Identical Atherosclerotic Lesions in Identical Twins

Abstract

HomeCirculationVol. 101, No. 4Identical Atherosclerotic Lesions in Identical Twins Free AccessOtherDownload EPUBAboutView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessOtherDownload EPUBIdentical Atherosclerotic Lesions in Identical Twins Grzegorz Kałuża, John M. Abukhalil and Albert E. Raizner Grzegorz KałużaGrzegorz Kałuża From The Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex. Search for more papers by this author , John M. AbukhalilJohn M. Abukhalil From The Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex. Search for more papers by this author and Albert E. RaiznerAlbert E. Raizner From The Methodist Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex. Search for more papers by this author Originally published1 Feb 2000https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.101.4.e63Circulation. 2000;101:e63–e64In 1997, a 55-year-old man underwent percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of a lesion in the middle segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) (Figure, A). He subsequently informed his cardiologist that his twin brother had also been treated successfully with PTCA at another hospital for stenosis of the LAD. The cineangiographic film of the twin brother was retrieved (Jackson Heart Clinic, Jackson, Miss, courtesy Dr Jeff Fletcher) (Figure, B). Both brothers had long-standing hypercholesterolemia and had stopped smoking many years earlier.The LADs of both brothers were similar in anatomy, size, and branching pattern. Remarkably, each had developed a stenosis in essentially the same location, and of similar shape and configuration, in the LAD. The circumflex branch and right coronary artery (not shown) were also similar in size, distribution, and branching pattern for both twins and contained no angiographically apparent disease.The finding of “twin” atherosclerotic lesions in a pair of identical twins is of great interest. It is tempting to speculate that atherosclerotic plaque formation may be congenitally determined or at least inherently defined by specific coronary anatomy and a certain coronary flow pattern. In either event, an individual may be “fated” to develop a specific lesion at a particular site. During life, this process may be modulated. A better understanding of the anatomic determinants of coronary flow and their impact on subsequent lesion formation might allow preventive interventional therapies.The authors would like to encourage their colleagues who are aware of twin pairs having angiographically documented CAD to contact us at the e-mail address [email protected]The editor of Images in Cardiovascular Medicine is Hugh A. McAllister, Jr, MD, Chief, Department of Pathology, St Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and Texas Heart Institute, and Clinical Professor of Pathology, University of Texas Medical School and Baylor College of Medicine.Circulation encourages readers to submit cardiovascular images to Dr Hugh A. McAllister, Jr, St Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and Texas Heart Institute, 6720 Bertner Ave, MC1-267, Houston, TX 77030.Download figureDownload PowerPointFootnotesCorrespondence to Albert E. Raizner, MD, The Methodist Hospital, 6535 Fannin, MS F1034, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail [email protected] Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited By Smith M, Baker J, Gleaves E, Singh A and Kazimuddin M Twinning: Coronary Artery Disease in Monozygotic Twins, Cureus, 10.7759/cureus.16139 Murray S, Cooper R, Appleby C, McCann C, Binukrishnan S, Radu M and Stables R (2014) Double jeopardy: Multi-modality imaging of monozygotic “twin cap” atherosclerosis, Atherosclerosis, 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2014.09.018, 237:1, (264-267), Online publication date: 1-Nov-2014. Nathoe H, Stella P, Eefting F and de Jaegere P (2002) Angiographic findings in monozygotic twins with coronary artery disease, The American Journal of Cardiology, 10.1016/S0002-9149(02)02262-2, 89:8, (1006-1009), Online publication date: 1-Apr-2002. February 1, 2000Vol 101, Issue 4 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics Copyright © 2000 by American Heart Associationhttps://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.101.4.e63 Originally publishedFebruary 1, 2000 Advertisement