Segmental coronary endothelial dysfunction in patients with minimal atherosclerosis is associated with necrotic core plaques

Evaluation of fractional flow reserve and atherosclerotic plaque characteristics on coronary non-contrast T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The relationship between high-risk coronary plaque characteristics regardless of the severity of lesion stenosis and myocardial ischemia remains unsettled. High-intensity plaques (HIPs) on non-contrast T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T1WI) have been characterized as high-risk coronary plaques. We sought to elucidate whether the presence of coronary HIPs on T1WI influences fractional flow reserve (FFR) in the distal segment of the vessel.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 281 vessels in 231 patients with chronic coronary syndrome who underwent invasive FFR measurement and coronary T1WI using a multicenter registry. The plaque-to-myocardial signal intensity ratio (PMR) of the most stenotic lesion was evaluated; a coronary plaque with PMR ≥1.4 was defined as a HIP.

RESULTS

The median PMR of coronary plaques on T1WI in vessels with FFR ≤0.80 was significantly higher than that of plaques with FFR >0.80 (1.17 [interquartile range (IQR): 0.99-1.44] vs. 0.97 [IQR: 0.85-1.09]; p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that an increase in PMR of the most stenotic segment was associated with lower FFR (beta-coefficient, -0.050; p < 0.001). The presence of coronary HIPs was an independent predictor of FFR ≤0.80 (odds ratio (OR), 6.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.93-19.77; p = 0.002). Even after adjusting for plaque composition characteristics based on computed tomography angiography, the presence of coronary HIPs was an independent predictor of FFR ≤0.80 (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 1.19-16.80; p = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONS

Coronary plaques with high PMR are associated with low FFR in the corresponding vessel, indicating that plaque morphology might influence myocardial ischemia severity.

Coronary Artery Calcification: Current Concepts and Clinical Implications

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) accompanies the development of advanced atherosclerosis. Its role in atherosclerosis holds great interest because the presence and burden of coronary calcification provide direct evidence of the presence and extent of coronary artery disease; furthermore, CAC predicts future events independently of concomitant conventional cardiovascular risk factors and to a greater extent than any other noninvasive biomarker of this disease. Nevertheless, the relationship between CAC and the susceptibility of a plaque to provoke a thrombotic event remains incompletely understood. This review summarizes the current understanding and literature on CAC. It outlines the pathophysiology of CAC and reviews laboratory, histopathological, and genetic studies, as well as imaging findings, to characterize different types of calcification and to elucidate their implications. Some patterns of calcification such as microcalcification portend increased risk of rupture and cardiovascular events and may improve prognosis assessment noninvasively. However, contemporary computed tomography cannot assess early microcalcification. Limited spatial resolution and blooming artifacts may hinder estimation of degree of coronary artery stenosis. Technical advances such as photon counting detectors and combination with nuclear approaches (eg, NaF imaging) promise to improve the performance of cardiac computed tomography. These innovations may speed achieving the ultimate goal of providing noninvasively specific and clinically actionable information.

Quantitative imaging biomarkers of coronary plaque morphology: insights from EVAPORATE

Aims

Residual cardiovascular risk persists despite statin therapy. In REDUCE-IT, icosapent ethyl (IPE) reduced total events, but the mechanisms of benefit are not fully understood. EVAPORATE evaluated the effects of IPE on plaque characteristics by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Given the conclusion that the IPE-treated patients demonstrate that plaque burden decreases has already been published in the primary study analysis, we aimed to demonstrate whether the use of an analytic technique defined and validated in histological terms could extend the primary study in terms of whether such changes could be reliably seen in less time on drug, at the individual (rather than only at the cohort) level, or both, as neither of these were established by the primary study result.

Methods and Results

EVAPORATE randomized the patients to IPE 4 g/day or placebo. Plaque morphology, including lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), fibrous cap thickness, and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), was assessed using the ElucidVivo® (Elucid Bioimaging Inc.) on CCTA. The changes in plaque morphology between the treatment groups were analyzed. A neural network to predict treatment assignment was used to infer patient representation that encodes significant morphological changes. Fifty-five patients completed the 18-month visit in EVAPORATE with interpretable images at each of the three time points. The decrease of LRNC between the patients on IPE vs. placebo at 9 months (reduction of 2 mm3 vs. an increase of 41 mm3, p = 0.008), widening at 18 months (6 mm3 vs. 58 mm3 increase, p = 0.015) were observed. While not statistically significant on a univariable basis, reductions in wall thickness and increases in cap thickness motivated multivariable modeling on an individual patient basis. The per-patient response assessment was possible using a multivariable model of lipid-rich phenotype at the 9-month follow-up, p < 0.01 (sustained at 18 months), generalizing well to a validation cohort.

Conclusion

Plaques in the IPE-treated patients acquired more characteristics of stability. Reliable assessment using histologically validated analysis of individual response is possible at 9 months, with sustained stabilization at 18 months, providing a quantitative basis to elucidate drug mechanism and assess individual patient response.

Relationship between tissue characteristics and mechanical properties of coronary plaques: a comparison between integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and speckle-tracking IVUS

High-risk coronary plaques have certain morphological characteristics. Thus, comprehensive assessment is needed for the risk stratification of plaques in patients with coronary artery disease. Integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS) has been used successfully used to evaluate the tissue characteristics of coronary plaques; however, the mechanical properties of plaques have been rarely assessed. Therefore, we developed Speckle-tracking IVUS (ST-IVUS) to evaluate the mechanical properties of coronary plaque. This study aimed to evaluate the relation between the tissue characteristics of coronary plaques using IB-IVUS and their mechanical properties using ST-IVUS. We evaluated 95 non-targeted plaques in 95 patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention to the left anterior descending artery. We set regions of interest (ROIs) in the cross-sectional images of coronary plaques where we divided 120 degree plaques into four quadrants (every 30 degrees), with the center at the area of maximum atheroma thickness. We measured relative calcification area (%CA, relative fibrous area (%FI) and relative lipid pool area (%LP) in a total of 380 ROIs. In ST-IVUS analysis, we measured strain in the circumferential direction of the lumen area (LA strain: %), the external elastic membrane area strain (EEM strain: %), and strain in the radial direction (radial strain: %). On global cross-sectional area IB-IVUS analysis, the %CA was 1.2 ± 1.2%; the %FI was 49.0 ± 15.9%, and the %LP was 49.7 ± 16.5%. In ST-IVUS analysis, the LA strain was 0.67 ± 0.43%; the EEM strain was 0.49 ± 0.33%, and the radial strain was 2.02 ± 1.66%. On regional analysis, the %LP was not associated with the LA strain (r = - 0.002 p = 0.97), the EEM strain (r = - 0.05 p = 0.35), or with the radial strain (r = - 0.04 p = 0.45). These trends were seen between the %FI and the LA strain (r = 0.02 p = 0.74), the %FI and the EEM strain (r = 0.05 p = 0.35), and the %FI and the radial strain (r = 0.04 p = 0.50). A significant correlation was only observed between the %CA and the LA strain (r = - 0.15 p = 0.0038). Our findings indicate that the associations between mechanical properties and tissue characteristics lacked statistical significance, more often than not, and that it is necessary to evaluate the mechanical properties as well as plaque characteristics for risk stratification of coronary plaques.

Endothelial dysfunction in patients with angina and non-obstructed coronary arteries is associated with an increased risk of mayor cardiovascular events. Results of the Spanish ENDOCOR registry

BACKGROUND

Coronary endothelial dysfunction and vasospasm are potential causes of ischemia in patients without obstructive coronary stenoses (INOCA).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence of endothelial dysfunction and the clinical profile of patients with INOCA in Spain, as well as to identify the predictors and the prognostic impact of endothelial dysfunction in this scenario.

METHODS

A total of 438 consecutive patients with INOCA in whom the acetylcholine test was performed were prospectively enrolled. Patients were followed up at 1 and 2 years.

