Clinical characteristics and factors associated with coronary stenosis proximal to a myocardial bridge: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND: The association of myocardial bridge (MB) with cardiovascular risk and the possible cardiovascular risk factors remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and related factors of coronary stenosis proximal to an MB. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients with symptoms of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease admitted between 10/2011 and 12/2014 to the Emergency and Cardiology Department of Bayannur Hospital, who underwent selective coronary angiography (SCAG). The patients were assigned to the non-stenosis and stenosis groups according to whether coronary stenosis was proximal to the MB. RESULTS: Among 244 patients with MB and cardiovascular symptoms, 91 (37.3%) had stenosis proximal to the MB. Compared with the non-stenosis group, there were more males (80.2% vs. 55.6%, P < 0.001) and smokers (including those who had quit smoking) (P < 0.001) in the stenosis group. There were no significant differences in blood lipid-related indexes (TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C) between the two groups. Multivariable analysis suggested that MB location in the middle distal or distal segment of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) increased the odds of coronary stenosis proximal to the MB (OR = 0.439, 95% CI: 1.57–7.532, P = 0.002), which was then considered an independent factor associated with coronary stenosis proximal to the MB. CONCLUSIONS: In patients diagnosed with an MB by SCAG, only MB located in the middle distal or distal segment of the LAD is independently associated with coronary stenosis proximal to the MB.