The Open Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Journal

2012, 5 : 35-37
Published online 2012 December 14. DOI: 10.2174/1876533501205010035
Publisher ID: TOCTSJ-5-35

Coronary Artery Aneurysms and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Rare Association Case Report

Elena Rosello-Diez , Christian Munoz-Guijosa , Antonino Ginel and J. M. Padro
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Cardiac Surgery Department, Autonoma University of Barcelona, C/ Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.

ABSTRACT

Inflammatory bowel disease is a complex entity that involves not only intestinal but also systemic manifestations. Several studies describing cardiovascular complications, such as coronary atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysms, vasculitis and pericarditis, have been published. However, the presence of coronary artery aneurysms has not been previously associated with this disease. In this report, we describe a 76-year-old patient with history of ulcerative colitis and coronary artery disease with a coronary angiography revealing the presence of several coronary aneurysms. Since endothelial dysfunction and destruction of elastic fibers due to inflammation could conceivably lead to coronary artery dilatation and aneurysms, we suggest that the inflammatory response in ulcerative colitis may play an important role in the development of some of the aforementioned cardiac complications.

Keywords:

Cardiac surgery, aneurysm, coronary artery disease.