RESULTS

Mean age was 62 ± 11 years with 60% female. Clinical presentation comprised 52.6% angina at rest, 61.2% exertional angina, and 31.7% dyspnea. There were no major complications of the acetylcholine test. Endothelial dysfunction was observed in 198 (45%) of patients, with severe vasoconstriction (defined as over 70% constriction), being observed in 101 (23%). Multivariable regression analysis showed that endothelial dysfunction was predicted by the presence of exertional angina (OR 2.2; CI95%1.01-2.55; p = 0.02), prior coronary disease (OR 2.46; CI95% 1.57-3.89; p < 0.01), and coronary intramyocardial bridging (2.35; CI95% 1.02-5.60; p = 0.04). Patients with endothelial dysfunction presented with worsening angina compared to those without endothelial dysfunction (25.6% vs. 12.8%) and also presented with increased levels of minimal effort angina (40% vs. 26,7%, p = 0.03) more frequently during the follow up than those without endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction was also an independent predictor of the occurrence of myocardial infarction or unstable angina at one year (OR 2.85, CI 95% 1.01-9.25; p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Endothelial dysfunction is present in almost half of patients with INOCA and is associated with worsening symptoms, as well as with a higher rate of adverse events.

Coronary endothelial dysfunction: from pathogenesis to clinical implications

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) has a substantial role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases. Multiple risk factors, including smoking, hyperlipiadaemia and diabetes, can have associated ED, which is correlated with cardiac events. Measurement of coronary artery endothelial function requires the use of invasive techniques to assess both epicardial coronary artery and microvascular beds. Peripheral vascular techniques and endothelial biomarkers can be used to indirectly assess coronary ED. In this review of coronary artery ED, we discuss the current state of the field, the techniques used to measure ED and its clinical implications.

Machine Learning From Quantitative Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Predicts Fractional Flow Reserve-Defined Ischemia and Impaired Myocardial Blood Flow

BACKGROUND

A pathophysiological interplay exists between plaque morphology and coronary physiology. Machine learning (ML) is increasingly being applied to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for cardiovascular risk stratification. We sought to assess the performance of a ML score integrating CCTA-based quantitative plaque features for predicting vessel-specific ischemia by invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) and impaired myocardial blood flow (MBF) by positron emission tomography (PET).

METHODS

This post-hoc analysis of the PACIFIC trial (Prospective Comparison of Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography [CT]' Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/CT Perfusion Imaging and CT Coronary Angiography with Invasive Coronary Angiography) included 208 patients with suspected coronary artery disease who prospectively underwent CCTA' [15O]H2O PET, and invasive FFR. Plaque quantification from CCTA was performed using semiautomated software. An ML algorithm trained on the prospective NXT trial (484 vessels) was used to develop a ML score for the prediction of ischemia (FFR≤0.80), which was then evaluated in 581 vessels from the PACIFIC trial. Thereafter, the ML score was applied for predicting impaired hyperemic MBF (≤2.30 mL/min per g) from corresponding PET scans. The performance of the ML score was compared with CCTA reads and noninvasive FFR derived from CCTA (FFRCT).

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-nine (23.9%) vessels had FFR-defined ischemia, and 195 (33.6%) vessels had impaired hyperemic MBF. For the prediction of FFR-defined ischemia, the ML score yielded an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.92, which was significantly higher than that of visual stenosis grade (0.84; P<0.001) and comparable with that of FFRCT (0.93; P=0.34). Quantitative percent diameter stenosis and low-density noncalcified plaque volume had the greatest ML feature importance for predicting FFR-defined ischemia. When applied for impaired MBF prediction, the ML score exhibited an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.80; significantly higher than visual stenosis grade (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.74; P=0.02) and comparable with FFRCT (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.77; P=0.16).

CONCLUSIONS

An externally validated ML score integrating CCTA-based quantitative plaque features accurately predicts FFR-defined ischemia and impaired MBF by PET, performing superiorly to standard CCTA stenosis evaluation and comparably to FFRCT.

Importance of plaque volume and composition for the prediction of myocardial ischaemia using sequential coronary computed tomography angiography/positron emission tomography imaging

AIMS

Coronary atherosclerosis with a large necrotic core has been postulated to reduce the vasodilatory capacity of vascular tissue. In the present analysis, we explored whether total plaque volume and necrotic core volume on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) are independently associated with myocardial ischaemia on positron emission tomography (PET).

METHODS AND RESULTS

From a registry of symptomatic patients with suspected coronary artery disease and clinically indicated CCTA with sequential [15O]H2O PET myocardial perfusion imaging, we quantitatively measured diameter stenosis, total and compositional plaque volumes on CCTA. Primary endpoint was myocardial ischaemia on PET, defined as an absolute stress myocardial blood flow ≤2.4 mL/g/min in ≥1 segment. Multivariable prediction models for myocardial ischaemia were consecutively created using logistic regression analysis (stenosis model: diameter stenosis ≥50%; plaque volume model: +total plaque volume; plaque composition model: +necrotic core volume). A total of 493 patients (mean age 63 ± 8 years, 54% men) underwent sequential CCTA/PET imaging. In 153 (31%) patients, myocardial ischaemia was detected on PET. Diameter stenosis ≥50% (P < 0.001) and necrotic core volume (P = 0.029) were independently associated with myocardial ischaemia, while total plaque volume showed borderline significance (P = 0.052). The plaque composition model (χ2 = 169) provided incremental value for the prediction of ischaemia when compared with the stenosis model (χ2 = 138, P < 0.001) and plaque volume model (χ2 = 164, P = 0.021).

CONCLUSION

The volume of necrotic core on CCTA independently and incrementally predicts myocardial ischaemia on PET, beyond diameter stenosis alone.

Features of atherosclerosis in patients with angina and no obstructive coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

An association between atherosclerosis and coronary vasospasm has previously been suggested. However, to date, no conclusive data on the whole spectrum of these disorders have been published.

AIMS

This study aimed to define specific morphological features of atherosclerosis in patients with angina and no obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA) due to coronary vasospasm.

METHODS

From February 2019 to January 2020, we enrolled 75 patients referred to our laboratory for a coronary function test (CFT) due to ANOCA and suspected coronary vasomotor dysfunction. The CFT consisted of an acetylcholine test and a physiology assessment with hyperaemic indexes using adenosine. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of coronary vasospasm triggered by acetylcholine (ACH+ and ACH-, respectively). In addition, optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed to assess the lipid index (LI), a surrogate for lipid area, and the prevalence of markers of plaque vulnerability.

RESULTS

ACH+ patients had a higher LI than ACH- patients (LI: 819.85 [460.95-2489.03] vs 269.95 [243.50-878.05], respectively, p=0.03), and a higher prevalence of vulnerable plaques (66% vs 38%, p=0.04). Moreover, ACH+ patients showed a higher prevalence of neovascularisation compared to ACH- subjects (37% vs 6%, p=0.02) and a trend towards a higher prevalence of all individual markers, in particular thin-cap fibroatheroma (20% vs 0%, p=0.06). No differences were detected between patterns of coronary vasospasm.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of coronary vasospasm, regardless of its phenotype, is associated with higher lipid burden, plaque vulnerability and neovascularisation.

