In-vivo comparison of coronary plaque characteristics using optical coherence tomography in women vs. men with acute coronary syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Women with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) have worse outcomes than men. Data on sex differences of culprit plaque characteristics are lacking. Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution imaging technique capable of in-vivo plaque characterization. The aim of this study was to compare culprit plaque characteristics in women and men presenting with ACS. METHODS: Patients undergoing coronary angiography after ACS were enrolled. We performed OCT imaging on the culprit lesions. Previously validated criteria for OCT plaque characterization were used: lipid was quantified on cross-sectional image and lipid-rich plaque was defined as > or = 2 involved quadrants; fibrous cap thickness was measured at the thinnest point and thin-cap fibroatheroma was defined as lipid-rich plaque with fibrous cap thickness less than 65 microm. RESULTS: Forty-two patients (33 men and nine women) were included. No significant sex differences were found in baseline characteristics. Lipid-rich plaques were identified in majority of patients. No significant difference, however, was seen in the frequency of lipid-rich plaques, thin-cap fibroatheroma or minimum fibrous cap thickness (79 vs. 89%; 45 vs. 67%; 53.8 vs. 45.4 microm, respectively; P=NS) between men and women. Incidence of calcification, thrombus and plaque disruption were also similar. CONCLUSIONS: No significant sex difference was seen in culprit plaque characteristics determined by OCT imaging in patients who presented with ACS.     

光学相干断层扫描比较不稳定性和稳定性心绞痛患者粥样硬化斑块特征

目的 应用光学相干断层成像(OCT)技术比较不稳定性心绞痛(UAP)和稳定性心绞痛(SAP)患者冠状动脉粥样硬化斑块特征.方法 对临床诊断的23例UAP和24例SAP患者,在完成冠状动脉造影并确诊冠心病后进行OCT检查.根据OCT结果 回顾性比较分析UAP和SAP患者冠状动脉粥样硬化斑块特征,包括富含脂质斑块(≥2个象限的脂质斑块)、斑块纤维帽厚度、薄纤维帽粥样斑块(TCFA)、斑块破裂、钙化和血栓等.结果 47例患者中有44例成功进行OCT检查,包括22例UAP和22例SAP患者.UAP患者冠状动脉富含脂质斑块为91%(20/22),多于SAP患者的73%(16/22),但差异无统计学意义(P=0.741).UAP患者冠状动脉脂质斑块表面纤维帽厚度明显小于SAP患者[(69.5±34.7)μm比(141.1±68.5)μm,P=0.000],纤维帽侵蚀比例为59%(13/22),明显多于SAP患者的9%(2/22,P=0.000);TCFA[73%(16/22)比14%(3/22),P=0.000]和斑块破裂[50%(11/22)比9%(2/22),P=0.003]多于SAP患者.UAP患者冠状动脉斑块表而可见血栓形成多于SAP患者,但差异无统计学意义[27%(6/22)比9%(2/22),P=0.761].在斑块钙化方面,UAP与SAP患者之间差异无统计学意义.结论 OCT技术可清晰显示冠状动脉粥样斑块特征.与SAP患者比较,UAP患者冠状动脉粥样硬化斑块表现为纤维帽更薄、更多的纤维帽侵蚀、更多的破裂斑块和TCFA.     

In vivo comparison of optical coherence tomography and angioscopy for the evaluation of coronary plaque characteristics

