Provocation of microvessel spasm by low-dose acetylcholine in patients with suspected coronary artery disease--two case reports

Endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiac syndrome X, and intracoronary low-dose acetylcholine infusion is a widely used diagnostic modality for studying the coronary artery endothelial function. The authors herein report 2 cases of cardiac syndrome X with coronary artery endothelial dysfunction and microvessel spasm. The findings of non-invasive testing were positive for ischemia. Coronary angiograms appeared entirely normal in both cases. However, the intracoronary infusion of low-dose (1.5-15 microg/minute) acetylcholine demonstrated an impairment of the coronary blood flow response and consequently provoked an ST-segment elevation in an electrocardiogram. The coronary angiograms showed no spasm in the epicardial arteries. These patients are thus suggested to have cardiac syndrome X with microvessel spasms associated with coronary artery endothelial dysfunction.