The Impact of Mental Stress on Cardiovascular Health—Part II

Endothelial dysfunction is one of the earliest manifestations of atherosclerosis, contributing to its development and progression. Mental stress induces endothelial dysfunction through increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, release of corticotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus, inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis by cortisol, and increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mental-stress-induced increased output of the sympathetic nervous system and concomitant withdrawal of the parasympathetic inflammatory reflex results in systemic inflammation and activation of a neural–hematopoietic–arterial axis. This includes the brainstem and subcortical regions network, bone marrow activation, release of leukocytes into the circulation and their migration to the arterial wall and atherosclerotic plaques. Low-grade, sterile inflammation is involved in all steps of atherogenesis, from coronary plaque formation to destabilisation and rupture. Increased sympathetic tone may cause arterial smooth-muscle-cell proliferation, resulting in vascular hypertrophy, thus contributing to the development of hypertension. Emotional events also cause instability of cardiac repolarisation due to brain lateralised imbalance of cardiac autonomic nervous stimulation, which may lead to asymmetric repolarisation and arrhythmia. Acute emotional stress can also provoke severe catecholamine release, leading to direct myocyte injury due to calcium overload, known as myocytolysis, coronary microvascular vasoconstriction, and an increase in left ventricular afterload. These changes can trigger a heart failure syndrome mimicking acute myocardial infarction, characterised by transient left ventricular dysfunction and apical ballooning, known as stress (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy. Women are more prone than men to develop mental-stress-induced myocardial ischemia (MSIMI), probably reflecting gender differences in brain activation patterns during mental stress. Although guidelines on CV prevention recognise psychosocial factors as risk modifiers to improve risk prediction and decision making, the evidence that their assessment and treatment will prevent CAD needs further evaluation.

Mental Stress and Its Effects on Vascular Health

Coronary artery disease continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality despite significant advances in risk stratification and management. This has prompted the search for alternative nonconventional risk factors that may provide novel therapeutic targets. Psychosocial stress, or mental stress, has emerged as an important risk factor implicated in a higher incidence of cardiovascular events, and although our understanding of this far ranging and interesting phenomenon has developed greatly over recent times, there is still much to be learned regarding how to measure mental stress and how it may impact physical health. With the current coronavirus disease 2019 global pandemic and its incumbent lockdowns and social distancing, understanding the potentially harmful biological effects of stress related to life-changing events and social isolation has become even more important. In the current review our multidisciplinary team discusses stress from a psychosocial perspective and aims to define psychological stress as rigorously as possible; discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms by which stress may mediate cardiovascular disease, with a particular focus to its effects on vascular health; outline existing methods and approaches to quantify stress by means of a vascular biomarker; outline the mechanisms whereby psychosocial stressors may have their pathologic effects ultimately transduced to the vasculature through the neuroendocrine immunologic axis; highlight areas for improvement to refine existing approaches in clinical research when studying the consequences of psychological stress on cardiovascular health; and discuss evidence-based therapies directed at reducing the deleterious effects of mental stress including those that target endothelial dysfunction. To this end we searched PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies evaluating the relationship between mental or psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease with a particular focus on vascular health. Search terms included "myocardial ischemia," "coronary artery disease," "mental stress," "psychological stress," "mental∗ stress∗," "psychologic∗ stress∗," and "cardiovascular disease∗." The search was limited to studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between 1990 and the present day. To identify potential studies not captured by our database search strategy, we also searched studies listed in the bibliography of relevant publications and reviews.

Computed Tomography Coronary Plaque Characteristics Predict Ischemia Detected by Invasive Fractional Flow Reserve

PURPOSE

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) plaque quantification has been proposed to be of incremental value in the prediction of ischemia, although prior studies have shown conflicting results. We aimed to determine whether CCTA plaque features assessed on a commercial vendor platform predict invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR)/instantaneous wave-free ratio (IFR).

METHODS

Consecutive patients who underwent CCTA for evaluation of suspected stable coronary artery disease followed by invasive coronary physiology testing within 60 days at a single academic center were identified retrospectively. Semiautomated plaque quantification of the vessel proximal to the location of FFR/IFR measurement was carried out in TeraRecon, along with simple visual assessment for high-risk plaque features of positive remodeling, spotty calcification, low-attenuation plaque (LAP), and lesion length. Ischemia was defined by FFR ≤0.80 or IFR ≤0.89.

RESULTS

A total of 134 patients (62% male, mean age 62±10 y) were included in this study. On univariate logistic regression, the following visual plaque analysis parameters were predictive of ischemia: positive remodeling (odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.96; 2.25-10.95; P<0.001), lesion length (OR for every 1 mm with 95% CI: 1.24; 1.14-1.34; P<0.001), spotty calcification (OR with 95% CI: 6.67; 1.67-26.64; P=0.007), and LAP (OR with 95% CI: 30; 3.78-246; P=0.001). None of the semiautomated plaque quantification parameters, such as noncalcified plaque volume or LAP volume, were predictive of ischemia. On stepwise multivariable logistic regression, lesion length (OR with 95% CI: 1.25; 1.14-1.37; P<0.0001) and LAP (OR with 95% CI: 43; 4.4-438; P=0.001) were significant predictors of ischemia, improving the area under the curve of CCTA from 0.53 to 0.87.

CONCLUSIONS

Simple visual plaque assessment for high-risk plaque features improved the performance of CCTA to predict ischemia. Semiautomated plaque quantification performed on a commercial vendor platform was not predictive of ischemia.

Peripheral microvascular dysfunction is associated with plaque progression and adverse long-term outcomes in heart transplant patients

Aims

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is the major cause of increased morbidity and mortality after heart transplantation. Peripheral endothelial dysfunction (PED) is associated with early atherosclerosis and future risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in non‐heart transplant population. We aimed to investigate the association of PED with future MACE, and plaque progression assessed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) after heart transplantation.

Methods and results

We included 66 transplant patients who underwent serial IVUS surveillance for CAV and baseline assessment of peripheral endothelial function using reactive hyperaemia peripheral arterial tonometry. PED was defined as reactive hyperaemia index < 2. The primary endpoint of the study was to investigate the association of PED with CAV progression assessed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). CAV progression was assessed as the change (Δ) in plaque volume divided by segment length, and Δ plaque index (plaque volume/vessel volume), adjusted for the time between IVUS measurements (median 3.0 [2.2, 3.1] years). The secondary endpoint was to investigate the association between PED and future MACE, which was defined as any incident of revascularization, heart failure hospitalization, stroke, myocardial infarction, re‐transplantation, and death. Patients with PED (n = 27) had more yearly plaque progression (0.50 ± 0.66 vs. 0.15 ± 0.50 mm³/mm/year, P = 0.02) and a higher Δ plaque index (2.41 ± 2.53% vs. 0.69 ± 2.22%, P = 0.01). Patients with PED were more likely to experience MACE during a median follow‐up of 8.2 years (interquartile range [7.6, 8.4]), after adjustment for potential cofounders such as age, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, total rejection score, baseline International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation CAV grade, and indication of transplantation. (hazard ratio 2.15, 95% confidence interval [1.09, 4.23], P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Peripheral endothelial dysfunction is associated with increased plaque progression and adverse long‐term cardiovascular outcomes in transplant patients. PED assessment might be a useful clinical tool for risk stratification after heart transplantation.

Anxiety Disorders Are Associated With Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction in Women With Chest Pain and Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease

Background

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders and are an emerging risk factor for coronary artery disease and its complications. We determine the relationship between having a clinical diagnosis of an anxiety disorder and coronary endothelial dysfunction (CED) using invasive coronary reactivity testing across both sexes.

Methods and Results

Patients presenting with chest pain and nonobstructive coronary artery disease (stenosis <40%) at coronary angiography underwent an invasive assessment of CED. Patients were categorized as having a clinical diagnosis of an anxiety disorder at the time of coronary angiography by chart review. The frequency of CED was compared between patients with versus without an anxiety disorder and after stratifying patients by sex. Between 1992 and 2020, 1974 patients (mean age, 51.3 years; 66.2% women) underwent invasive coronary reactivity testing, of which 550 (27.9%) had a documented anxiety disorder at the time of angiography. There was a significantly higher proportion of patients with any type of CED in those with an anxiety disorder in all patients (343 [62.7%] versus 790 [56.4%]; P=0.011) that persisted in women but not in men. After adjusting for covariables, anxiety was significantly associated with any CED among all patients (odds ratio [95% CI], 1.36 [1.10–1.68]; P=0.004), and after stratifying by sex in women but not in men.

Conclusions

Anxiety disorders are significantly associated with CED in women presenting with chest pain and nonobstructive coronary artery disease. Thus, CED may represent a mechanism underpinning the association between anxiety disorders and coronary artery disease and its complications, highlighting the role of anxiety as a potential therapeutic target to prevent cardiovascular events.

