Assessment of the relationship between severity of coronary artery disease and videocapillaroscopic findings of nailfold capillary circulation

Coronary artery disease is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in our country and worldwide. The most common etiological cause of coronary artery disease is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a process that starts on the basis of endothelial dysfunction. Carotid intima-media thickness, brachial artery flow mediated dilatation may be used to evaluate endothelial dysfunction. Videocapillaroscopy (Nailfold videocapillaroscopy, NVC) is a noninvasive method that provides evaluation of microcirculation and helps diagnose systemic diseases. We aimed to determine the relationship between systemic endothelial damage and coronary artery disease severity by assessing capillary circulation with videocapillaroscopy. In this study, patients with ≥50% stenosis of coronary angiography (CAG) performed in Gaziantep University Medical Faculty Şahinbey Research and Practice Hospital Cardiology Department were included in the study. A videocapillaroscopic examination of the nailfold was performed. In the study, the CAGs of 100 patients were scored according to SYNTAX scores and Gensini scores and videocapillaroscopic examinations were performed on the basis of presence of density, dilated capillaries, giant capillaries, microhemorrhage, branching, disorganization, tortuosity, avascular space, extravasation and neogenesis. The SYNTAX score and the Gensini score of 100 patients in our study were not significantly correlated with the decrease in capillary densities at NVC, presence of dilated capillary, giant capillary, microhemorrhage, branching, disorganization, tortuosity, avascular areas, extravasation and neogenesis.