Comparison of coronary plaque characteristics in Xinjiang Uygur and Han ethnic groups with established coronary heart disease using 64-slice CT coronary angiography

This study was designed to evaluate composition, location, and severity of coronary atherosclerotic plaques with 64-slice computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography in Xingjiang Uygur and Han ethnic groups. 152 Uighur ethnic group confirmed coronary heart disease (CHD) and underwent 64-Slice CT coronary angiography were included consecutively from January 2007 to June 2010. 304 Han cases examined at the same time were enrolled as control. CT coronary angiography was used to assess plaques characteristics. There were significant differences in plaques characteristics between Uygur and Han ethnic groups, with a higher incidence, higher proportion of occurred in the left circumflex branch, severer luminal narrowing, higher proportion of obstructive plaque involved multi-branch, in Uygur ethnic group. Comparison of CHD risk factors, body mass index in Uighur was higher than that in Han. Non-invasive detection of coronary plaques using 64-Slice CT may constitute an important step in risk stratification of CHD in different ethnic groups.