2026, Number 3
Cardiovasc Metab Sci 2026; 37 (3)
Characterization of clinical and anatomical profile of patients with anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries and their association with major cardiovascular outcomes: the experience of a Latin American third-level center
Sánchez-Amaya, David Jacobo; Portillo-Hernández, José Arturo; Godínez-Córdova, Luis Benjamín; Rodríguez-Murillo, Nancy Gabriela; Rivera-Rodríguez, Danny Istayul; Suárez-Lara, Nancy N; Masso-Bueso, Jessy Steve; Gopar-Nieto, Rodrigo; Sierra-Lara Martínez, Jorge Daniel; Posada-Martínez, Edith Liliana
ABSTRACT
Introduction: coronary artery abnormalities are a rare condition but one associated with a potentially serious outcome. Objectives: characterization of clinical and anatomical profiles of patients with Anomalous Aortic Origin of Coronary Arteries (AAOCA) and their association with any pre-specified Major Cardiovascular Events (MACE). Material and methods: a retrospective study was conducted among patients with AAOCA in a tertiary care center, from January 2000 to June 2022. We analyzed the association between clinical and anatomical characteristics of patients and pre-specified MACE (Acute Coronary Syndrome [ACS], surgical revascularization, or cardiovascular death). Results: fifty patients were included. The mean age was 52 ± 15 years, and most patients were male (68%). Systemic hypertension was the most frequent comorbidity (38%). Only five patients (10%) had congenital heart disease. ACS was the most frequent initial clinical presentation (42%). Most AAOCAs affected solely the right coronary artery (60%), and nearly half of all individuals (44%) had at least a high-risk characteristic. MACE was recorded in 14 patients (28%) with a median follow-up of 1,636 days [IQR 626-2,345]. Cumulative probability of MACE was higher in the high-risk group (log-rank p = 0.04). Conclusions: this study highlights the importance of identifying high-risk profiles in such patients, given their association with adverse outcomes.