Angina, quality of life and prognosis: prospective comparison of patients undergoing invasive management

Abstract

Background: Angina is associated with impaired quality of life and an adverse prognosis. Purpose: Prospectively evaluate quality of life and clinical outcomes in patients with angina undergoing invasive coronary angiography according to endotype: symptoms and/or signs of ischaemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) compared to obstructive coronary artery disease subjects managed by medical therapy, revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, respectively. Methods: We conducted a prospective clinical evaluation of patients with angina undergoing clinically indicated invasive management (NCT03193294). Symptom severity and quality of life were assessed at baseline and repeated after 6 months. Comparisons between treatment groups were based on analysis of covariance general linear models adjusting for baseline score, sex, and cardiovascular risk. INOCA subjects were considered as one diagnostic group and not all subjects had invasive vasoreactivity testing. Results: 391 patients (mean age 62±10 years, 52% female) were enrolled over 12 months and classified into one of four groups: INOCA (N=185; 47%), obstructive CAD treated by PCI (N=126; 32%), obstructive CAD treated by CABG (N=48; 12%) and obstructive CAD managed with medical therapy (N=32; 8%). After adjusting for between group differences and overall risk, INOCA subjects had worse angina and worse treatment response at follow up (21% and 27% reduction in angina score compared to CAD patients revascularized with PCI and CABG respectively). INOCA subjects had numerically lower treatment response than CAD patients managed with medications (6.4 units, ‐12%; P=0.181). Population baseline mean Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) frequency score (60±26) and SAQ summary score (52.5±19) were similar between groups. The absolute difference was 6.4 units versus medically managed CAD (95% CI: ‐3.0 to 15.9; P=0.181), 11.3 units versus the CAD group undergoing PCI (6.1 to 16.5; P<0.001) and 14.3 units versus CABG (6.2 to 22.3; P=0.001). INOCA subjects had overall reduced quality of life (EQ5D index) and increased psychological distress scores versus all CAD groups at 6 months. During longer‐term follow‐up (median 18 months), 23 (6%) MACE events occurred with no differences between the groups (Kaplan Meier log‐rank P=0.890). Conclusion(s): Patients with INOCA had more severe angina symptoms reflecting worse quality of life and treatment response at 6 months with similar MACE as CAD subjects even after adjustment for confounding factors. This study highlights the need for evidence‐based antianginal therapies and disease‐modifying treatments for angina patients regardless of the presence of obstructive coronary disease.