The TAXINOMISIS Project: A multidisciplinary approach for the development of a new risk stratification model for patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis

Factors Associated with High-Risk Plaque Characteristics Among Patients with Medium to Severe Carotid Artery Stenosis

BACKGROUND

There has been a large discussion in literature regarding the proper management of asymptomatic patients with significant carotid artery stenosis. This study aims to identify potential risk factors associated with high-risk carotid plaques.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study based on a prospective database. Eligible patients had medium to severe symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid stenosis (≥50%, North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial criteria). This study will analyze patients recruited by our institution as part of the multicenter TAXINOMISIS project (NCT03495830). According to protocol, all patients underwent a colored Duplex ultrasound examination and a magnetic resonance angiography at baseline. Carotid plaques were classified according to Gray-Weale ultrasonographic criteria (types I-V). Main outcomes included the occurrence of symptoms, the high/low echogenicity of the plaque, the existence of intraplaque hemorrhage and the existence of lipidic/necrotic core. Secondary, risk factors associated with the aforementioned outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 62 patients (mean age: 68.7 ± 9.3 years, 66.1% males, 24.2% symptomatic) were recruited by our department. Mean carotid stenosis was 70.81% ± 13.53%. In multivariate regression analysis, C-reactive protein > 2 mg/l was strongly associated with symptomatic stenosis (odds ratio [OR] = 9.92 [1.12-88.178]; P = 0.039), and low high-density lipoprotein levels (<1200 mmol/l) were associated with lipidic/necrotic plaque core (OR = 16.88 [1.10-259.30]; P = 0.043). Low high-density lipoprotein levels (OR = 7.22 [1.00-51.95], P = 0.049) and HbA1c >7% (OR = 0.08 [0.01-0.93], P = 0.044) were associated with type III/IV plaques whereas HgAbc1 >7% (OR = 14.26 [1.21-168.34], P = 0.035) was associated with type V plaques.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary study has revealed some potential risk factors associated with unstable carotid plaques. These data could help the future development of prognostic models for early detection patients that could benefit from further intervention.

TAXINOMISIS: A cloud - based platform for risk profiling and patient specific management of the carotid artery disease

Carotid Artery Disease is a complex multi-disciplinary medical condition causing strokes and several other disfunctions to individuals. Within this work, a cloud - based platform is proposed for clinicians and medical doctors that provides a comprehensive risk assessment tool for carotid artery disease. It includes three modeling levels: baseline data-driven risk assessment, blood flow simulations and plaque progression modeling. The proposed models, which have been validated through a wide set of studies within the TAXINOMISIS project, are delivered to the end users through an easy-to-use cloud platform. The architecture and the deployment of this platform includes interfaces for handling the electronic patient record, the 3D arterial reconstruction, blood flow simulations and risk assessment reporting. TAXINOMISIS, compared with both similar software approaches and with the current clinical workflow, assists clinicians to treat patients more effectively and more accurately by providing innovative and validated tools.Clinical Relevance - Asymptomatic carotid artery disease is a prevalent condition that affects a significant portion of the population, leading to an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events. Early detection and appropriate treatment of this condition can significantly reduce the risk of adverse outcomes and improve patient outcomes. The development of a software tool to assist clinicians in the assessment and management of asymptomatic patients with carotid artery disease is therefore of great clinical relevance. By providing a comprehensive and reliable assessment of the disease and its risk factors, this tool will enable clinicians to make informed decisions regarding patient management and treatment. The impact of this tool on patient outcomes and the reduction of healthcare costs will be of great importance to both patients and the healthcare system.

New paradigms in minimally-invasive vascular surgery

INTRODUCTION

Vascular surgery has been greatly evolved during the last decades and novel minimally invasive techniques have been introduced. Aim of this review is to briefly present all these advances and compare them with traditional repairs.

AREAS COVERED

The authors have extensively searched literature through the Pubmed and Embase databases. All articles published up to December 2021 referring to minimally invasive techniques used for treatment of peripheral artery disease, carotid disease, aortic aneurysms and venous disease were evaluated. Minimally invasive techniques under investigation included endovascular and hybrid techniques, robot-assisted and laparoscopic approaches.

EXPERT OPINION

Several minimally invasive techniques such as endovascular and hybrid approaches have been extensively used during the last two decades to treat vascular surgery patients offering them lower mortality and morbidity risks. Novel robot assisted techniques have shown promising results in preclinical studies although further clinical evaluation is needed.

