Aizhu Sheng,1,* Lili Zhang,2,* Darong Zhu,3 Guangzhu Hu,3 Xiaobei Shi,3 Qianqian Zong,3 Pengli Wang,3 Zhen Wang3 

1Department of Radiology, Ningbo No. 2 hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315000, People’s Republic of China; 2Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310029, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Westlake University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Zhen Wang, Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Westlake University School of Medicine, No. 261, Huansha Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-0571-56005600, Email 19973094983@sohu.com

Objective: To analyze the clinical value of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) for evaluating aortic stiffness and elasticity in patients with angina and non-obstructive coronary artery (ANOCA).
Methods: The case data of 120 patients who were diagnosed with ANOCA and underwent CCTA in our hospital were collected and set as the case group, and 86 healthy subjects who underwent medical check-up and ANOCA testing in our hospital during the same period were set as the control group. The differences in CCTA indices of ascending aortic stiffness and aortic elasticity, left ventricular function indices of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and cardiac output (CO) were compared between the two groups.
Results: The arterial compliance (AC) and arterial distensibility (AD) values in the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group, while arterial stiffness (β) value was significantly higher in the case group compared to the control group (P< 0.05). The LVEF and CO values of patients in the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P< 0.05). The CCTA indices AC and AD of patients in the case group exhibited a significant positive correlation with their LVEF (r=0.133, r=0.062, P< 0.05), while β showed a negative correlation with LVEF (r=− 0.092, P=0.005).
Conclusion: Aortic stiffness and elasticity in CCTA indices of ANOCA patients exhibited significant alterations, and the correlation analysis suggested a correlation of CCTA aortic stiffness and elasticity indices with left ventricular performance indices.

Keywords: coronary CT angiography, angina and non-obstructive coronary artery, aortic stiffness, aortic elasticity, diagnostic efficacy