Presence Of Atherosclerotic Plaques Research Articles

Prevalence of atherosclerosis in individuals with prediabetes and diabetes compared to normoglycaemic individuals—a Swedish population-based study

BackgroundPatients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of death and cardiovascular events and people with diabetes or prediabetes have been found to have increased atherosclerotic burden in the coronary and carotid arteries. This study will estimate the cross-sectional prevalence of atherosclerosis in the coronary and carotid arteries in individuals with prediabetes and diabetes, compared with normoglycaemic individuals in a large population-based cohort.MethodsThe 30,154 study participants, 50–64 years, were categorized according to their fasting glycaemic status or self-reported data as normoglycaemic, prediabetes, and previously undetected or known diabetes. Prevalence of affected coronary artery segments, severity of stenosis and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) were determined by coronary computed tomography angiography. Total atherosclerotic burden was assessed in the 11 clinically most relevant segments using the Segment Involvement Score and as the presence of any coronary atherosclerosis. The presence of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid arteries was determined by ultrasound examination.ResultsStudy participants with prediabetes (n = 4804, 16.0%) or diabetes (n = 2282, 7.6%) had greater coronary artery plaque burden, more coronary stenosis and higher CACS than normoglycaemic participants (all, p < 0.01). Among male participants with diabetes 35.3% had CACS ≥ 100 compared to 16.1% among normoglycaemic participants. For women, the corresponding figures were 8.9% vs 6.1%. The prevalence of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries was higher in participants with previously undetected diabetes than prediabetes, but lower than in patients with known diabetes. The prevalence of any plaque in the carotid arteries was higher in participants with prediabetes or diabetes than in normoglycaemic participants.ConclusionsIn this large population-based cohort of currently asymptomatic people, the atherosclerotic burden in the coronary and carotid arteries increased with increasing degree of dysglycaemia. The finding that the atherosclerotic burden in the coronary arteries in the undetected diabetes category was midway between the prediabetes category and patients with known diabetes may have implications for screening strategies and tailored prevention interventions for people with dysglycaemia in the future.

Low adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with increased prevalence and number of atherosclerotic plaques in the ILERVAS cohort

Background and aimsCurrent research on the association between dietary patterns and subclinical atherosclerotic disease (SAD) is still limited, and published results are inconsistent and often consist of small population sizes. We aimed to evaluate the association between the Mediterranean diet (MDiet) and SAD in a large cohort of Mediterranean individuals. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study that included 8116 subjects from the ILERVAS cohort. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques (AP) was assessed by ultrasound examination. Adherence to the MDiet was assessed using the 14-item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Score (MEDAS). Inclusion criteria were subjects with at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Exclusion criteria were a clinical history of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or a prior cardiovascular event. Bivariable and multivariable models were performed. ResultsCompared with subjects without SAD, participants with SAD were older and had a higher frequency of smoking habit, hypertension, dyslipidemia, HbA1c and waist circumference. The adjusted multivariable analysis showed that a higher MEDAS was associated with a lower risk of AP (incidence rate ratios [IRR] 0.97, 95% CI [0.96–0.98]; p<0.001). Furthermore, moderate or high adherence to the MDiet was associated with a lower number of AP compared with a low MDiet adherence (IRR 0.90, 95% CI [0.87–0.94]; p<0.001). In both models, female sex was associated with a lower risk of AP. ConclusionsOur findings point to a potentially protective role of MDiet for SAD in a Mediterranean population with low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk. Further research is needed to establish a causal relationship between both variables.