Very late vasomotor responses and gene expression with bioresorbable scaffolds and metallic drug-eluting stents

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the long-term vasomotor response and inflammatory changes in Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) and metallic drug-eluting stent (DES) implanted artery.

BACKGROUND

Clinical evidence has demonstrated that compared to DES, BVS is associated with higher rates of target lesion failure. However, it is not known whether the higher event rates observed with BVS are related to endothelial dysfunction or inflammation associated with polymer degradation.

METHODS

Ten Absorb BVS and six Xience V DES were randomly implanted in the main coronaries of six nonatherosclerotic swine. At 4-years, vasomotor response was evaluated in vivo by quantitative coronary angiography response to intracoronary infusion of Ach and ex vivo by the biomechanical response to prostaglandin F2-α (PGF2-α), substance P and bradykinin and gene expression analysis.

RESULTS

Absorb BVS implanted arteries showed significantly restored vasoconstrictive responses after Ach compared to in-stent Xience V. The contractility of Absorb BVS treated segments induced by PGF2-α was significantly greater compared to Xience V treated segments and endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation was greater with Absorb BVS compared to Xience V. Gene expression analyses indicated the pro-inflammatory lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTβR) signaling pathway was significantly upregulated in arteries treated with a metallic stent compared to Absorb BVS treated arterial segments.

CONCLUSIONS

At 4 years, arteries treated with Absorb BVS compared with Xience V, demonstrate significantly greater restoration of vasomotor responses. Genetic analysis suggests mechanobiologic reparation of Absorb BVS treated arteries at 4 years as opposed to Xience V treated vessels.

The association between the extent of lipidic burden and delta-fractional flow reserve: analysis from coronary physiological and near-infrared spectroscopic measures

Background

Vulnerable plaque features including lipidic plaque have been shown to affect fractional flow reserve (FFR). Given that formation and propagation of lipid plaque is accompanied by endothelial dysfunction which impairs vascular tone, the degree of lipidic burden may affect vasoreactivity during hyperemia, potentially leading to reduced FFR. Our aim is to elucidate the relationship of the extent of lipidic plaque burden with coronary physiological vasoreactivity measure.

Methods

We analyzed 89 subjects requeuing PCI due to angiographically intermediate coronary stenosis with FFR ≤0.80. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and intravascular ultrasound were used to evaluate lipid-core burden index (LCBI) and atheroma volume at both target lesion (maxLCBI_4mm; maximum value of LCBI within any 4 mm segments) and entire target vessel (LCBI_vessel: LCBI within entire vessel). In addition to FFR, delta-FFR was measured by difference of distal coronary artery pressure/aortic pressure (Pd/Pa) between baseline and hyperemic state.

Results

The averaged FFR and delta-FFR was 0.74 (0.69-0.77), and 0.17±0.05, respectively. On target lesion-based analysis, maxLCBI_4mm was negatively correlated to FFR (ρ=-0.213, P=0.040), and it was positively correlated to delta-FFR (ρ=0.313, P=0.002). Furthermore, target vessel-based analysis demonstrated similar relationship of LCBI_vessel with FFR (ρ=-0.302, P=0.003) and delta-FFR (ρ=0.369, P<0.001). Even after adjusting clinical characteristics and lesion/vessel features, delta-FFR (by 0.10 increase) was independently associated with maxLCBI_4mm (β=57.2, P=0.027) and LCBI_vessel (β=24.8, P=0.007) by mixed linear model analyses.

Conclusions

A greater amount of lipidic plaque burden at not only "target lesion" alone but "entire target vessel" was associated with a greater delta-FFR. The accumulation of lipidic plaque materials at both local site and entire vessel may impair hyperemia-induced vasoreactivity, which causes a reduced FFR.

Coronary plaque assessment of Vasodilative capacity by CT angiography effectively estimates fractional flow reserve

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the feasibility of non-invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) estimation using histologically-validated assessment of plaque morphology on coronary CTA (CCTA) as inputs to a predictive model further validated against invasive FFR.

METHODS

Patients (n = 113, 59 ± 8.9 years, 77% male) with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) who had undergone CCTA and invasive FFR between August 2013 and May 2018 were included. Commercially available software was used to extract quantitative plaque morphology inclusive of both vessel structure and composition. The extracted plaque morphology was then fed as inputs to an optimized artificial neural network to predict lesion-specific ischemia/hemodynamically significant CAD with performance validated by invasive FFR.

RESULTS

A total of 122 lesions were considered, 59 (48%) had low FFR values. Plaque morphology-based FFR assessment achieved an area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity of 0.94, 0.90 and 0.81, respectively, versus 0.71, 0.71, and 0.50, respectively, for an optimized threshold applied to degree of stenosis. The optimized ridge regression model for continuous value estimation of FFR achieved a cross-correlation coefficient of 0.56 and regression slope of 0.59 using cross validation, versus 0.18 and 0.10 for an optimized threshold applied to degree of stenosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that non-invasive plaque morphology-based FFR assessment may be used to predict lesion-specific ischemia resulting in hemodynamically significant CAD. This substantially outperforms degree of stenosis interpretation and has a comparable level of sensitivity and specificity relative to publicly reported results from computational fluid dynamics-based approaches.

Extrasystolic arrhythmia: is it an additional risk factor of atherosclerosis?

BACKGROUND

Extrasystolic arrhythmia is not included in the list of risk factors of atherosclerosis. The aim of this investigation was to determine the relationship between atherosclerosis of main arteries and extrasystolic arrhythmia.

METHODS

We included 286 patients in our investigation. We performed 24-hours ECG monitoring, blood lipids analysis, transthoracic echocardiography, ultrasound Doppler of brachiocephalic arteries, abdominal aorta branches, lower extremities arteries, renal arteries. If prescribed we performed stress echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, coronary angiography, renal arteries angiography, pancerebral angiography. So, the investigation was made for the active revealing of atherosclerotic signs. The main parameters of heart biomechanics and main arteries kinetics we calculated using apexcardiography and sphygmography and included: speed, acceleration, power, work in each phase of the cardiocycle by apexcardiography, as well as in period of prevalence of inflow over outflow and in period of prevalence of outflow over inflow in sphygmography. All the patients were divided into two main groups according to the quantity of extrasystoles per 24 hours: 1 group - less than 3000, 2 group -3000 extrasystoles and more per 24 hours.

RESULTS

We determined that the atherosclerotic process was more advanced and more often the group 2. The atherosclerosis was more severe in patients with extrasystoles before the mitral valve opening and in fast ventricles' filling phase in cardiocycle. The main parameters of heart biomechanics and main arteries kinetics (speed, acceleration, power, work) calculated by apexcardiography and sphygmography increased with the further tendency: if earlier extrasystole appears in cardiocycle, than more changes were observed. Analyzing the methods of physics for fluid movement - Newton equation for liquids and Reynold number - we demonstrated that in extrasystolic arrhythmia in first post-extrasystolic wave there are the conditions for the turbulent blood flow that can cause the onset and progressing of atherosclerotic process.

CONCLUSIONS

Extrasystolic arrhythmia is an additional risk factor of main arteries atherosclerosis. Especially this thesis is fair for the extrasystoles that appear in cardiocycle before the mitral valve opening and in fast ventricles' filling phase.