Atherosclerotic yellow plaques identified by coronary angioscopy are considered as vulnerable plaques. However, characteristics of yellow plaques are not well understood. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides accurate tissue characterization in vivo and has the capability to measure fibrous cap thickness covering a lipid plaque. Characteristics of yellow plaques identified by angioscopy were evaluated by OCT. We examined 205 plaques of 41 coronary arteries in 26 patients. In OCT analysis, plaques were classified as fibrous or lipid. Minimal lumen area of the plaque, arch of the lipid, and fibrous cap thickness on the lipid plaque were measured. Yellow grade of the plaque was defined as 0 (white), 1 (light yellow), 2 (medium yellow), or 3 (dark yellow) based on the angioscopy. A total of 149 plaques were diagnosed as lipid plaques. Neither the minimal lumen area nor the arch of the lipid was related to the yellow grade. There was an inverse relationship between color grade and the fibrous cap thickness (grade 0 [n = 45] 218 +/- 89 microm, grade 1 [n = 40] 101 +/- 8 microm, grade 2 [n = 46] 72 +/- 10 microm, and grade 3 [n = 18] 40 +/- 14 microm; p <0.05). Sensitivity and specificity of the angioscopy-identified yellow plaque for having a thin fibrous cap (thickness 相似文献   

Assessment of culprit and remote coronary narrowings using optical coherence tomography with long-term outcomes

Much currently known information about vulnerable plaque stems from postmortem studies that identified several characteristics making them prone to rupture, including the presence of a thin fibrous cap and a large lipid core. This study used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess culprit and remote coronary narrowings and investigate whether intracoronary OCT in living patients was able to visualize morphologic features associated with vulnerable plaque in postmortem studies. Twenty-three patients successfully underwent OCT before percutaneous coronary intervention. The culprit lesion and mild to moderate coronary narrowings remote from the target stenosis were investigated. Using OCT, the culprit lesion was found to be fibrous in 39.1%, fibrocalcific in 34.4%, and lipid rich in 26.1% of cases. Two patients met criteria for thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA; defined as the presence of a signal-rich fibrous cap covering a signal-poor lipid/necrotic core with cap thickness <0.2 mm). Most plaques at remote segments were proximal to the culprit lesion (73.9%) and predominantly fibrous and lipid rich. OCT identified 7 TCFA lesions in 6 patients with a mean cap thickness of 0.19 +/- 0.05 mm, extending for 103 degrees +/- 49 degrees of the total vessel circumference. At 24 months of clinical follow-up, the only event occurred in a patient with in-stent restenosis who underwent repeated percutaneous revascularization. There were no clinically apparent plaque rupture-related events in the 6 patients found to have remote TCFA. This study showed that OCT can be safely applied to image beyond the culprit lesion and can detect in vivo morphologic features associated with plaque vulnerability using retrospective pathologic examination. In conclusion, detection of TCFA, particularly in stable patients, is desirable and may principally allow for early intervention and prevention of adverse events.     

用光学相干断层扫描比较两种类型冠心病受累血管病变的特点

目的：用光学相干断层扫描（OCT）比较急性心肌梗死（AMI）及稳定型心绞痛（SAP）受累血管病变的特征。方法：选取140例接受冠脉造影（CAG）及OCT检查的患者,其中61例AMI患者,79例SAP患者。分析患者的临床相关信息,用OCT评价受累血管的病变特点。结果：纤维帽厚度在AMI组比SAP组薄［（45±13） μm vs.（80±39） μm,P〈0.01）］;薄纤维帽富含脂质的斑块更多见于AMI组（56% vs. 25%,P〈0.01）;血栓更多见于AMI组（52% vs. 5%,P〈0.01）;斑块破裂的发生率分别是（67% vs. 25%）,P〈0.01）,溃疡和夹层等较重的斑块破裂均发生AMI组;4个象限的富含脂质斑块更易出现在AMI组;钙化斑块的深度及广度在2组间没有明显区别,但≥2象限的钙化斑块有多见SAP组趋势。结论：OCT能准确评价冠状动脉受累血管病变的病变特点及结构特征。AMI患者脂质斑块纤维帽更薄,更多见斑块破裂、血栓及不稳定脂质斑块。     

