Abstract 18938: Identification and Diagnosis of Culprit Lesions by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in Patients With Non-ST Elevated Acute Coronary Syndromes

Abstract

Introduction and Hypothesis: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a reliable imaging modality for plaque characterization in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). While numerous studies have provided insight into the utility of OCT in ST-elevated ACS patients, our study sought to evaluate the frequency and morphological characters of lesions in patients with non-ST elevated acute coronary syndromes (Unstable angina (UA) and Non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)). Methods: This multi-center, observational study included 170 patients admitted with a working diagnosis of NST-elevated ACS from October 2021 to January 2023. OCT imaging was obtained during coronary angioplasty for lesion characterization and morphology. Frequencies were compared between UA and NSTEMI sub-groups. Results: OCT imaging in patients with non-ST elevated acute coronary syndromes showed plaque erosion in 46% (n= 78), plaque rupture in 35% (n= 60), tight stenosis in 13% (n= 22), and calcified nodules in 6% (n= 10). Sub-group comparative analysis showed a statistically significant increase in plaque erosion in NSTEMI compared to UA (p<0.005), while tight stenosis was significantly more common in UA (p=0.017). Morphological analysis showed a high presence of calcified nodules and red thrombus in NSTEMI patients compared to UA patients (p<0.005). Conclusions: Our study concluded that optical coherence tomography is reliable in identifying and characterizing lesions in patients with non-ST elevated ACS. NSTEMI patients have a higher occurrence of plaque erosion, plaque rupture, calcified nodules, and red thrombus than patients with unstable angina.