Coronary Microvascular Disease Assessed by 82‐Rubidium Positron Emission Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Is Associated With Small Vessel Disease of the Kidney and Brain

BACKGROUND: Coronary microvascular disease (CMD) may be part of a systemic small vessel disease that also manifests as neurological impairment and kidney disease. However, clinical evidence supporting a potential link is scarce. We assessed whether CMD is associated with an increased risk of small vessel disease in the kidney and brain. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective multicenter (n=3) study of patients clinically referred to 82‐rubidium positron emission tomography myocardial perfusion imaging was conducted between January 2018 and August 2020. Exclusion criterion was reversible perfusion defects >5%. CMD was defined as myocardial flow reserve (MFR) ≤2. The primary outcome, microvascular event, was defined by hospital contact for chronic kidney disease, stroke, or dementia. Among 5122 patients, 51.7% were men, median age 69.0 [interquartile range, 60.0–75.0] years, 11.0% had left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%, and 32.4% had MFR ≤2. MFR was associated with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate after multivariable adjustment (β=0.04 [95% CI, 0.03–0.05]; P<0.001). During a median follow‐up of 3.05 years, 383 (7.5%) patients suffered an event (253 cerebral and 130 renal), more frequently in patients with MFR ≤2 versus MFR >2 (11.6% versus 5.5%, P<0.001). MFR ≤2 was associated to outcome with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.30 (95% CI, 1.88–2.81, P<0.001) and an adjusted HR of 1.62 (95% CI, 1.32–2.00, P<0.001). Results were consistent across subgroups defined by presence of irreversible perfusion defects, estimated glomerular filtration rate, diabetes, left ventricular ejection fraction, and previous revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large‐scale cohort study to link CMD to microvascular events in the kidney and brain. Data support the hypothesis that CMD is part of a systemic vascular disorder.