The causes of vasospastic angina are not well known. We attempted to elucidate the risk profiles of Korean patients with vasospastic angina.

The risk profiles were analyzed in 181 patients with vasospastic angina (VA), 1533 patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent coronary angiography at Samsung Seoul Hospital, and 455 normal control subjects, sex and age matched to the VA group and selected from the Health Promotion Center of Samsung Seoul Hospital.

The male to female ratio was significantly higher in the VA group (4.6:1) than the obstructive CAD group (2.7:1). The mean age of the VA group (52.2±10.7 years) was significantly younger than the mean age of the obstructive CAD group (59.0±10.6 years) (p<0.01). Additionally, the smoking rate was significantly higher in the VA group (49.2%) as compared with the obstructive CAD group (43.1%) (p<0.01). Other major risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were significantly more prevalent in the obstructive CAD group than the VA group. Among the obstructive CAD group, a subgroup of Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) showed a significantly higher smoking rate (59.3%) as compared with VA group (49.2%) (p<0.01).

The VA group showed a higher prevalence in males and younger subjects as compared with the obstructive CAD group, and smoking appeared to be the most important risk factor for VA.