Endothelial function in cardiovascular medicine: a consensus paper of the European Society of Cardiology Working Groups on Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology, Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases, Coronary Pathophysiology and Microcirculation, and Thrombosis

Endothelial cells (ECs) are sentinels of cardiovascular health. Their function is reduced by the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, and is regained once pathological stimuli are removed. In this European Society for Cardiology Position Paper, we describe endothelial dysfunction as a spectrum of phenotypic states and advocate further studies to determine the role of EC subtypes in cardiovascular disease. We conclude that there is no single ideal method for measurement of endothelial function. Techniques to measure coronary epicardial and micro-vascular function are well established but they are invasive, time-consuming, and expensive. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial arteries provides a non-invasive alternative but is technically challenging and requires extensive training and standardization. We, therefore, propose that a consensus methodology for FMD is universally adopted to minimize technical variation between studies, and that reference FMD values are established for different populations of healthy individuals and patient groups. Newer techniques to measure endothelial function that are relatively easy to perform, such as finger plethysmography and the retinal flicker test, have the potential for increased clinical use provided a consensus is achieved on the measurement protocol used. We recommend further clinical studies to establish reference values for these techniques and to assess their ability to improve cardiovascular risk stratification. We advocate future studies to determine whether integration of endothelial function measurements with patient-specific epigenetic data and other biomarkers can enhance the stratification of patients for differential diagnosis, disease progression, and responses to therapy.

Coronary Plaque Characteristics and Cut-Off Stenosis for Developing Spasm in Patients with Vasospastic Angina

Coronary plaque distribution, frequency and cut-off value of percent stenosis for developing vasospasm are uncertain in patients with vasospastic angina (VA). We enrolled 2960 patients who received coronary angiography (CAG) and ergonovine provocation test prospectively in 11 university hospitals in Korea. A total of 1836 patients with VA and 867 without VA were included. Plaque and % stenosis were defined as ≥1% luminal narrowing and mean of each segmental stenosis. Overall frequency of plaque and % diameter stenosis was compared among VA-patients with index coronary spasm positive, those with index arterial spasm negative/other arterial spasm positive (INOP) and non-VA patients. Diameter stenosis associated with the spasm positivity was investigated. Overall plaque frequency and % stenosis were higher in VA patients than non-VA patients. Plaque frequency was 27.6% (243/881) in spasm positive at LAD, 16.4% (157/955) in LAD INOP and 12.6% (109/867) in non-VA with statistic difference (P < 0.001). Same trend for higher rate was observed in LCx and RCA. For % stenosis, 36.6 vs 32.4% (p = 0.010) in LAD, 36.1 vs. 28% (p < 0.001) in LCx and 35.3 vs.30.0% (p = 0.047) in RCA, respectively. Diameter stenosis of LAD with spasm positive vs. LAD INOP vs. non-VA were 38.3%, 34.0%, 32% (P = 0.002) with similar pattern in LCx and RCA. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, coronary stenosis of LAD ≥ 35% or LCx ≥35% or RCA ≥ 40% were independent predictor of developing spasm (OR 2.019, 95% CI 1.315–3.100, P = 0.001). In conclusions, spastic coronary artery had more plaque frequency, higher % stenosis than in non-spastic coronary in VA patients. The spasm related and unrelated coronary in VA patients had more plaque than in matched and unmatched coronary arteries in non-VA patients. Coronary stenosis ≥35% in LAD and LCx was an independent predictor of developing spasm.

The Interplay between Features of Plaque Vulnerability and Hemodynamic Relevance of Coronary Artery Stenoses

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) may not be immune from hemodynamic perturbations caused by both vessel and lesion related factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of plaque- and vessel wall-related features of vulnerability on the hemodynamic effect of intermediate coronary stenoses. Methods and Results: In this cross-sectional study, patients referred to catheterization laboratory for clinically indicated coronary angiography were prospectively screened for angiographically intermediate stenosis (50-80%). Seventy lesions from 60 patients were evaluated. Mean angiographic stenosis was 62.1 ± 16.3%. After having performed FFR assessment, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was performed over the FFR wire. Virtual histology IVUS was used to identify the plaque components and thin cap fibroatheroma (TCFA). TCFA was significantly more frequent (65 vs. 38%, p = 0.026), and necrotic core volume (26.15 ± 14.22 vs. 16.21 ± 8.93 mm3, p = 0.04) was significantly larger in the positively remodeled than non-remodeled vessels. Remodeling index correlated with necrotic core volume (r = 0.396, p = 0.001) and with FFR (r = -0. 419, p = 0.001). With respect to plaque components, only necrotic core area (r = -0.262, p = 0.038) and necrotic core volume (r = -0.272, p = 0.024) were independently associated with FFR. In the multivariable model, presence of TCFA was independently associated with significantly lower mean FFR value as compared to absence of TCFA (adjusted, 0.71 vs. 0.78, p = 0.034). Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that for a given stenosis geometry, features of plaque vulnerability such as necrotic core volume, TCFA, and positive remodeling may influence the hemodynamic relevance of intermediate coronary stenoses.

Role of endothelial dysfunction in determining angina after percutaneous coronary intervention: Learning from pathophysiology to optimize treatment

Endothelial dysfunction (EnD) is a hallmark feature of coronary artery disease (CAD), representing the key early step of atherosclerotic plaque development and progression. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is performed daily worldwide to treat symptomatic CAD, however a consistent proportion of patients remain symptomatic for angina despite otherwise successful revascularization. EnD plays a central role in the mechanisms of post-PCI angina, as it is strictly associated with both structural and functional abnormalities in the coronary arteries that may persist, or even accentuate, following PCI. The assessment of endothelial function in patients undergoing PCI might help to identify those patients at higher risk of future cardiovascular events and recurrent/persistent angina who might therefore benefit more from an intensive treatment. In this review, we address the role of EnD in determining angina after PCI, discussing its pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnostic approaches and therapeutic perspectives.

Comprehensive multimodality characterization of hemodynamically significant and non-significant coronary lesions using invasive and noninvasive measures

BACKGROUND

There is limited knowledge about morphological molecular-imaging-derived parameters to further characterize hemodynamically relevant coronary lesions.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe and differentiate specific parameters between hemodynamically significant and non-significant coronary lesions using various invasive and non-invasive measures.

METHODS

This clinical study analyzed patients with symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent native T1-weighted CMR and gadofosveset-enhanced CMR as well as invasive coronary angiography. OCT of the culprit vessel to determine the plaque type was performed in a subset of patients. Functional relevance of all lesions was examined using quantitative flow reserve (QFR-angiography). Hemodynamically significant lesions were defined as lesions with a QFR <0.8. Signal intensity (contrast-to-noise ratios; CNRs) on native T1-weighted CMR and gadofosveset-enhanced CMR was defined as a measure for intraplaque hemorrhage and endothelial permeability, respectively.

RESULTS

Overall 29 coronary segments from 14 patients were examined. Segments containing lesions with a QFR <0.8 (n = 9) were associated with significantly higher signal enhancement on Gadofosveset-enhanced CMR as compared to segments containing a lesions without significant stenosis (lesion-QFR>0.8; n = 19) (5.32 (4.47-7.02) vs. 2.42 (1.04-5.11); p = 0.042). No differences in signal enhancement were seen on native T1-weighted CMR (2.2 (0.68-6.75) vs. 2.09 (0.91-6.57), p = 0.412). 66.7% (4 out of 6) of all vulnerable plaque and 33.3% (2 out of 6) of all non-vulnerable plaque (fibroatheroma) as assessed by OCT were hemodynamically significant lesions.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this pilot study suggest that signal enhancement on albumin-binding probe-enhanced CMR but not on T1-weighted CMR is associated with hemodynamically relevant coronary lesions.

Coronary Artery Disease and Endothelial Dysfunction: Novel Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The most common pathophysiologic substrate is atherosclerosis which is an inflammatory procedure that starts at childhood and develops throughout life. Endothelial dysfunction is associated with the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis and is characterized by the impaired production of nitric oxide. In general, endothelial dysfunction is linked to poor cardiovascular prognosis and different methods, both invasive and non-invasive, have been developed for its evaluation. Ultrasound evaluation of flow mediated dilatation of the branchial artery is the most commonly used method to assessed endothelial function while intracoronary administration of vasoactive agents may be also be used to test directly endothelial properties of the coronary vasculature. Endothelial dysfunction has also been the subject of therapeutic interventions. This review article summarizes the knowledge about evaluation of endothelial function in acute coronary syndromes and stable coronary artery disease and demonstrates the current therapeutic approaches against endothelial dysfunction.

