Outcome of coronary plaque burden: a 10-year follow-up of aggressive medical management

Effects of long-term statin-treatment on coronary atherosclerosis in patients with inflammatory joint diseases

Background

The effect of statins over time on coronary atherosclerosis in patients with inflammatory joint diseases (IJD) is unknown. Our aim was to evaluate the change in coronary plaque morphology and volume in long-term statin-treated patients with IJD.

Methods

Sixty-eight patients with IJD and carotid artery plaque(s) underwent coronary computed tomography angiography before and after a mean of 4.7 (range 4.0–6.0) years of statin treatment. The treatment target for low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) was ≤1.8 mmol/L. Changes in plaque volume (calcified, mixed/soft and total) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) from baseline to follow-up were assessed using the 17-segment American Heart Association-model.

Results

Median (IQR) increase in CAC after statin treatment was 38 (5–236) Agatston units (p<0.001). Calcified and total plaque volume increased with 5.6 (0.0–49.1) and 2.9 (0.0–23.5) mm³, respectively (p<0.001 for both). The median (IQR) change in soft/mixed plaque volume was -10 (-7.1–0.0), p = <0.001. Patients who had obtained the LDL-c treatment target at follow-up, experienced reduced progression of both CAC and total plaque volume compared to patients with LDL-c >1.8mmol/L (21 [2–143] vs. 69 [16–423], p = 0.006 and 0.65 [-1.0–13.9] vs. 13.0 [0.0–60.8] mm³, p = 0.019, respectively).

Conclusions

A progression of total atherosclerotic plaque volume in statin-treated patients with IJD was observed. However, soft/mixed plaque volume was reduced, suggesting an alteration in plaque composition. Patients with recommended LDL-c levels at follow-up had reduced atherosclerotic progression compared to patients with LDL-c levels above the treatment target, suggesting a beneficial effect of treatment to guideline-recommended lipid targets in IJD patients.

Use of the augmentation index from applanation tonometry of the radial artery for assessing the extent of coronary artery calcium as assessed by coronary computed tomography

BACKGROUND

The augmentation index (AI) obtained from applanation tonometry of the radial artery is technically the easiest and quickest of available methods for assessing arterial stiffness. We tested the hypothesis that the radial AI is associated with the extent of coronary artery calcium (CAC) as assessed by coronary computed tomography (CCT).

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study included 161 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease undergoing central hemodynamic measurements and CCT. Radial AI was recorded and was corrected in accordance with heart rate (radial AI@75). Thirty-seven patients had no CAC (CAC score = 0), 85 had low-grade CAC (CAC score = 1-399), and 39 had high-grade CAC (CAC score ≥400). Coronary risk factors, except for age and serum creatinine, were similar among the three groups. There were significant differences in brachial systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.011) and radial AI@75 (%) (p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that age (β = 0.27, p = 0.001), serum creatinine (β = 0.18, p = 0.03), and radial AI@75 (β = 0.24, p = 0.005) were significantly associated with ln (CAC score + 1), whereas brachial SBP was not. Additionally, serum creatinine (odds ratio: 11.91, 95% confidence interval: 1.46-112.0, p = 0.02) and radial AI@75 (per 10%) (odds ratio: 1.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.22-2.64, p = 0.002) were independent factors associated with high-grade CAC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the radial AI is better for estimating CAC than brachial SBP in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.

Prognostic value of segment involvement score compared to other measures of coronary atherosclerosis by computed tomography: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The segment involvement score (SIS) is a semiquantitative measure of the extent of atherosclerosis burden by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA). We sought to evaluate by meta-analysis the prognostic value of SIS, and to compare it with other CTA measures of coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS

Electronic databases from 1946 to January 2016 were searched. Studies reporting SIS, or an equivalent measure by coronary CTA, and clinical outcomes were included. Maximally adjusted hazard ratios (HR), predominantly for clinical variables, were extracted for SIS, obstructive CAD, Agatston coronary artery calcium score, and plaque composition. These were pooled using DerSimonian-Laird random effects models.

RESULTS

Eleven nonrandomized studies with good methodological quality enrolling 9777 subjects (mean age 61 ± 11 years, 57% male, mean follow up 3.3 years) who had 472 (4.8%) MACE (cardiac or all cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or late revascularization), were included. SIS (per segment increase) had pooled HR of 1.25 (95% CI: 1.16,1.35; I² = 71.4%, p < 0.001) for MACE. HR for MACE was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.32,1.42; I² = 95.6%, p < 0.001) for number of segments with stenosis (per segment increase), 3.39 (95% CI: 1.65,6.99; I² = 87.8%, p = 0.001) for obstructive CAD (binary variable) and 1.00 (95% CI: 1.00,1.01; I² = 75.0%, p = 0.490) for Agatston score (per unit increase). HRs by plaque composition (calcified, non-calcified and mixed; per segment change) were 1.24 (95% CI: 1.10,1.39; I² = 81.6%, p = 0.001), 1.20 (95% CI: 0.97,1.48; I² = 92.9%, p = 0.093) and 1.27 (95% CI: 1.03,1.58; I² = 89.8%, p = 0.029), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Despite heterogeneity in endpoints, extent of CAD as quantified by SIS on coronary CTA is a strong, independent predictor of cardiovascular events.