Assessment of culprit lesion morphology in acute myocardial infarction: ability of optical coherence tomography compared with intravascular ultrasound and coronary angioscopy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for assessment of the culprit lesion morphology in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in comparison with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and coronary angioscopy (CAS). BACKGROUND: Optical coherence tomography is a new intravascular imaging method with a high resolution of approximately 10 microm. This may allow us to assess the vulnerable plaques in detail in vivo. METHODS: We enrolled 30 patients with AMI, and analyzed the culprit lesion by OCT, CAS, and IVUS. RESULTS: The average duration from the onset of symptom to OCT imaging was 3.8 +/- 1.0 h. The incidence of plaque rupture observed by OCT was 73%, and it was significantly higher than that by CAS (47%, p = 0.035) and IVUS (40%, p = 0.009). Furthermore, OCT (23%) was superior to CAS (3%, p = 0.022) and IVUS (0%, p = 0.005) in the detection of fibrous cap erosion. The intracoronary thrombus was observed in all cases by OCT and CAS, but it was identified in 33% by IVUS (vs. OCT, p < 0.001). Only OCT could estimate the fibrous cap thickness, and it was 49 +/- 21 microm. The incidence of thin cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) was 83% in this population by OCT. CONCLUSIONS: Optical coherence tomography is a feasible imaging modality in patients with AMI and allows us to identify not only plaque rupture, but also fibrous cap erosion, intracoronary thrombus, and TCFA in vivo more frequently compared with conventional imaging techniques.     

Coronary plaque composition of culprit/target lesions according to the clinical presentation: a virtual histology intravascular ultrasound analysis.

AIMS: To evaluate the plaque composition obtained by virtual histology (VH) IVUS according to the clinical presentation and to compare those data to previously published histopathology data. METHODS AND RESULTS: VH was performed on 95 de novo significant lesions (>75% stenosis) in 85 patients [28 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, 30 lesions; 57 stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients, 65 lesions]. There were a higher prevalence of positive remodelling (47 vs. 22%, P=0.013), thrombus (20 vs. 1.5%, P=0.0037), and echo-lucent area (23.3 vs. 7.7%, P=0.047) in ACS patients. At the minimal lumen site, fibrous plaque area was significantly larger in ACS lesions than in SAP lesions (66.0+/-10.7 vs. 61.4+/-8.9%, P=0.034), whereas necrotic core and dense calcium plaque area were smaller in ACS lesions (Necrotic core: 6.8+/-6.0 vs. 11.0+/-8.3%, P=0.02; Dense calcium: 2.6+/-3.0 vs. 4.9+/-5.8%, P=0.03). No differences in rate of thin cap fibroatheroma, thick fibrotheroma, or for the presence of multiple necrotic core layers were observed between both groups. CONCLUSION: Plaque composition obtained by VH-IVUS shows less necrotic core and more fibrous tissue in ACS compared to SAP lesions, which is in contradiction with previously published histopathologic data.     

Feasibility of combined use of intravascular ultrasound radiofrequency data analysis and optical coherence tomography for detecting thin-cap fibroatheroma.

AIMS: To evaluate the feasibility of the combined use of virtual histology (VH)-intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for detecting in vivo thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA). METHODS AND RESULTS: In 56 patients with angina, 126 plaques identified by IVUS findings were analysed using both VH-IVUS and OCT. IVUS-derived TCFA was defined as an abundant necrotic core (>10% of the cross-sectional area) in contact with the lumen (NCCL) and %plaque-volume >40%. OCT-derived TCFA was defined as a fibrous cap thickness of <65 microm overlying a low-intensity area with an unclear border. Plaque meeting both TCFA criteria was defined as definite-TCFA. Sixty-one plaques were diagnosed as IVUS-derived TCFA and 36 plaques as OCT-derived TCFA. Twenty-eight plaques were diagnosed as definite-TCFA; the remaining 33 IVUS-derived TCFA had a non-thin-cap and eight OCT-derived TCFA had a non-NCCL (in discord with NCCL visualized by VH-IVUS, mainly due to misreading caused by dense calcium). Based on IVUS findings, definite-TCFA showed a larger plaque and vessel volume, %plaque-volume, higher vessel remodelling index, and greater angle occupied by the NCCL in the lumen circumference than non-thin-cap IVUS-derived TCFA. Conclusion Neither modality alone is sufficient for detecting TCFA. The combined use of OCT and VH-IVUS might be a feasible approach for evaluating TCFA.     