Computed Tomography Texture Analysis of Carotid Plaque as Predictor of Unfavorable Outcome after Carotid Artery Stenting: A Preliminary Study

Novel biomarkers are advocated to manage carotid plaques. Therefore, we aimed to test the association between textural features of carotid plaque at computed tomography angiography (CTA) and unfavorable outcome after carotid artery stenting (CAS). Between January 2010 and January 2021, were selected 172 patients (median age, 77 years; 112/172, 65% men) who underwent CAS with CTA of the supra-aortic vessels performed within prior 6 months. Standard descriptors of the density histogram were derived by open-source software automated analysis obtained by CTA plaque segmentation. Multiple logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the area under the ROC (AUC) were used to identify potential prognostic variables and to assess the model performance for predicting unfavorable outcome (periprocedural death or myocardial infarction and any ipsilateral acute neurological event). Unfavorable outcome occurred in 17/172 (10%) patients (median age, 79 years; 12/17, 70% men). Kurtosis was an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio, 0.79; confidence interval, 0.65-0.97; p = 0.029). The predictive model for unfavorable outcome including CTA textural features outperformed the model without textural features (AUC 0.789 vs. 0.695, p = 0.004). In patients with stenotic carotid plaque, kurtosis derived by CTA density histogram analysis is an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome after CAS.

A narrative review of plaque and brain imaging biomarkers for stroke risk stratification in patients with atherosclerotic carotid artery disease

Objective

In this narrative review, we aim to review imaging biomarkers that carry the potential to non-invasively guide stroke risk stratification for treatment optimization.

Background

Carotid atherosclerosis plays a fundamental part in the occurrence of ischemic stroke. International guidelines select the optimal treatment strategy still mainly based on the presence of clinical symptoms and the degree of stenosis for stroke prevention in patients with atherosclerotic carotid plaques. These guidelines, based on randomized controlled trials that were conducted three decades ago, recommend carotid revascularization in symptomatic patients with high degree of stenosis versus a conservative approach for most asymptomatic patients. Due to optimization of best medical therapy and risk factor control, it is suggested that a subgroup of symptomatic patients is at lower risk of stroke and may not benefit from revascularization, whereas a selective subgroup of high-risk asymptomatic patients would benefit from this procedure.

Methods

A literature search was performed for articles published up to December 2020 using PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus. Based on the literature found, change in stenosis degree and volume, plaque echolucency, plaque surface, intraplaque haemorrhage, lipid-rich necrotic core, thin fibrous cap, inflammation, neovascularization, microembolic signals, cerebrovascular reserve, intracranial collaterals, silent brain infarcts, diffusion weighted imaging lesions and white matters lesions have the potential to predict stroke risk.

Conclusions

The applicability of imaging biomarkers needs to be further improved before the potential synergistic prognostic ability of imaging biomarkers can be verified on top of the clinical biomarkers. In the future, the routine and combined assessment of both plaque and brain imaging biomarkers might help to improve optimization of treatment strategies in individual patients with atherosclerotic carotid artery disease.

The TAXINOMISIS Project: A multidisciplinary approach for the development of a new risk stratification model for patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis

INTRODUCTION

Asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) may cause future stroke and therefore patients with ACAS require best medical treatment. Patients at high risk for stroke may opt for additional revascularization (either surgery or stenting) but the future stroke risk should outweigh the risk for peri/post-operative stroke/death. Current risk stratification for patients with ACAS is largely based on outdated randomized-controlled trials that lack the integration of improved medical therapies and risk factor control. Furthermore, recent circulating and imaging biomarkers for stroke have never been included in a risk stratification model. The TAXINOMISIS Project aims to develop a new risk stratification model for cerebrovascular complications in patients with ACAS and this will be tested through a prospective observational multicentre clinical trial performed in six major European vascular surgery centres.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The risk stratification model will compromise clinical, circulating, plaque and imaging biomarkers. The prospective multicentre observational study will include 300 patients with 50%-99% ACAS. The primary endpoint is the three-year incidence of cerebrovascular complications. Biomarkers will be retrieved from plasma samples, brain MRI, carotid MRA and duplex ultrasound. The TAXINOMISIS Project will serve as a platform for the development of new computer tools that assess plaque progression based on radiology images and a lab-on-chip with genetic variants that could predict medication response in individual patients.

CONCLUSION

Results from the TAXINOMISIS study could potentially improve future risk stratification in patients with ACAS to assist personalized evidence-based treatment decision-making.