Association Between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Pan-Coronary Plaque Burden, Phenotype, and Vulnerability: A 3-Vessel Imaging Study.
Cardiovascular risk factors (RFs) are commonly used in clinical practice to predict future adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including acute coronary syndromes (ACS). A recent study reported an association between RFs and plaque vulnerability in patients with ACS.
This study aimed to investigate the association between RFs (modifiable and non-modifiable) and pan-coronary plaque burden, plaque phenotype, and features of vulnerability.
In patients undergoing 3-vessel optical coherence tomography imaging, modifiable (dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking) and non-modifiable (age, sex, family history) RFs were recorded. Plaque number, plaque phenotype, and vulnerable features were analyzed.
A total of 534 plaques from 131 patients (36.6% ACS) were analyzed. As the number of RFs increased, the number of plaques (P trend = 0.001) as well as plaques with a vulnerable phenotype (thin-cap fibroatheromas [TCFAs], P trend = 0.001) increased. An increasing number of RFs was also associated with a higher number of vulnerable features (P trend < 0.001), including more thin fibrous caps (P trend = 0.001), lipid-rich plaques (LRPs), macrophages, microvessels, and cholesterol crystals (all P trend ≤ 0.001). In multivariable analyses, only modifiable RF burden was associated with increased pan-coronary vulnerability (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.18-1.57; P < 0.001), including a higher prevalence of TCFAs (IRR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.20-1.83; P < 0.001), LRPs (IRR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.15-1.59; P < 0.001), and cholesterol crystals (IRR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.21-1.87; P < 0.001).
As the number of cardiovascular RFs increased, the number of plaques, plaques with a high-risk phenotype, and vulnerable features also increased. Only increasing modifiable RF burden was associated with greater pan-coronary vulnerability, including more TCFAs and LRPs.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01110538.
This study aimed to investigate the association between RFs (modifiable and non-modifiable) and pan-coronary plaque burden, plaque phenotype, and features of vulnerability.
In patients undergoing 3-vessel optical coherence tomography imaging, modifiable (dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking) and non-modifiable (age, sex, family history) RFs were recorded. Plaque number, plaque phenotype, and vulnerable features were analyzed.
A total of 534 plaques from 131 patients (36.6% ACS) were analyzed. As the number of RFs increased, the number of plaques (P trend = 0.001) as well as plaques with a vulnerable phenotype (thin-cap fibroatheromas [TCFAs], P trend = 0.001) increased. An increasing number of RFs was also associated with a higher number of vulnerable features (P trend < 0.001), including more thin fibrous caps (P trend = 0.001), lipid-rich plaques (LRPs), macrophages, microvessels, and cholesterol crystals (all P trend ≤ 0.001). In multivariable analyses, only modifiable RF burden was associated with increased pan-coronary vulnerability (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.18-1.57; P < 0.001), including a higher prevalence of TCFAs (IRR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.20-1.83; P < 0.001), LRPs (IRR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.15-1.59; P < 0.001), and cholesterol crystals (IRR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.21-1.87; P < 0.001).
As the number of cardiovascular RFs increased, the number of plaques, plaques with a high-risk phenotype, and vulnerable features also increased. Only increasing modifiable RF burden was associated with greater pan-coronary vulnerability, including more TCFAs and LRPs.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01110538.
Authors
Chmiel Chmiel, Andreaggi Andreaggi, Kim Kim, McNulty McNulty, Lee Lee, Banning Banning, Bryniarski Bryniarski, Musialek Musialek, Jang Jang
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