Value of the spectral analysis of radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound data in the evaluation of nonsignificant coronary lesions in chronic CHD patients

Plaque complication depends on its composition and phenotype rather than on the degree of stenosis. Plaque rupture predominantly occurs in areas with large lipid core rich in cholesterol and thin fibrous cap. Features of unstable atheromas are mostly described in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The aim of our study was to assess the plaque characterization and arterial remodeling process in non-significant stenoses of patients with chronic coronary heart disease (CHD) using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) radiofrequency (RF) data. Methods. The study included 22 stable patients (68% men, mean age 54+/-6 years) with CHD and clinical indications for coronary angiography (CAG). Diameter stenosis of the target coronary artery for IVUS procedure had to be less than 60%. Thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) was defined as plaque burden >40% and amount of NC >10% without detectable overlying fibrous cap segment. Results. Sample size calculations based on the IVUS evaluation showed 54 atheromas in 29 target arteries. Features of vulnerability determined as TCFA were detected in 14 (26%) lesions. Compared with stable lesions VPs were associated with a greater plaque burden (48.5+/-8.0 mm2 vs 55.8+/-9.3 mm2, p=0.03), larger quantity of necrotic core (37.1+/-9.1% vs 24.0+/-12.6%, p=0.0045) and calcium content (22.7+/-8.5% vs 5.6+/-5.2%, p<0.000l), and less fibrous component (34.8+/-7.0% vs 60.4+/-12.4%, p<0.0001), respectively. Significant correlation was obtained between positive remodeling (defined as remodeling index >1.05) and NC percent area (r=0.389. p=0.005). Conclusion. In chronic CHD patients about 25% of atherosclerotic lesions responsible for less than 60% stenosis could be classified as vulnerable plaques. These borderline lesions contain more necrotic and calcium components compared with stable plaques, and are associated with positive arterial remodeling.     

Serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio correlates with coronary plaque vulnerability: an optical coherence tomography study

A low ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (EPA/AA) has been demonstrated to be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is useful for the assessment of coronary plaque vulnerability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between EPA/AA ratio and coronary plaque vulnerability. This study involved 58 patients with stable angina pectoris undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. OCT image acquisition was performed before the procedure in the culprit lesions. We assessed lipid-rich plaque length and arc, fibrous cap thickness, frequency of thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), thrombus, ruptured plaque, macrophage infiltration, and microvessels using OCT. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median value of serum EPA/AA ratio: a low-EPA/AA group (n = 29, EPA/AA ratio <0.36) and a high-EPA/AA group (n = 29, EPA/AA ratio ≥0.36). In qualitative analyses, TCFA (35.4 vs 6.9 %, P = 0.0095), macrophage infiltration (48.3 vs 13.8 %, P = 0.0045), and microvessels (44.8 vs 10.3 %, P = 0.0033) were more frequently observed in the low-EPA/AA group. In quantitative analyses, the low-EPA/AA group had wider maximum lipid arc (114.0 ± 94.8° vs 56.4 ± 66.0°, P = 0.0097), longer lipid length (4.8 ± 4.5 vs 1.6 ± 2.6 mm, P = 0.0037), and thinner fibrous cap (69.3 ± 28.3 vs 113.3 ± 46.6 μm, P = 0.005) compared with the high-EPA/AA group. EPA/AA ratio was positively correlated with fibrous cap thickness (r = 0.46, P = 0.007). In a multivariate model, an EPA/AA ratio <0.36 was associated with the presence of TCFA (odds ratio 6.41, 95 % confidence interval 1.11–61.91, P = 0.0371). In our detailed OCT analysis, lower EPA/AA ratio was associated with higher vulnerability of coronary plaques to rupture.     

