Histopathologic changes of the radial artery wall secondary to transradial catheterization

Figures & data

Figure 1 Schematic representation of the proximal and distal ends of the radial artery.

Abbreviation: RCA, right coronary artery.

Figure 2 Representative sections of the radial artery showing different histopathological findings encountered in the study.

Abbreviations: IH, intimal hyperplasia; M, media.

Table 1 Clinical and demographic characteristics of the study population

Variable	TRA group (n = 15)	NCA group (n = 19)	P value
Age, years (mean ± SD)	59 ± 7.2	61.3 ± 7.38	0.97
Sex, male (n, %)	14 (93.3%)	16 (84.2%)	0.51
HTN (n, %)	5 (33.3%)	6 (31.6%)	0.60
Active smoking (n, %)	2 (13.6%)	7 (36.8%)	0.12
Family history of CAD (n, %)	2 (13.6%)	6 (31.6%)	0.20
Diabetes (n, %)	6 (40%)	7 (36.8)	0.56
Dyslipidemia (n, %)	3 (20%)	6 (31.6%)	0.36
Clinical presentation (n, %)			0.30
Unstable angina	6 (40%)	8 (42.1%)
Chronic stable angina	3 (20%)	2 (10.5%)
Non ST elevation MI	2 (13.3%)	7 (36.8%)
Old MI	2 (13.3%)	2 (10.5%)
Congestive heart failure	2 (13.3%)	0
Coronary artery disease (n, %)			0.20
Two vessel disease	2 (13.3%)	5 (26.3%)
Three vessel disease	11 (73.3%)	13 (68.4%)
Left main and three vessel disease	2 (13.3%)	1 (5.3%)

Abbreviations: CAD, coronary artery disease; HTN, hypertension; MI, myocardial infarction; NCA, never catheterized arteries; SD, standard deviation; TRA, transradial catheterized arteries.

Table 2 Comparison of the histopathology of the distal ends of radial arteries (close to the puncture site) between TRA group vs NCA group

Variables	TRA group (n = 15)	NCA group (n = 19)	P value
Intimal proliferation (n, %)	11 (73.3%)	4 (21.1%)	0.03
Medial calcification (n, %)	6 (40%)	2 (10.5%)	0.06
Medial inflammation (n, %)	1 (6.7%)	0	0.44
Tissue/fat necrosis (n, %)	4 (26.7%)	0	0.02
Adventitial inflammation (n, %)	5 (33.3%)	0	0.01
Adventitial necrosis (n, %)	2 (13.3%)	0	0.18
Adventitial neovascularization (n, %)	0	3 (15.8%)	0.16

Abbreviations: NCA, never catheterized arteries; TRA, transradial catheterized arteries.

Table 3 Comparison of the histopathology of the proximal ends (away from the puncture site) of radial arteries between TRA group and NCA group

Variables	TRA group (n = 15)	NCA group (n = 19)	P value
Intimal proliferation (n, %)	4 (36.7%)	1 (5.3%)	0.074
Medial calcification (n, %)	4 (36.7%)	3 (15.8%)	0.281
Medial inflammation (n, %)	1 (6.7%)	0	0.406
Tissue/fat necrosis (n, %)	2 (13.3%)	0	0.157
Adventitial inflammation (n, %)	0	0
Adventitial necrosis (n, %)	2 (13.3%)	0	0.157
Adventitial neovascularization (n, %)	0	1 (5.3%)	0.559

Abbreviations: NCA, never catheterized arteries; TRA, transradial catheterized arteries.

Table 4 Comparison between the histopathology of the proximal end and the distal end of radial arteries in the TRA group

Variables	Distal end (n = 15)	Proximal end (n = 15)	P value
Intimal proliferation (n, %)	11 (73.3%)	4 (26.6%)	0.018
Medial calcification (n, %)	6 (40%)	4 (26.6%)	0.337
Medial inflammation (n, %)	1 (6.6%)	1 (6.6%)	1.00
Tissue/fat necrosis (n, %)	4 (26.6%)	2 (13.3%)	0.337
Adventitial inflammation (n, %)	5 (33.3%)	0	0.011
Adventitial necrosis (n, %)	2 (13.3%)	2 (13.3%)	0.339
Adventitial neovascularization (n, %)	2 (13.3%)	2 (13.3%)	0.339

Abbreviation: TRA, transradial catheterized arteries.