Abstract 14105: Impact of Aortic Atheromatous Plaques Identified by Aortic Angioscopy on Five-Year Clinical Events: Novel Evaluation by Non-Obstructive General Angioscopy Registry

Abstract

Introduction: Non-obstructive general angioscopy (NOGA) has become a novel method of evaluating atheromatous plaques of the aortic intimal wall. Aortic atheromatous plaques are potentially related to future cardiovascular events, but these associations remain undetermined regarding long-term follow-up. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, observational, prospective registry of consecutive 577 patients with confirmed or suspected coronary artery disease underwent NOGA at 13 centers in Japan and counted atheromatous plaques from aortic cusp to terminal aorta with intra-aortic scan of NOGA. All patients were divided into three groups based on the tertile of the number of aortic atheromatous plaques. The relationships between aortic atheromatous plaques and clinical events after five-year follow-up were evaluated. Results: The median number of aortic atheromatous plaques was 6 [IQR: 3-12]. The mean follow-up duration was 1860 ± 860 days. At five-year follow-up, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, or peripheral artery disease) was significantly higher in the higher tertile group (lower tertile 7.4% vs. middle 13.2% vs. higher 20.7%, p<0.001, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly higher probability of MACE in higher tertile group of all (log-rank test: p < 0.001). Conclusions: Aortic atheromatous plaques identified by NOGA could be vulnerable, and thus were strongly associated with clinical events during five-year follow-up.