Visualization of coronary atherosclerotic plaques in patients using optical coherence tomography: comparison with intravascular ultrasound

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and the ability of intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) to visualize the components of coronary plaques in living patients. BACKGROUND: Disruption of a vulnerable coronary plaque with subsequent thrombosis is currently recognized as the primary mechanism for acute myocardial infarction. Although such plaques are considered to have a thin fibrous cap overlying a lipid pool, imaging modalities in current clinical practice do not have sufficient resolution to identify thin (< 65 microm) fibrous caps. Optical coherence tomography is a new imaging modality capable of obtaining cross-sectional images of coronary vessels at a resolution of approximately 10 microm. METHODS: The OCT images and corresponding histology of 42 coronary plaques were compared to establish OCT criteria for different types of plaques. Atherosclerotic lesions with mild to moderate stenosis were identified on angiograms in 10 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) images of these sites were obtained in all patients without complication. RESULTS: Comparison between OCT and histology demonstrated that lipid-rich plaques and fibrous plaques have distinct OCT characteristics. A total of 17 IVUS and OCT image pairs obtained from patients were compared. Axial resolution measured 13 +/- 3 microm with OCT and 98 +/- 19 microm with IVUS. All fibrous plaques, macrocalcifications and echolucent regions identified by IVUS were visualized in corresponding OCT images. Intimal hyperplasia and echolucent regions, which may correspond to lipid pools, were identified more frequently by OCT than by IVUS. CONCLUSIONS: Intracoronary OCT appears to be feasible and safe. Optical coherence tomography identified most architectural features detected by IVUS and may provide additional detailed structural information.     

Comparison of the effects of pitavastatin versus pravastatin on coronary artery plaque phenotype assessed by tissue characterization using serial virtual histology intravascular ultrasound

Thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) is the most common type of vulnerable plaque and is the precursor of plaque rupture. However, rupture of a TCFA is not the only mechanism underlying thrombus formation or acute coronary syndrome. Although statin therapy changes the composition of coronary artery plaques, the effects of statins, particularly different types of statins, on plaque phenotype have not been fully examined. This study compared the effects of pitavastatin versus pravastatin on coronary artery plaque phenotype assessed by virtual histology (VH) intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in patients with angina pectoris (AP). Coronary atherosclerosis in nonculprit lesions was evaluated using VH-IVUS at baseline and 8 months after statin therapy; analyzable IVUS data were obtained from 83 patients with stable AP (39 patients treated with pitavastatin and 44 with pravastatin) and 36 patients with unstable AP (19 patients treated with pitavastatin and 17 with pravastatin). Pitavastatin had a strong effect on reducing pathologic intimal thickening (PIT), especially in patients with unstable AP, but had no impact on VH-TCFA or fibroatheroma (FA). By contrast, pravastatin had weak effects on reducing PIT, VH-TCFA, or FA. Increases in the number of calcified plaques were observed for both statins. In conclusion, pitavastatin and pravastatin changed coronary artery plaque phenotype as assessed by VH-IVUS in patients with AP. However, the effects of these statins on coronary artery plaque phenotype were different.     

非ST段-抬高急性冠脉综合征与稳定型心绞痛的血管内超声斑块虚拟成像特点比较

目的 比较非ST段-抬高急性冠脉综合征（non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome,NSTE-ACS）与稳定型心绞痛（stable angina,SA）患者冠状动脉病变斑块的血管内超声虚拟组织成像（virtual histology intravascular ultrasound,VH-IVUS）特点.方法 入选81例确诊冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病（冠心病）患者行冠状动脉造影及VH-IVUS检查,根据临床表现、心电图及心肌坏死标志物水平分为NSTE-ACS组（47例,70处病变）和SA组（34例,46处病变）.对所有病变进行IVUS影像定量分析,测量指标包括最小管腔直径、最小管腔面积、坏死核心、纤维脂质成分、纤维成分、钙化部分、外弹力膜、斑块负荷及薄纤维帽粥样斑块发生率.结果 NSTE-ACS组斑块病变成分中坏死核心[（1.98±1.07） mm2vs.（1.18±0.81）mm2,t=4.312,P=0.000]、斑块负荷（73.35％±7.73％vs.68.00％±10.28％,t=3.193,P=0.002）及薄纤维帽粥样斑块发生率[45.7％（32/70）vs.19.6％（9/46）,x2=8.306,P=0.005]与SA组比较显著增加,差异有统计学意义,其余指标比较差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.结论 NSTE-ACS患者斑块成分与SA患者差异明显,坏死核心、斑块负荷明显增加,薄纤维帽粥样斑块发生率明显升高.     