SERUM PROTEOMIC PROFILING OF CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS: A POPULATION OUTCOME STUDY

Objective: Circulating proteins linked to atherosclerosis may improve cardiovascular (CV) disease prediction. Here, we applied proteomic profiling, feature selection and unbiased clustering to identify proteins associated with carotid atherosclerosis and integrate them in a protein-based classification system for prediction of future CV events. Design and method: 491 community-dwelling participants (mean age, 58±11 years; 51% women) underwent carotid ultrasonography and proteomic profiling (CVD II panel, Olink Proteomics) at baseline. Subsequently, we collected cardiovascular outcome for a median follow-up period of 10.2 years. We applied partial least squares (PLS) and a machine learning algorithm (Random Forest, RF) to identify proteins associated with carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques. Next, we assessed the association of future CV events with protein-based phenogroups defined by unbiased clustering (Gaussian Mixture modelling) based on influential proteins in PLS and RF. Results: Of 92 measured proteins, 13 were labelled as important by PLS and RF and were independently associated with cIMT and/or the presence of plaques after multivariable adjustment: pro-adrenomedullin, agouti-related protein, brother of CDO, CD40 ligand, CD84, GLO1, HB-EGF, HSP27, lipoprotein lipase, lymphotactin, PAR-1, PDGF subunit B and TGM2. Based on these proteins, the clustering algorithm subdivided the cohort into two distinct phenogroups. Compared to the first (n = 174), participants in the second phenogroup (n = 317) had: i) a more unfavourable lipid profile with higher total cholesterol and triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol (P&lt;0.014 for all), but no differences in other CV risk factors such as age, blood pressure, smoking status and diabetes mellitus (P&gt;0.061 for all); ii) higher cIMT (P = 0.0020); and iii) a significantly higher risk for future CV events during follow-up (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) versus cluster 1: 2.63 (1.25 to 5.56); P = 0.01). Conclusions: Carotid atherosclerosis was linked to proteins reflecting haemostasis, angiogenesis, blood pressure regulation and inflammation. Focused proteomic phenomapping adequately identified individuals at high risk for future CV events and may thus complement current CV risk stratification strategies.

The contribution of competing mechanisms in stroke despite anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

For reasons poorly understood, strokes frequently occur in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) despite oral anticoagulation. Better data are needed to inform randomised trials (RCTs) of new strategies to prevent recurrence in these patients. We investigate the relative contribution of competing stroke mechanisms in patients with AF who have stroke despite anticoagulation (OAC+) compared with those who are anticoagulant naïve (OAC-) at the time of their event. We performed a cross-sectional study leveraging data from a prospective stroke registry (2015-2022). Eligible patients had ischemic stroke and AF. Stroke classification was performed by a single stroke-specialist blinded to OAC status using TOAST criteria. The presence of atherosclerotic plaque was determined using duplex ultrasonography, computerised tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. Imaging was reviewed by a single reader. Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of stroke despite anticoagulation. Of 596 patients included, 198 (33.2%) were in the OAC+ group. A competing cause for stroke was more frequent in patients with OAC+ versus OAC- (69/198 (34.8%)) versus 77/398 (19.3%), p < 0.001). After adjustment, both small vessel occlusion (odds ratio (OR): 2.46, 95% CI: 1.20-5.06) and arterial atheroma (⩾50% stenosis) (OR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.07-2.94) were independently associated with stroke despite anticoagulation. Patients with AF-associated stroke despite OAC are much more likely than patients who are OAC-naïve to have competing stroke mechanisms. Rigorous investigation for alternative stroke causes in stroke despite OAC has a high diagnostic yield. These data should be used to guide patient selection for future RCTs in this population.

Toraks BT'de mediastinal yağ dokusu ve aort ölçümleri: ateroskleroz ile ilişkisi var mı?

Aim: We aimed to investigate whether the mediastinal adipose tissue plays a role in thoracic aortic atherosclerosis with thoracic Computed Tomography (CT) imaging. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between the amount and density of mediastinal adipose tissue, age, sex, and the presence of atherosclerotic plaque in the aorta.&#x0D; Material and Method: In this retrospective study, the thoracic computed tomography (CT) images of 45 patients (21 men and 24 women) were examined in two groups. There were 23 patients aged &gt;60 years in group 1 and 22 patients aged 60 years (group 1) and

Desorption of cholesterol from model membranes by β-cyclodextrins: Characterizing plaque fighting compounds via quartz crystal microgravimetry with dissipation monitoring.