Automated plaque analysis for the prognostication of major adverse cardiac events

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to assess the value of an automated model-based plaque characterization tool for the prediction of major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

METHODS

We retrospectively included 45 patients with suspected coronary artery disease of which 16 (33%) experienced MACE within 12 months. Commercially available plaque quantification software was used to automatically extract quantitative plaque morphology: lumen area, wall area, stenosis percentage, wall thickness, plaque burden, remodeling ratio, calcified area, lipid rich necrotic core (LRNC) area and matrix area. The measurements were performed at all cross sections, spaced at 0.5 mm, based on fully 3D segmentations of lumen, wall, and each tissue type. Discriminatory power of these markers and traditional risk factors for predicting MACE were assessed.

RESULTS

Regression analysis using clinical risk factors only resulted in a prognostic accuracy of 63% with a corresponding area under the curve (AUC) of 0.587. Based on our plaque morphology analysis, minimal cap thickness, lesion length, LRNC volume, maximal wall area/thickness, the remodeling ratio, and the calcium volume were included into our prognostic model as parameters. The use of morphologic features alone resulted in an increased accuracy of 77% with an AUC of 0.94. Combining both clinical risk factors and morphological features in a multivariate logistic regression analysis increased the accuracy to 87% with a similar AUC of 0.924.

CONCLUSION

An automated model based algorithm to evaluate CCTA-derived plaque features and quantify morphological features of atherosclerotic plaque increases the ability for MACE prognostication significantly compared to the use of clinical risk factors alone.

Haptoglobin Phenotype Is Associated With High-Density Lipoprotein–Bound Hemoglobin Content and Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients With Mild Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease

Objective—

Coronary endothelial dysfunction (ED) is an early stage of atherosclerosis and is associated with impaired high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function. A functional polymorphism at the haptoglobin (Hp) gene locus (rs72294371) has been associated with marked differences in HDL structure and function. We sought to determine whether Hp phenotype was associated with coronary ED and whether the amount of hemoglobin (Hb) tethered to HDL via Hp was Hp-type dependent and associated with ED.

Approach and Results—

Microvascular and epicardial coronary endothelial function was assessed in 338 individuals with nonobstructive coronary artery disease. Microvascular ED was defined as <50% change in coronary blood flow and epicardial ED as ≥20% decrease in coronary artery diameter after intracoronary acetylcholine infusion. The amount of Hb bound to HDL was measured by ELISA after HDL purification from plasma samples using immune-affinity chromatography. One hundred and seventy of the individuals in this study (50.3%) were diagnosed with microvascular ED, 143 (42.3%) with epicardial ED, and 67 (19.7%) had diabetes mellitus (DM). Hp phenotype was significantly associated with microvascular ( P =0.01) and epicardial ED ( P =0.04) among DM individuals. There was a significant and inverse correlation between the amount of HDL-bound Hb and change in coronary blood flow (r=−0.40; P <0.0001) and in coronary artery diameter (r=−0.44; P <0.0001) in response to acetylcholine infusion. Hb content of HDL was significantly increased in individuals with Hp 2-2 and DM. In a logistic regression model, Hp 2-2 phenotype was associated with microvascular ED (odds ratio, 1.9; P =0.03) and the amount of HDL-bound Hb was an independent predictor of both microvascular (odds ratio, 4.6 for each 1-SD increase; P <0.0001) and epicardial (odds ratio, 2.2; P <0.0001) ED.

Conclusions—

Hp phenotype is significantly associated with coronary ED in DM individuals. This association is likely related to increased Hb tethering to HDL via Hp 2-2 in DM.

Coronary endothelial function testing may improve long-term quality of life in subjects with microvascular coronary endothelial dysfunction

Aim

Angina pectoris in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is common and is associated with poor quality of life (QOL). Coronary microvascular endothelial dysfunction is associated with myocardial ischaemia and is a common cause of angina. We hypothesise that evaluation of coronary endothelial function, its diagnosis and treatment will favourably impact QOL in patients with angina symptoms and non-obstructive CAD.

Methods and results

Follow-up was done on 457 patients with chest pain and non-obstructive coronary arteries who had undergone coronary vascular reactivity evaluation by administration of intracoronary acetylcholine at the time of diagnostic study. After a mean follow-up of 8.4±4.7 years, QOL was assessed by administration of the SF-36 QOL survey. Patients diagnosed and treated for microvascular endothelial dysfunction had a higher (better) overall mental composite score (44.8 vs 40.9, p=0.036) and mental health score (44.2 vs 40.7, p=0.047), and a trend towards higher vitality scores (39.1 vs 35.9, p=0.053) and role emotional scores (43.6 vs 40.4, p=0.073), compared with patients with normal endothelial function.

Conclusion

Among patients with chest pain and normal coronaries, diagnosis and treatment of coronary microvascular endothelial dysfunction in those with angina pectoris and non-obstructive CAD are associated with better QOL compared with patients with normal endothelial function.

Coronary endothelial function and spontaneous coronary artery dissection

Objectives:

To investigate the role of endothelial function in patients with previous spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

Background:

Mechanisms underlying spontaneous coronary artery dissection, including a possible contribution from endothelial dysfunction, remain poorly understood.

Methods:

This was a single center, retrospective study of patients with a prior spontaneous coronary artery dissection episode who underwent invasive endothelial function testing in the cardiac catheterization laboratory for evaluation of recurrent chest pain. Coronary epicardial and microvascular responses to acetylcholine, adenosine, and nitroglycerine were assessed. Findings were compared to a reference group of normal controls ( n=232).

Results:

A total of 10 patients with prior angiographically confirmed spontaneous coronary artery dissection were referred for coronary endothelial function testing. The median coronary flow reserve was 2.8 (interquartile range (IQR) 2.3, 3.6). The median change in coronary diameter with acetylcholine was −0.9% (IQR −23.9, 4.2). The median increase in peak coronary blood flow following acetylcholine administration was 91.4% (IQR 9.1, 105.7), which was similar to the response observed in a reference group of patients (median age 51 years, 96% women) from our laboratory with normal microvascular responses to acetylcholine: 107.4% (IQR 75.5, 165.7; P=0.20). Four patients (40%) had an abnormal microvascular response to acetylcholine, with less than a 50% increase in coronary blood flow, and all but one patient had left anterior descending artery or multivessel spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

Conclusion:

Coronary epicardial and microvascular vasomotor dysfunction is not a predominant feature of spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Endothelial dysfunction is not implicated as the principal underlying mechanism.

Local Production of Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 in the Coronary Circulation Is Associated With Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction in Humans

Background Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (su PAR ) is a proinflammatory biomarker associated with immune activation and fibrinolysis inhibition. Plasminogen activator inhibitor ( PAI -1) is associated with excessive fibrin accumulation, thrombus formation, and atherosclerosis. The relationship between cross-coronary su PAR and PAI -1 production and endothelial dysfunction remains unknown. Methods and Results Seventy-nine patients (age 53±10 years, 75% women) with angina and normal coronary arteries or mild coronary artery disease (<40% stenosis) on angiogram underwent acetylcholine assessment of epicardial endothelial dysfunction (mid-left anterior descending coronary artery diameter decrease >20% after acetylcholine) and mircovascular endothelial dysfunction (coronary blood flow change <50% after acetylcholine). Simultaneous left main and coronary sinus su PAR and PAI -1 levels were measured in each patient before acetylcholine administration, and cross-coronary su PAR and PAI -1 production rates were calculated. Patients' characteristics, except for age (51±10 versus 57±9, P=0.02), and resting coronary hemodynamics were not significantly different between patients with (26%) versus without (74%) epicardial endothelial dysfunction. Patients' characteristics and resting coronary hemodynamics were not significantly different between those with (62%) and those without (38%) mircovascular endothelial dysfunction. Patients with mircovascular endothelial dysfunction demonstrated local coronary su PAR production versus su PAR extraction in patients with normal microvascular function (median 25.8 [interquartile range 121.6, -23.7] versus -12.7 [52.0, -74.8] ng/min, P=0.03). Patients with epicardial endothelial dysfunction had higher median coronary PAI -1 production rates compared with those with normal epicardial endothelial function (1224.7 [12 940.7, -1915.4] versus -187.4 [4444.7, -4535.8] ng/min, P=0.03). Conclusions su PAR is released in coronary circulation of patients with mircovascular endothelial dysfunction and extracted in those with normal microvascular function. Cross-coronary PAI -1 release is higher in humans with epicardial endothelial dysfunction.