Characteristics of intact and ruptured atherosclerotic plaques in brachiocephalic arteries of apolipoprotein E knockout mice

The brachiocephalic arteries of fat-fed apolipoprotein E knockout mice develop plaques that frequently rupture and form luminal thromboses. The morphological characteristics of plaques without evidence of instability or with healed previous ruptures (intact) and vessels with acutely ruptured plaques (ruptured) have now been defined, to understand the process of plaque destabilization in more detail. Ninety-eight apolipoprotein E knockout mice were fed a diet supplemented with 21% lard and 0.15% cholesterol, for 5 to 59 weeks. Of these 98 mice, 51 had an acutely ruptured plaque in the brachiocephalic artery. Ruptured and intact plaques differed in terms of plaque cross-sectional area (intact, 0.109+/-0.016 mm2; ruptured, 0.192+/-0.009 mm2; P=0.0005), luminal occlusion (intact, 35.3+/-3.3%; ruptured, 57.7+/-1.9%; P<0.0001), the number of buried caps within the lesion (intact, 1.06+/-0.12; ruptured, 2.66+/-0.16; P<0.0001), fibrous cap thickness (intact, 4.7+/-0.6 microm; ruptured, 2.0+/-0.3 microm; P=0.0004), and lipid fractional volume (intact, 35.9+/-3.0%; ruptured, 50.7+/-2.2%; P=0.0019). This study confirms that plaque rupture is a frequent occurrence in the brachiocephalic arteries of apolipoprotein E knockout mice on a high-fat diet. The data also show that ruptured plaques in these mice show many of the characteristics of vulnerable plaques in humans. This supports the use of this model in studies of the mechanisms and therapy of plaque rupture.     

Detection of vulnerable plaque in a murine model of atherosclerosis with optical coherence tomography.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to identify the components of vulnerable plaques in a well-established murine model of human atherosclerosis. BACKGROUND: Although the pathologic features that predict plaque rupture at autopsy are well known, the development of a technology to identify these high risk features in vivo is lacking. OCT uses reflected light to provide histology-like images of plaque with higher resolution than competing imaging modalities. Whether OCT can reliably identify the features of an atherosclerotic plaque that define it as vulnerable-thin fibrous cap, large lipid core, and high percent of lipid in the artery-requires further study. METHODS: OCT images of the atherosclerotic innominate artery segments from the apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE(-/-)) mice were recorded and correlated with histology in both in vivo (n = 7) and well as in ex vivo experiments (n = 12). RESULTS: Excellent correlation between the OCT and histology measurements for fibrous cap thickness, lipid core size, and percentage lipid content was found. The fibrous cap thicknesses examined span those of human fibrous caps known to rupture (< 65 microm). Regions of greatest light reflection in OCT images were observed when calcium hydroxy-apatite was scattered in lipid, less in fibrous tissue, and least in lipid. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that OCT holds promise for the identification of features defining vulnerable plaque including fibrous cap thickness, lipid core size, and the percentage of lipid content.     

Virtual histology intravascular ultrasound compared with optical coherence tomography for identification of thin-cap fibroatheroma

Virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) allows detailed assessment of plaque composition in the clinical setting. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been developed as a high-resolution imaging method, which might be a promising technique to identify thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) in vivo. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of VH-IVUS to identify TCFA as determined by OCT.We examined 96 target lesions in patients with stable angina pectoris by using VH-IVUS and OCT. VH-IVUS derived TCFA was defined as a focal necrotic core-rich lesion without evident overlying fibrous tissue. OCT derived TCFA was defined as a plaque with a fibrous cap of < 65 μm. VH-IVUS correctly identified 16 TCFA and 67 non-TCFA but misclassified 2 TCFA and 11 non-TCFA as determined by OCT. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of VH-IVUS to identify TCFA as determined by OCT were 89%, 86%, 59%, and 97%, respectively.VH-IVUS showed an acceptable sensitivity and specificity to identify TCFA as determined by OCT. Although the positive predictive value was low reflecting a high number of false positives, the negative predictive value was notably high. Our results suggest a potential role for VH-IVUS to exclude high risk lesions for future coronary events.     

