A Case-control Study to Assess the Association Between Facial Characteristics and Coronary Artery Diseases

Several age-related appearance factors were described associated with increased risk of coronary artery diseases (CAD). However, several limitations made these facial risk factors hard to be utilized in clinical practice, including 1) low prevalence in CAD patients, 2) lack of specific definition, 3) poor reproducibility in artificial recognition.

Thus, we designed a case-control study to explore new, common and well-defined facial characteristics associated with CAD and evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of appearence factors in CAD. We will recuit 1150 patients with at least one coronary lesion stenosis ≥50% according to coronary angiography or coronary computer tomography (CAD group) and 1150 patients without coronary lesion stenosis≥ 50% (No CAD group) judged by coronary angiography or coronary computer tomography. We will collect patients' baseline information and facial images. One hand, we will explore the facial factors associated with CAD by comparing the exposure rates of different facial factors in CAD group and No CAD group based on artificial intelligence technology. On the other hand, we will build a CAD risk model based on facial factors, and evaluate the diagnostic effect of the model.

Inclusion criteria

• Undergoing coronary computer tomography or coronary angiography
• Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
• Prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
• Without blood biochemistry outcome
• With artificially facial alteration (i.e. cosmetic surgery, facial trauma or make-up)
• Other situations which make patients fail to be photographed