AIM  To explore the characteristics of intravascular ultrasound imaging of coronary heart disease patients in Lingnan Region and provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment of coronary heart disease.

  METHODS  The study included 49 patients with coronary heart disease (27 cases of phlegm obstructing chest obstruction and 22 cases of chest obstruction due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis). Intravascular ultrasound results together with the general conditions of the patients were compared between the two groups according to TCM diagnostic types.

  RESULTS  In the classification of coronary heart disease, the main types included myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and ischemic cardiomyopathy. The proportion of angina pectoris in patients with Qi deficiency and blood stasis was significantly higher than that in patients with phlegm obstruction (P<0.05), while the proportion of myocardial infarction in patients with phlegm obstruction was significantly higher than that in patients with Qi deficiency and blood stasis (93% vs. 64%, P<0.01). The area of extravascular elastic membrane in phlegm turbidity obstruction group was significantly larger than that in Qi deficiency and blood stasis group (16±3) mm² vs. (13±3) mm², P<0.05 and the plaque area in phlegm turbidity obstruction group was significantly larger than that in Qi deficiency and blood stasis group (11±3) mm² vs. (9±3) mm², P<0.05. There was no significant difference in plaque load, plaque fibrous cap thickness, lipid pool area, mean vessel diameter, plaque eccentricity index, plaque thickness and plaque calcification type between the two groups. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the plaque area was an independent correlative factor in patients with obstructive thoracic paralysis due to turbid phlegm (P<0.01).

  CONCLUSION  The large area of plaque is the main feature of coronary heart disease patients with chest obstruction due to phlegm turbidity blockage.