We performed a prospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing routine cardiac catheterisation. Abdominal aortograms in lateral and antero-posterior view were obtained to assess arterial stenosis of the coeliac axis, superior mesenteric artery and renal arteries. Significant arterial stenosis was defined as a narrowing of at least 50 % compared with the normal artery. Demographic data and cardiovascular risk factors were analysed.
The prevalence of visceral artery stenosis (VAS) was 63/450 (14 % ) including 48/450 (10.6 % ) cases of coeliac axis stenosis and 15/450 (3.3 % ) cases of superior mesenteric artery stenosis. Female sex (p = 0.01), older age (p = 0.03) and the presence of coronary artery disease (p = 0.05) were significant predictors for the presence of VAS in univariate analysis. The determinants for VAS in multivariate analysis were female sex and three-vessel coronary artery disease, while two- and three-vessel coronary artery disease was significant for RAS.
Screening for VAS and RAS in female patients older than 60 years with more than two diseased coronary segments could have a high diagnostic value.