Survey of atherosclerotic disease in Asian subjects with cardiovascular disease risk factors who were not receiving lipid-lowering agents

Carotid Intima-media Thickness Measurements: Relations with Atherosclerosis, Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Application in Randomized Controlled Trials

Advances in the field of carotid ultrasound have been incremental, resulting in a steady decrease in measurement variability. Improvements in edge detection algorithms point toward increasing automation of CIMT measurements. The major advantage of CIMT is that it is completely noninvasive and can be repeated as often as required. It provides a continuous measure since all subjects have a measurable carotid wall. It is also relatively inexpensive to perform, and the technology is widely available. A graded relation between raising LDL cholesterol and increased CIMT is apparent. Increased CIMT has been shown consistently to relate the atherosclerotic abnormalities elsewhere in the arterial system. Moreover, increased CIMT predicts future vascular events in both populations from Caucasian ancestry and those from Asian ancestry. Furthermore, lipid‑lowering therapy has been shown to affect CIMT progression within 12–18 months in properly designed trials with results congruent with clinical events trials. In conclusion, when one wants to evaluate the effect of a pharmaceutical intervention that is to be expected to beneficially affect atherosclerosis progression and to reduce CV event risk, the use of CIMT measurements over time is a valid, suitable, and evidence‑based choice.

Biocompatibility and anti-calcification of a biological artery immobilized with naturally-occurring phytic acid as the crosslinking agent

Phytic acid is introduced as a biological crosslinker to fix natural arteries; the fixed tissues possess rapid endothelialization and excellent anticalcification properties.

Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Indonesian Subjects with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Who Were Not Receiving Lipid-Lowering Agents

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is frequently utilized for detection of subclinical atherosclerosis. This study aims to investigate the association between the CIMT values and demographic characteristics, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, lipid biochemistry profiles, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels among the Indonesian population. Subjects who had two or more CVD risk factors but were not receiving lipid-lowering therapy were recruited from six hospitals of Indonesia. Measurements of CIMT are obtained by ultrasonography of 12 sites within the common carotid artery. CVD risk factors, lipid and glucose profiles, and hs-CRP values were analyzed with respect to distribution of CIMT. The mean-max CIMT was 0.805 ± 0.190 mm (minimum, 0.268 mm; maximum, 1.652 mm) and the mean-mean CIMT was 0.614 ± 0.190 mm (minimum, 0.127 mm; maximum, 1.388 mm). Multivariate analyses confirmed an independent association between increasing CIMT and increasing age (regression coefficient = 0.004; p = 0.004). Our data show normative mean-mean CIMT data for Indonesian subjects with two or more CVD risk factors who are not receiving lipid-lowering therapy, which may guide CVD risk stratification of asymptomatic individuals in Indonesia.

Piperazine scaffold: A remarkable tool in generation of diverse pharmacological agents

Piperazine is one of the most sought heterocyclics for the development of new drug candidates. This ring can be traced in a number of well established, commercially available drugs. Wide array of pharmacological activities exhibited by piperazine derivatives have made them indispensable anchors for the development of novel therapeutic agents. The review herein highlights the therapeutic significance of piperazine derivatives. Various therapeutically active piperazine derivatives developed by several chemists are reported here.

Surface modification and endothelialization of biomaterials as potential scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering applications

This review highlights the recent developments of surface modification and endothelialization of biomaterials in vascular tissue engineering applications.

Carotid intima media thickness and coronary atherosclerosis linkage in symptomatic intermediate risk patients evaluated by coronary computed tomography angiography

BACKGROUND

There is a growing evidence that carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and it should be used as a predictor of atherosclerotic burden of coronary arteries. However, these studies have been performed by using invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and in high-risk patients for CAD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between CIMT by ultrasound and coronary atherosclerosis in symptomatic intermediate risk patients by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

METHODS

We enrolled 204 consecutive symptomatic patients (mean age: 61±10; men: 118) and intermediate risk for CAD. All patients underwent CIMT ultrasound evaluation and CCTA. Coronary artery calcium score (CACS), characteristics of plaques, severity of CAD, segment involvement score (SIS) and Gensini's score were assessed and compared with CIMT values.

RESULTS

CIMT has been proved as an independent predictor of a number of coronary artery plaques, overall number of mixed and remodeled plaques, presence of obstructive CAD, high SIS and Gensini's score (HR 1.2, CI 1.05-1.42, p 0.01; HR 1.2, CI 1.01-1.41, p 0.03; HR 9.0, CI 1.37-59.7, p 0.02; HR 21.0, CI 2.40-184, p<0.01; HR 1.2, CI 1.08-1.42, p<0.01; HR 1.2, CI 1.08-1.42, p<0.01, respectively). A cut-off value>1.3 was associated with a better positive and negative predictive value (100% and 69%) to predict the combined endpoint of presence and mixed and/or remodeled coronary artery plaques.

CONCLUSIONS

CIMT is an independent predictor of coronary atherosclerotic burden as detected by CCTA in symptomatic intermediate risk patients.