Aortic Atheromas: Current Knowledge and Controversies: A Brief Review of the Literature

Acute Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Who Underwent Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a rare but critical complication following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The risk of AIS or transient ischemic attack (TIA) may be amplified by invasive procedures, including primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with in-hospital AIS/TIA in patients with STEMI who required primary PCI.

METHODS

We included 941 STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI and divided them into an AIS/TIA group (n = 39) and a non-AIS/TIA group (n = 902), according to new-onset AIS/TIA. The primary interest was to find the factors associated with AIS/TIA by multivariate logistic regression analysis. We also compared clinical outcomes between the AIS/TIA and non-AIS/TIA groups.

RESULTS

The incidence of in-hospital deaths was significantly higher in the AIS/TIA group (46.2%) than in the non-AIS/TIA group (6.3%) (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that cardiogenic shock (OR 3.228, 95% CI 1.492-6.986, p = 0.003), new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) (OR 2.280, 95% CI 1.033-5.031, p = 0.041), trans-femoral approach (OR 2.336, 95% CI 1.093-4.992, p = 0.029), use of ≥4 catheters (OR 3.715, 95% CI 1.831-7.537, p < 0.001), and bleeding academic research consortium (BARC) type 3 or 5 bleeding (OR 2.932, 95% CI 1.256-6.846, p = 0.013) were significantly associated with AIS/TIA.

CONCLUSION

In STEMI patients with primary PCI, new-onset AIS/TIA was significantly associated with cardiogenic shock, new-onset AF, trans-femoral approach, the use of ≥4 catheters, and BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding. We should recognize these modifiable and unmodifiable risk factors for AIS/TIA in the treatment of STEMI.

Aortic Regurgitation as a Risk Factor for Coronary Embolization from Complex Atheromatous Aortic Plaques: A Clinical Case

Patients with mobile aortic arch atheroma and severe aortic regurgitation may be at higher risk of systemic embolism. We report the case of a 68-year-old male patient with complex aortic arch plaque with superimposed thrombus, in which an acute inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction occurred. In the reported case, coronary embolism may have been caused by flaked aortic plaque and/or superimposed thrombus, which was possibly carried by aortic regurgitation flow. It is a very rare mechanism by which a coronary embolism is possible from an aortic complex plaque.

Aortic Complex Plaque Predicts the Risk of Cryptogenic Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease Recurrence

To evaluate the correlations between aortic complex plaque (ACP) and the recurrence of cryptogenic ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CICVD), and to investigate the clinical significance of ACP in CICVD. Methods CICVD patients (aged 17 to 84 years) admitted into the Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, from July 2011 to December 2013, were consecutively recruited, and divided into ACP and non-ACP groups according to head and neck computerized tomographic (CT) angiography. Recurrences of cerebral ischemic events (CIEs) were compared between these groups after follow-up. Results A total of 117 patients were enrolled (ACP group: 69, non-ACP group: 48) and followed up for a mean of 9.86 months (range: 3-33). The average age of the ACP group was 62.88 years, with 59.4% older than 60 years; the average age of the non-ACP group was 50.29 years, with 37.5% older than 60 years. At the 6-month follow-up, the recurrence rate of CIEs in the ACP group was significantly higher than that of the non-ACP group (17.0% [7/47] and 0% [0/36], respectively; χ2 = 4.283, P = 0.046). The cumulative recurrence risk for CIEs of the ACP group was significantly higher than for the non-ACP group (P = 0.004). Multivariate Cox survival analysis showed that ACP presence was an independent risk factor for CIE recurrence for CICVD patients (relative risk [RR] = 7.803, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.827~33.319, P = 0.006). Conclusions ACP increased the recurrence risk of CIE in CICVD, and elderly CICVD patients should receive greater attention regarding the significance of ACP in recurrent CICVD.

Aetiological diagnosis of middle-aged and elderly cryptogenic ischaemic cerebral vascular disease

Although tremendous efforts have been made to explore the potential aetiologies of cryptogenic ischaemic cerebral vascular disease (CICVD), it remains a great challenge for neurologists to get a comprehensive picture of CICVD across the world. Part of the reason why is that the vast majority of studies have focussed on CICVD in young stroke patients while the underlying causes of CICVD in middle-aged or elderly stroke population have not been fully investigated. The focus of this paper has been dedicated to review the different studies that explore the aetiologies of CICVD cases in this patient population. While there is a set of heterogeneous causes that can lead to CICVD in middle-aged and elderly patients, our review reveals that emboli originated from or across occult places within the heart or produced by transient arrhythmias could possibly be the main culprit. Dislodged aortic plaques might also account for certain CICVD cases and in fewer cases, hereditary arteriopathy and thrombophilia can also play a role. The aforementioned factors have similar roles in middle-aged and elderly CICVD patients as in their younger counterparts. However, more studies are needed to explore the role of these factors in older patients.

Complex atheromatous plaques in the descending aorta and the risk of stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Proximal aortic plaques, especially in the aortic arch, have already been established as an important cause of stroke and peripheral embolism. However, aortic plaques situated in the descending thoracic aorta have recently been postulated as a potential embolic source in patients with cryptogenic cerebral infarction through retrograde aortic flow. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential association of descending aorta atheromatosis with cerebral ischemia.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available prospective observational studies reporting the prevalence of complex atheromatous plaques in the descending aorta in patients with stroke and in unselected populations undergoing examination with transesophageal echocardiography.

RESULTS

We identified 11 eligible studies including a total of 4000 patients (667 patients with stroke and 3333 unselected individuals; mean age, 65 years; 55% men). On baseline transesophageal echocardiograpic examination, the prevalence of complex atheromatous plaques in the descending aorta was higher (P=0.001) in patients with stroke (25.4%; 95% confidence interval, 14.6-40.4%) compared with unselected individuals (6.1%; 95% confidence interval, 3.4-10%). However, no significant difference (P=0.059) in the prevalence of complex atheromatous plaques in the descending aorta was found between patients with cryptogenic (21.8%; 95% confidence interval, 17.5-26.9%) and unclassified (28.3%; 95% confidence interval, 23.9-33.1%) cerebral infarction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that the presence of complex plaques in the descending aorta is presumably a marker of generalized atherosclerosis and high vascular risk. The present analyses do not provide any further evidence for a direct causal relationship between descending aorta atherosclerosis and cerebral embolism.

Co-registration of the distribution of wall shear stress and 140 complex plaques of the aorta

Previous studies provide evidence that atherosclerosis develops in vascular regions exposed to low wall shear stress (WSS) and high oscillatory shear index (OSI). 4D flow MRI was analyzed in 70 stroke patients with complex plaques (≥4 mm thickness, ulcerated or superimposed thrombi) and in 12 young healthy volunteers. The segmental distribution of peak systolic WSSsystole and OSI was quantified in analysis planes positioned directly at the location of 140 complex plaques found in the 70 patients. In addition, WSSsystole and OSI were evaluated in 8 standard analysis planes distributed along the aorta. Complex plaques were predominantly found at the inner curvature of the aortic arch and of the descending aorta. High OSI was co-located with the segments mostly affected by complex plaque while WSSsystole demonstrated a homogenous distribution. In standard analysis planes, patients demonstrated significantly (p<0.01) altered distribution of wall parameters compared to volunteers (reduced WSSsystole in 91% of aortic wall segments, increased OSI in 48% of segments). OSI distribution was asymmetric with higher values at the inner curvature of the aorta. While WSS and OSI showed expected changes in patients compared to healthy controls, their distribution pattern at complex plaques indicated a more complex and heterogeneous relationship than previously anticipated.