Evaluation of human coronary vasodilator function predicts future coronary atheroma progression

Objective

Coronary vasodilator function and atherosclerotic plaque progression have both been shown to be associated with adverse cardiovascular events. However, the relationship between these factors and the lipid burden of coronary plaque remains unknown. These experiments focus on investigating the relationship between impaired coronary vasodilator function (endothelium dependent (salbutamol) and endothelium independent (glyceryl trinitrate)) and the natural history of atheroma plaque progression and lipid burden using dual modality intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging.

Methods

33 patients with stable chest pain or acute coronary syndrome underwent serial assessment of coronary vasodilator function and intracoronary plaque IVUS and NIRS imaging. Coronary segmental macrovascular response (% change segmental lumen volume (ΔSLV)), plaque burden (per cent atheroma volume (PAV)), lipid core (lipid-rich plaque (LRP) and lipid core burden index (LCBI)) were measured at baseline and after an interval of 12–18 months (n=520 segments).

Results

Lipid-negative coronary segments which develop into LRP over the study time period demonstrated impaired endothelial-dependent function (−0.24±2.96 vs 5.60±1.47%, P=0.04) and endothelial-independent function (13.91±4.45 vs 21.19±3.19%, P=0.036), at baseline. By multivariate analysis, endothelial-dependent function predicted ∆LCBI (β coefficient: −3.03, 95% CI (−5.81 to −0.25), P=0.033) whereas endothelial-independent function predicted ∆PAV (β coefficient: 0.07, 95% CI (0.04 to 0.10), P<0.0001).

Conclusions

Epicardial coronary vasodilator function is a determinant of future atheroma progression and composition irrespective of the nature of clinical presentation.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12612000594820, Post-results.

Stabilisation of atherosclerotic plaques

Plaque rupture and subsequent thrombotic occlusion of the coronary artery account for as many as three quarters of myocardial infarctions. The concept of plaque stabilisation emerged about 20 years ago to explain the discrepancy between the reduction of cardiovascular events in patients receiving lipid lowering therapy and the small decrease seen in angiographic evaluation of atherosclerosis. Since then, the concept of a vulnerable plaque has received a lot of attention in basic and clinical research leading to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the vulnerable plaque and acute coronary syndromes. From pathological and clinical observations, plaques that have recently ruptured have thin fibrous caps, large lipid cores, exhibit outward remodelling and invasion by vasa vasorum. Ruptured plaques are also focally inflamed and this may be a common denominator of the other pathological features. Plaques with similar characteristics, but which have not yet ruptured, are believed to be vulnerable to rupture. Experimental studies strongly support the validity of anti-inflammatory approaches to promote plaque stability. Unfortunately, reliable non-invasive methods for imaging and detection of such plaques are not yet readily available. There is a strong biological basis and supportive clinical evidence that low-density lipoprotein lowering with statins is useful for the stabilisation of vulnerable plaques. There is also some clinical evidence for the usefulness of antiplatelet agents, beta blockers and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors for plaque stabilisation. Determining the causes of plaque rupture and designing diagnostics and interventions to prevent them are urgent priorities for current basic and clinical research in cardiovascular area.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is an independent marker of abnormal coronary vasoreactivity in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

Coronary endothelial dysfunction (CED) is an early stage of atherosclerosis and is associated with adverse cardiovascular events. Inflammation may play a role in the development of endothelial dysfunction. To date no study has evaluated the relationship between C-reactive protein and CED. We aimed to determine if C-reactive protein is associated with CED.

METHODS

In 1016 patients (mean age 50.7±12.3 years, 34% male) presenting to the catheterization laboratory with chest pain and non-obstructive coronary artery disease, coronary vasoreactivity was assessed by measuring the percent change in coronary blood flow (%ΔCBF) and coronary artery diameter (%ΔCAD) in response to intracoronary acetylcholine. Plasma high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was measured and patients were divided into 2 groups: hs-CRP≤3.0 mg/L (low-intermediate cardiovascular risk n=169) and 3 mg/L<hs-CRP≤10 mg/L (high cardiovascular risk n=847).

RESULTS

Patients with a high risk hs-CRP had a significantly lower %ΔCBF and %ΔCAD in response to acetylcholine vs low risk hs-CRP (43.8±6.1 vs 65.8±4.5, P=.004 and -17.2±1.5 vs -13.1±0.8, P=.02 respectively). Low risk hs-CRP was associated with significantly higher %ΔCBF and %ΔCAD vs high risk hs-CRP (27.1±11.0, P=.01 and 4.5±1.9, P=.02 respectively). CED was associated with significantly higher hs-CRP levels and high risk hs-CRP was independently associated with abnormal coronary vasoreactivity, OR 1.82 (95% CI 1.25-2.69).

CONCLUSIONS

Hs-CRP is independently associated with and a strong predictor of abnormal coronary vasoreactivity in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease.

Impact of plaque characteristics on the degree of functional stenosis

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is mainly regarded as a gatekeeper for invasive coronary angiography, in face of its widely recognized value to noninvasively rule out significant coronary stenosis. Nevertheless, it is also increasingly recognized that this noninvasive modality can depict several atherosclerotic plaque features and quantify total coronary plaque burden. This opens a new field for cardiac CT, since these atherosclerotic features beyond stenosis severity have been correlated with the degree of functional significance, and are the focus of the present manuscript. Although recently acknowledged and documented in CCTA studies, the relation between plaque burden and functional significance has been previously described using several intracoronary imaging modalities, which are also reviewed in the manuscript, to help put in perspective the relation between anatomy and function in coronary artery disease.

Coronary endothelial function testing provides superior discrimination compared with standard clinical risk scoring in prediction of cardiovascular events

BACKGROUND

Endothelial dysfunction is regarded as the early stage of atherosclerosis and is associated with cardiovascular (CV) events. This study was designed to determine whether assessment of coronary endothelial function (CEF) is safe and can reclassify risk in patients with early coronary artery disease beyond the Framingham risk score (FRS).

METHODS AND RESULTS

CEF was evaluated using intracoronary acetylcholine in 470 patients who presented with chest pain and nonobstructive coronary artery disease. CV events were assessed after a median follow-up of 9.7 years. The association between CEF and CV events was examined, and the net reclassification improvement index (NRI) was used to compare the incremental contribution of CEF when added to FRS.The mean age was 53 years, and 68% of the patients were women with a median FRS of 8. Complications (coronary dissection) occurred in three (0.6%) and CV events in 61 (13%) patients. In univariate analysis, microvascular CEF [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72-0.97, P=0.032] and epicardial CEF (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.59-0.90, P=0.01) were found to be significant predictors of CV events, whereas FRS was not (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.85-1.26, P=0.61). When added to FRS, microvascular CEF correctly reclassified 11.3% of patients [NRI 0.11 (95% CI 0.019-0.21)], epicardial CEF correctly reclassified 12.1% of patients [NRI 0.12 (95% CI -0.02 to 0.26)], and the combined microvascular and epicardial CEF correctly reclassified 22.8% of patients [NRI 0.23 (95% CI 0.08-0.37)].

CONCLUSION

CEF testing is safe and adds value to the FRS, with superior discrimination and risk stratification compared with FRS alone in patients presenting with chest pain or suspected ischemia.