Comparison of coronary arterial lumen dimensions on angiography and plaque characteristics on optical coherence tomography images and their changes induced by statin

Background

Coronary angiography (CAG) is widely used to assess lumen dimensions, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) is used to evaluate the characteristics of atherosclerotic plaque. This study was aimed to compare coronary lumen dimensions using CAG and plaque characteristics using OCT and their changes during statin therapy.

Methods

We identified 97 lipid-rich plaques from 69 statin-naïve patients, who received statin therapy in the following 12 months. CAG and OCT examinations were conducted at baseline and 12-month follow-up period.

Results

Lesion length, as measured by CAG, was closely correlated with lipid length by OCT (baseline: r = 0.754, p < 0.001; follow-up: r = 0.639, p < 0.001). However, no significant correlations were found between the other findings on OCT and data on CAG. With 12-month statin therapy, microstructures of lipid-rich plaques were significantly improved, but CAG-derived lumen dimensions were not improved. Moreover, we found no significant relationship between changes in OCT measurements and changes in CAG data over time.

Conclusion

Lipid length on OCT and lesion length on CAG were closely correlated. However, plaque microstructural characteristics on OCT showed no significantly statistically correlations with lumen dimensions on CAG, neither did their evolutionary changes induced by statin over time.

A retrospectively registered study

Clinical trial registry: ClinicalTrial.gov. Registered number: NCT01023607. Registered 1 December 2009.

Progression of coronary artery calcification at the crossroads: sign of progression or stabilization of coronary atherosclerosis?

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) has been strongly established as an independent predictor of adverse events, with a significant incremental prognostic value over traditional risk stratification algorithms. CAC progression has been associated with a higher rate of events. In parallel, several randomized studies and meta-analysis have shown the effectiveness of statins to slow progression and even promote plaque regression. However, evidence regarding the effect of routine medical therapy on CAC has yielded conflicting results, with initial studies showing significant CAC regression, and contemporaneous data showing rather the opposite. Accordingly, there is currently a great controversy on whether progression of CAC is a sign of progression or stabilization of coronary artery disease (CAD). The finding of inexorable CAC progression despite the implementation of intensive contemporaneous medical therapy suggests that further understanding of this phenomenon should be undertaken before the implementation of CAC as a surrogate endpoint for longitudinal studies, or for prospective follow-up of patients under routine medical treatment.

Coronary CT angiography in managing atherosclerosis

Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) was the only method to image coronary arteries for a long time and is still the gold-standard. Technology of noninvasive imaging by coronary computed-tomography angiography (CCTA) has experienced remarkable progress during the last two decades. It is possible to visualize atherosclerotic lesions in the vessel wall in contrast to “lumenography” performed by ICA. Coronary artery disease can be ruled out by CCTA with excellent accuracy. The degree of stenoses is, however, often overestimated which impairs specificity. Atherosclerotic lesions can be characterized as calcified, non-calcified and partially calcified. Calcified plaques are usually quantified using the Agatston-Score. Higher scores are correlated with worse cardiovascular outcome and increased risk of cardiac events. For non-calcified or partially calcified plaques different angiographic findings like positive remodelling, a large necrotic core or spotty calcification more frequently lead to myocardial infarctions. CCTA is an important tool with increasing clinical value for ruling out coronary artery disease or relevant stenoses as well as for advanced risk stratification.

Association between renal dysfunction and the mixed plaque of coronary artery on computed tomographic angiography

Coronary artery plaque is related to development of coronary artery disease (CAD), and chronic kidney disease is associated with CAD. However, the association of renal dysfunction (RD) with coronary artery plaque characteristics has not been fully elucidated. We evaluated the association between RD and coronary artery plaque characteristics in patients with suspected CAD, who underwent multislice computed tomographic angiography (CTA). A total of 918 patients were classified into 4 groups: group with no plaque (NP) (48.9%), group with calcified plaque (CP) (16.0%), group with noncalcified plaque (NCP) (22.4%), and group with mixed plaque (MP) (12.7%). NCP is considered as rupture-prone soft plaque, and CP as more stable lesion. The mean of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 82.5 ± 15.4 mL/min/1.73 m(2), and the prevalence of RD (defined as eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) was 6.3%. The prevalence of RD was 3.3% in the NP group, 10.2% in the CP group, 5.3% in the NCP group, and 14.5% in the MP group (P < 0.001 by ANOVA tests). The adjusted odds ratio for RD was 3.38 (95% confidence interval, 1.27-9.04) for the MP group, compared with the NP group. The presence of RD showed an independent association with the MP counts (r = 0.155, P < 0.001); however, there was no association between RD and other plaque characteristics. In conclusion, RD is associated with MP rather than CP or NCP, compared with NP, which may reflect one of the developmental processes of CAD in patients with RD.