应用光学相干断层成像对老年与中青年颈动脉粥样硬化性斑块特征的分析

目的 应用光学相干断层成像(OCT)评价老年与中青年患者颈动脉粥样硬化性斑块特征的区别.方法 回顾性连续纳入2017年6月至2021年2月在东部战区总医院神经内科完成颈动脉OCT检查的颈动脉粥样硬化性狭窄患者86例,分别将年龄<60岁、年龄≥60岁患者分为中青年组(17例,占19.8％)和老年组(69例,占80.2％)...     

Stabilizing effect of combined eicosapentaenoic acid and statin therapy on coronary thin-cap fibroatheroma

Background

The addition of highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to statin therapy prevents cardiovascular events. However, the impact of this treatment on vulnerable plaques remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of adding EPA to a standard statin therapy on vulnerable plaques by serial optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods

Forty-nine non-culprit thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) lesions in 30 patients with untreated dyslipidemia were included. Patients were randomly assigned to EPA (1800 mg/day) + statin (23 TCFA, 15 patients) or statin only (26 TCFA, 15 patients) treatment. The statin (rosuvastatin) dose was adjusted to achieve a target low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level of <70 mg/dL. Post-percutaneous intervention and 9-month follow-up OCT were performed to evaluate morphological changes of TCFAs. The EPA/arachidonic acid (EPA/AA) ratio and pentraxin-3 (PTX3) levels were also evaluated.

Results

Despite similar follow-up LDL levels, the EPA + statin group had higher EPA/AA ratios and lower PTX3 levels than the statin group. OCT analysis showed that the EPA + statin group had a greater increase in fibrous-cap thickness, with a greater decrease in lipid arc and lipid length. Macrophage accumulation was less frequently detected in the EPA + statin group than in the statin group at follow-up. When the patients were categorized according to their follow-up PTX3 tertiles, fibrous-cap thickness showed significant increase, and the incidence of macrophages accumulation decreased with lower PTX3 levels.

Conclusion

The concomitant use of EPA and rosuvastatin may stabilize vulnerable plaques better than the statin alone, possibly by suppressing arterial inflammation.     

Statins improve human coronary atherosclerotic plaque morphology

Statin treatment markedly reduces the incidence of acute coronary events in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. Although imaging studies have indirectly shown the beneficial effects of statins on plaque morphology, there has to our knowledge been no reported histologic comparison of the morphology of coronary plaque in statin-treated versus untreated patients who had substantial coronary artery atherosclerosis. We retrospectively studied arterial sections from the native hearts of patients who had experienced end-stage ischemic heart disease and subsequent cardiac transplantation. Of 44 qualified patients, 33 study patients had received pre-transplantation statin therapy, and 11 control patients had not. Pathologic examination of each explanted heart confirmed coronary artery disease and previous myocardial infarction in all patients. Diabetes mellitus was more prevalent in the study group. The groups were similar in levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and in the available number of arterial cross-sections per patient. All patients had plaques. High-grade lesions were found in 66.3% of cross-sections in the control group, and in 34.6% in the study group (P=0.011). Conversely, the degree of inflammation was markedly lower in the study group: low-grade fibrous plaques occurred in 45.7% of cross-sections in the study group, versus 11.3% in the control group (P=0.006). The study group had significantly fewer high-grade plaques and more fibrous plaques than did the control group at the time of transplantation. Our findings show that statin therapy substantially enhances plaque stabilization. We further suggest that reduction of plaque inflammation is an important aspect of this stabilization.