The Versatility of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score in Determination of Popliteal Artery Branches Patency in Computed Tomography Angiography

Abstract

Background: The atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score is used to estimate coronary artery disease and stroke risk. Atherosclerosis affects arteries throughout the body, including the legs, causing peripheral arterial disease. Atherosclerosis causes luminal stenosis in popliteal artery branches, which affects operative decisions such as intravascular surgery, and lower limb reconstruction. The objective was to investigate the relationship between the ASCVD risk score and degree of stenosis among the popliteal artery and its branches. Methods: The data regarding all patients who underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the legs during 2016–2021 with complete data for ASCVD risk score assessment were recruited. The association between luminal stenosis from CTA and calculated ASCVD risk score was analyzed. Results: A total of 383 limbs of 117 men and 81 women, averaged 66.5 years old, were studied. Common comorbidities included hypertension (84.3%), diabetes mellitus (61.1%), and chronic kidney disease (34.3%). Average 10-year ASCVD risks in the greater than or equal to 50% stenosis group of popliteal, anterior tibial, and posterior tibial arteries were significantly higher than the less than 50% stenosis group (P < 0.01). The peroneal artery had no significant difference between stenosis groups. The popliteal artery had significantly higher lifetime ASCVD risks than in the greater than or equal to 50% stenosis group (P < 0.01), but the other arteries showed no statistically significant difference. Conclusions: The 10-year ASCVD risks showed significant higher values in the greater than or equal to 50% stenosis group of popliteal, anterior tibial, and posterior tibial arteries. These findings can establish the further study on how ASCVD risks can be applied to predict the stenosis of these arteries and guide the rationale of preoperative leg CTA for FFF harvest.