Atherosclerosis is induced by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol retention in arterial walls and is identifiable by the presence of atherosclerotic plaques. Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are model membrane interfaces that resemble biological cell membranes and can be constructed with various combinations of lipid compositions. Herein, we exploit the solvent-assisted lipid bilayer (SALB) formation method to construct SLB model membranes with varying cholesterol compositions to create a novel lipid-sterol interface atop of biosensors. Cholesterol-laden SLBs are utilized as surfaces where quantitative investigations of various molecules’ cholesterol-fighting competencies can occur. At constant flow, we introduced the cyclodextrins 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) and methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MBCD) atop the membranes of varying cholesterol mol fractions and measured changes in relative areal mass and surface viscosity. Quartz crystal microgravimetry with dissipation monitoring allowed for the collection of these measurements in vitro, overtime. Aggregated experimental desorption data correlates as expected with the relative hydrophobicities and topological polar surface areas of the drug candidates. Data also supports a steady-state kinetic model mechanism for our lipid-cholesterol-drug interface. Overall, our findings demonstrate that MBCD not only removes a distinct quantity of cholesterol greater than that of HPBCD, but MBCD also outperforms the rate constant of cholesterol desorption of HPBCD by a factor of 8.

Assessment of the prevalence of target organ damage at various stages of the cardiometabolic continuum. According to the ESSE RF study

Objective: to assess the prevalence of target organ damage (TOD) at various stages of the cardiometabolic continuum, including abdominal obesity (AO) without metabolic syndrome (MS), MS, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).Materials and methods: this study presents an analysis of data from a sample of residents of Tomsk (1,104 examined from an unorganized adult population of 25-64 years), performed within the framework of the ESSAY RF-2012 project (Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Regions of the Russian Federation). The analysis included the presence of LV hypertrophy (LVH), a decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), an increase in the thickness of the intima-media complex (TIM), the presence of atherosclerotic plaques (ASP) in the common carotid arteries (CCA).Results: TODs were already reported among individuals with isolated AO (without MS), whose prevalence was statistically significantly higher compared to those with normal body weight. Atherosclerosis of CCA turned out to be the most frequent TOD phenotype, ASP was detected in 22% of individuals with isolated AO, in 33% patients with MS and 35% patients with type 2 DM, the second most common was LVH, which was detected in 0.8%, 4,7% and 17,5% of cases, respectively, the least common was a decrease in GFR – in 1,37%, 3,7% and 6,7% of patients, respectively. Differences in the frequency of TOD in all groups were statistically significant (p &lt; 0,01).Conclusions: Thus, the prevalence of TODs detected already at the stage of isolated AO progressively increased from group to group, as they moved along the cardiometabolic continuum.

Numerical Modelling of the Atherosclerotic Plaques Effect in Damaged Vessels on Coagulation Dynamics

The presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the vessels leads to serious diseases of the cardiovascular system. In this paper, the problems of the dynamics of coagulation processes in stenotic vessels are studied. The system of Navier-Stokes equations for an incompressible fluid, supplemented by equations of changing the concentration of metabolites (inhibitor, activator and fibrinogen) is considered. A segment of a vessel with a damaged wall with atherosclerotic plaques is considered as computational domain. The effects of the size and position of these plaques on the dynamics of clot propagation are studied. Blood is considered as a Newtonian fluid as well as non-Newtonian fluid. In the case when the atherosclerotic plaque is located in front of the affected area of the vessel, numerical analysis has showed that due to an obstacle in the vessel, a sharp flow of fluid through the area with atherosclerotic plaque has been detected, then the flow slows down, thereby slowing down the spreading rate of the fibrin clot. With an increase in the size of the plaque, a slowdown in the growth rate of fibrinogen has been observed. In the case when blood is considered as a non-Newtonian fluid, numerical calculations lead to a slowdown in the spread of fibrinogen in space compared to the case of a Newtonian fluid.

