A nonobstructive condition: Medial arterial calcification

Vascular calcification, including intimal and medial calcification, is closely associated with a significant increase in cardiovascular diseases. Although increased understandings were achieved, people still know much more about intimal calcification than medial calcification because the latter doesn't obstruct the arterial lumen, commonly considered as a non-significant finding. We clarified the pathologic characteristic of medial calcification, its difference from intimal calcification, principally focused on its clinical relevance, such as diagnosis, nosogenesis, and hemodynamics. We underline the importance of identifying and distinguishing medial calcification, understanding its effect to local/systematic arterial compliance, and relationship to diabetic neuropathy. Recent studies emphasize do not ignore its predictive role in cardiovascular mortality. It is of great clinical significance to summarize the mechanisms of occurrence, lesion characteristics, diagnostic methods, pathogenic mechanisms, hemodynamic changes, and the distinction as well as association of intimal calcification with intimal calcification.

The Need to Shift from Morphological to Structural Assessment for Carotid Plaque Vulnerability

Degree of luminal stenosis is generally considered to be an important indicator for judging the risk of atherosclerosis burden. However, patients with the same or similar degree of stenosis may have significant differences in plaque morphology and biomechanical factors. This study investigated three patients with carotid atherosclerosis within a similar range of stenosis. Using our developed fluid-structure interaction (FSI) modelling method, this study analyzed and compared the morphological and biomechanical parameters of the three patients. Although their degrees of carotid stenosis were similar, the plaque components showed a significant difference. The distribution range of time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) of patient 2 was wider than that of patient 1 and patient 3. Patient 2 also had a much smaller plaque stress compared to the other two patients. There were significant differences in TAWSS and plaque stresses among three patients. This study suggests that plaque vulnerability is not determined by a single morphological factor, but rather by the combined structure. It is necessary to transform the morphological assessment into a structural assessment of the risk of plaque rupture.

Evaluation of coronary stenosis versus plaque burden for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk assessment and management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide a summary of recent literature on the relative impact of luminal stenosis versus atherosclerotic plaque burden in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk stratification and management.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent results from both randomized controlled clinical trials as well as observational cohort studies have demonstrated that ASCVD risk is mediated mainly by the extent of atherosclerotic disease burden rather than by the presence of coronary stenosis or inducible ischemia. Although patients with obstructive CAD are generally at higher risk for ASCVD events than patients with nonobstructive CAD, this is driven by a higher plaque burden in those with obstructive CAD. Accordingly, the ASCVD risk for a given plaque burden is similar in patients with and without obstructive CAD. Accompanying these observations are randomized controlled trial data, which show that optimization of medical therapy instead of early revascularization is most important for improving prognosis in patients with stable obstructive CAD.

SUMMARY

Emerging evidence shows that atherosclerotic plaque burden, and not stenosis per se, is the main driver of ASCVD risk in patients with CAD. This information challenges the current paradigm of selecting patients for intensive secondary prevention measures based primarily on the presence of obstructive CAD.