Relationship Between Endothelial Wall Shear Stress and High-Risk Atherosclerotic Plaque Characteristics for Identification of Coronary Lesions That Cause Ischemia: A Direct Comparison With Fractional Flow Reserve

BACKGROUND

Wall shear stress (WSS) is an established predictor of coronary atherosclerosis progression. Prior studies have reported that high WSS has been associated with high-risk atherosclerotic plaque characteristics (APCs). WSS and APCs are quantifiable by coronary computed tomography angiography, but the relationship of coronary lesion ischemia-evaluated by fractional flow reserve-to WSS and APCs has not been examined.

METHODS AND RESULTS

WSS measures were obtained from 100 evaluable patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography and invasive coronary angiography with fractional flow reserve. Patients were categorized according to tertiles of mean WSS values defined as low, intermediate, and high. Coronary ischemia was defined as fractional flow reserve ≤0.80. Stenosis severity was determined by minimal luminal diameter. APCs were defined as positive remodeling, low attenuation plaque, and spotty calcification. The likelihood of having positive remodeling and low-attenuation plaque was greater in the high WSS group compared with the low WSS group after adjusting for minimal luminal diameter (odds ratio for positive remodeling: 2.54, 95% CI 1.12-5.77; odds ratio for low-attenuation plaque: 2.68, 95% CI 1.02-7.06; both P<0.05). No significant relationship was observed between WSS and fractional flow reserve when adjusting for either minimal luminal diameter or APCs. WSS displayed no incremental benefit above stenosis severity and APCs for detecting lesions that caused ischemia (area under the curve for stenosis and APCs: 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.93; area under the curve for stenosis, APCs, and WSS: 0.88, 95% CI 0.82-0.93; P=0.30 for difference).

CONCLUSIONS

High WSS is associated with APCs independent of stenosis severity. WSS provided no added value beyond stenosis severity and APCs for detecting lesions with significant ischemia.

Prognostic Determinants of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Stable Ischemic Heart Disease

Risk stratification in patients with stable ischemic heart disease is essential to guide treatment decisions. In this regard, whether coronary anatomy, physiology, or plaque morphology is the best determinant of prognosis (and driver an effective therapeutic risk reduction) remains one of the greatest ongoing debates in cardiology. In the present report, we review the evidence for each of these characteristics and explore potential algorithms that may enable a practical diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for the management of patients with stable ischemic heart disease.

Cardiovascular Safety in Drug Development

As drug development becomes a long and demanding process, it might also become a barrier to medical progress. Drug safety concerns are responsible for many of the resources consumed in launching a new drug. Despite the money and time expended on it, a significant number of drugs are withdrawn years or decades after being in the market. Cardiovascular toxicity is one of the major reasons for those late withdrawals, meaning that many patients are exposed to unexpected serious cardiovascular risks. It seems that current methods to assess cardiovascular safety are imperfect, so new approaches to avoid the exposure to those undesirable effects are quite necessary. Endothelial dysfunction is the earliest detectable pathophysiological abnormality, which leads to the development of atherosclerosis, and it is also an independent predictor for major cardiovascular events. Endothelial toxicity might be the culprit of the cardiovascular adverse effects observed with a significant number of drugs. In this article, we suggest the regular inclusion of the best validated and less invasive endothelial function tests in the clinical phases of drug development in order to facilitate the development of drugs with safer cardiovascular profiles.

Endothelial dysfunction and coronary artery disease: assessment, prognosis, and treatment

Progress in the modification of conventional coronary risk factors and lifestyle behavior has reduced the incidence of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease; nonetheless, it continues to be the leading cause of mortality in the world. This might be attributed to the defective risk stratifying and prevention strategy for coronary artery disease. In the current clinical setting, atherosclerotic coronary artery disease risk is estimated on the basis of identifying and quantifying only traditional risk factors; it does not take into consideration nontraditional risk factors. In addition, most of the prevailing therapies for atherosclerosis are targeted toward traditional risk factors rather than atherosclerosis itself. It is desirable to develop a method that can directly assess the activity of atherogenesis at every moment. Endothelial function is an integrated index of all atherogenic and atheroprotective factors present in an individual including nontraditional factors and heretofore unknown factors, and it is reported to have additional predictive value for future cardiovascular events to traditional risk factors. Moreover, endothelial function has a pivotal role in all phases of atherosclerosis, from initiation to atherothrombotic complication, and is reversible at every phase, indicating that endothelial function-guided therapies might be effective and feasible in cardiovascular practice. Thus, the introduction of endothelial function testing into clinical practice might enable us to innovate individualized cardiovascular medicine. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the contribution of endothelial dysfunction to atherogenesis and review the methods that assess endothelial function. Finally, we focus on the effects of major antiatherosclerotic disease therapies on endothelial function and argue the possibility of noninvasive assessment of endothelial function aiming at individualized cardiovascular medicine.

Patients With Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction Have Impaired Cholesterol Efflux Capacity and Reduced HDL Particle Concentration

RATIONALE

Coronary endothelial dysfunction (ED)-an early marker of atherosclerosis-increases the risk of cardiovascular events.

OBJECTIVE

We tested the hypothesis that cholesterol efflux capacity and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particle concentration predict coronary ED better than HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We studied 80 subjects with nonobstructive (<30% stenosis) coronary artery disease. ED was defined as <50% change in coronary blood flow in response to intracoronary infusions of acetylcholine during diagnostic coronary angiography. Cholesterol efflux capacity and HDL particle concentration (HDL-PIMA) were assessed with validated assays. Cholesterol efflux capacity and HDL-PIMA were both strong, inverse predictors of ED (P<0.001 and 0.005, respectively). In contrast, HDL-C and other traditional lipid risk factors did not differ significantly between control and ED subjects. Large HDL particles were markedly decreased in ED subjects (33%; P=0.005). After correction for HDL-C, both efflux capacity and HDL-PIMA remained significant predictors of ED status. HDL-PIMA explained cholesterol efflux capacity more effectively than HDL-C (r=0.54 and 0.36, respectively). The efflux capacities of isolated HDL and serum HDL correlated strongly (r=0.49).

CONCLUSIONS

Cholesterol efflux capacity and HDL-PIMA are reduced in subjects with coronary ED, independently of HDL-C. Alterations in HDL-PIMA and HDL itself account for a much larger fraction of the variation in cholesterol efflux capacity than does HDL-C. A selective decrease in large HDL particles may contribute to impaired cholesterol efflux capacity in ED subjects. These observations support a role for HDL size, concentration, and function as markers-and perhaps mediators-of coronary atherosclerosis in humans.

Microvascular endothelial dysfunction predicts the development of erectile dysfunction in men with coronary atherosclerosis without critical stenoses

BACKGROUND

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality, independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Coronary endothelial dysfunction is independently associated with ED in men with early coronary atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate whether coronary microvascular dysfunction predicts development of ED in patients presenting with coronary atherosclerosis without critical stenoses.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Coronary microvascular function was evaluated in 130 men with coronary atherosclerosis without critical stenoses by administration of intracoronary acetylcholine at the time of diagnostic study. After a mean follow-up of 8.4 years, patients were assessed for the development of ED by administration of a questionnaire.

RESULTS

In all, 68 (50%) men had microvascular endothelial dysfunction at baseline; 35 (51%) men with microvascular endothelial dysfunction developed ED on follow-up compared with 19 (31%) men without microvascular endothelial dysfunction. Men who developed ED had a lower coronary blood flow response (% [INCREMENT]CBF) compared with men who did not develop ED, with mean±SD of 25.4±71.3 versus 81.7±120 (P=0.003). In univariate analysis, microvascular endothelial dysfunction was a predictor for the development of ED, with relative risk of 2.4 (1.2-4.9) (P=0.016). In multivariate logistic regression adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors (age, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, vascular disease, and family history of coronary artery disease), only microvascular endothelial dysfunction (P=0.027) and age (P=0.044) remained significant predictors of development of ED.

CONCLUSION

Coronary microvascular dysfunction is a predictor of the development of ED in men with coronary atherosclerosis without critical stenoses. This study underscores the systemic involvement of the endothelial function in vascular disease.