Sander de Vos demonstrates in his doctoral thesis that one fifth of patients with peripheral arterial problems, tired, cramping legs (intermittent claudication) have a significant narrowing in the vessel at the level of the major coronary arteries.
These people have never had any heart complaints but they are at high risk of having a heart attack. De Vos investigated patients by conducting a CT-scan (the GROUND study). The aim of this study was to find out whether the use of modern imaging technology in this group of patients could help to reduce their risk by referring them to a cardiologist if any abnormalities are visible on the scan.
This finding may have far-reaching consequences for the treatment of this group of patients. Fat surrounding the coronary arteries causes a local reaction of substances to be released that are involved in the process of atherosclerosis. A CT scan can provide images of both fatty deposits and atherosclerosis. The amount of fat surrounding the coronary arteries appears to be related to known risk factors. At the same time, this fat appeared to be related to calcification of the artery wall. These findings support the theory that this fat may play a role in the development of coronary atherosclerosis.
Sander de Vos will receive his PhD from Utrecht University on April 24.