.4 ± 9.7, 52% women) were included from two studies, which examined, respectively, women with (recurrent) cardiac complaints without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and patients referred for myocardial perfusion imaging. Patients were grouped according to the
‘diagnostic criteria for microvascular angina’ into INOCA (ischemia without obstructive arteries) versus CAD (obstructive CAD). Participants completed questionnaires assessing psychological factors, quality of life, and cardiovascular risk factors.
Results: Patients classified as INOCA (N=88) were more often women (77% vs 26%), younger (64 years vs 67 years),and more often higher educated (27% vs 14%) compared to patients with obstructive CAD (N= 114). In addition, INOCA patients more often reported a familial cardiac history and hypertension and reported less often smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. INOCA patients
had more often elevated anxiety scores on the General Anxiety Disorder questionnaire. No differences were observed for quality of life or wellbeing and the prevalence of reported depression, stress, and type D personality as compared to patients with obstructive CAD.
Conclusion:
Patients with INOCA do not experience more psychological burden compared to patients with obstructive CAD except for anxiety-related symptoms. Differences in timing of measurement between the studies may have affected the outcomes
Patients with ischemic cardiac symptoms and nonobstructive coronary arteries during diagnostic testing are referred toas ‘Ischemia with no obstructive Coronary Arteries’ (INOCA), which is predominantly seen in women. It is hypothesized that
psychological distress is more prevalent in patients with INOCA. The study aimed to investigate psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with INOCA compared to patients with obstructive coronary artery disease.
Methods:
Participants (N= 202, mean age 65.4 ± 9.7, 52% women) were included from two studies, which examined, respectively, women with (recurrent) cardiac complaints without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and patients referred for myocardial perfusion imaging. Patients were grouped according to the
‘diagnostic criteria for microvascular angina’ into INOCA (ischemia without obstructive arteries) versus CAD (obstructive CAD). Participants completed questionnaires assessing psychological factors, quality of life, and cardiovascular risk factors.
Results: Patients classified as INOCA (N=88) were more often women (77% vs 26%), younger (64 years vs 67 years),and more often higher educated (27% vs 14%) compared to patients with obstructive CAD (N= 114). In addition, INOCA patients more often reported a familial cardiac history and hypertension and reported less often smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. INOCA patients
had more often elevated anxiety scores on the General Anxiety Disorder questionnaire. No differences were observed for quality of life or wellbeing and the prevalence of reported depression, stress, and type D personality as compared to patients with obstructive CAD.
Conclusion:
Patients with INOCA do not experience more psychological burden compared to patients with obstructive CAD except for anxiety-related symptoms. Differences in timing of measurement between the studies may have affected the outcomes
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1320 |
| Pages (from-to) | A24-A24 |
| Journal | Psychosomatic Medicine |
| Volume | 84 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 2022 |