Association between triglyceride glucose index and atherosclerotic plaques and Burden: findings from a community-based study

BackgroundInsulin resistance is an important cause of cardiovascular events and cerebral infarction development. We aimed to investigate the association of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index with atherosclerotic burden and plaques in coronary, intra- and extracranial arteries in participants with non-diabetes, and compared the results with that of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).MethodsParticipants without diabetes in the PolyvasculaR Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and vaScular Events (PRECISE) study were included. We categorized participants by tertiles of the TyG index and the concordance/discordance of the TyG index and HOMA-IR. Discordance was defined as a TyG index equal to or greater than the median and HOMA-IR less than the median, or vice versa. The atherosclerosis plaques and burden in coronary, intra- and extracranial arteries were evaluated. The association of HOMA-IR and TyG index with the presence of atherosclerotic plaques and atherosclerotic burden was assessed by binary and ordinal logistic regression models, respectively.ResultsAmong 2,719 included participants, the average age was 60.9 (± 6.6) years, and 53.0% were female. Both TyG index and HOMA-IR were associated with increased odds of coronary/intra- and extracranial atherosclerotic plaques and burden after adjustment for age, sex, currenting smoking and drinking (all P < 0.05). However, the association between HOMA-IR and intracranial atherosclerosis was not statistically significant after adjustment for all potential confounders. Discordantly high TyG index with HOMA-IR had a higher odd of extracranial plaque (odds ratio [OR]: 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–1.71), extracranial atherosclerotic burden (common odds ratio [cOR]: 1.35, 95% CI 1.06–1.71), coronary plaque (OR: 1.30, 95% CI 1.01–1.68) and segment stenosis score (cOR: 1.39, 95% CI 1.09–1.78) as compared with concordantly low TyG index with HOMA-IR. The TyG index had a better net reclassification improvement ability than HOMA-IR for atherosclerotic plaques when adding to baseline model.ConclusionElevated TyG index was associated with increased odds of atherosclerosis in coronary/intra- and extracranial arteries. Compared with HOMA-IR, the TyG index was more strongly associated with intracranial atherosclerosis. Moreover, discordantly high TyG index with HOMA-IR was also important for atherosclerosis identification.

Plasma Campesterol Is Positively Associated with Carotid Plaques in Asymptomatic Subjects.

Background: Increased cholesterol absorption and reduced synthesis are processes that have been associated with cardiovascular disease risk in a controversial way. However, most of the studies involving markers of cholesterol synthesis and absorption include conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, which can be confounding factors. The present study aimed at investigating the relationships of plasma cholesterol synthesis and absorption markers with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, cIMT (carotid intima-media thickness), and the presence of carotid plaques in asymptomatic subjects. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 270 asymptomatic individuals and anthropometrical parameters, fasting plasma lipids, glucometabolic profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), markers of cholesterol synthesis (desmosterol and lathosterol), absorption (campesterol and sitosterol), cIMT, and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques were analyzed. Results: Among the selected subjects aged between 19 and 75 years, 51% were females. Age, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, non-HDL-C, triglycerides, glucose, and lathosterol/sitosterol ratios correlated positively with cIMT (p ≤ 0.05). Atherosclerotic plaques were present in 19% of the subjects. A direct association of carotid plaques with campesterol, OR = 1.71 (95% CI = 1.04–2.82, p ≤ 0.05) and inverse associations with both ratios lathosterol/campesterol, OR = 0.29 (CI = 0.11–0.80, p ≤ 0.05) and lathosterol/sitosterol, OR = 0.45 (CI = 0.22–0.95, p ≤ 0.05) were observed in univariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: The findings suggested that campesterol may be associated with atherosclerotic plaques and the lathosterol/campesterol or sitosterol ratios suggested an inverse association. Furthermore, synthesis and absorption of cholesterol are inverse processes, and the absorption marker, campesterol, may reflect changes in body cholesterol homeostasis with atherogenic potential.

Association between Arousals during Sleep and Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

(1) Aim: We aim to evaluate the association between arousals during sleep and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis detected by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). (2) Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Consecutive newly diagnosed OSA patients, who underwent coronary CTA examinations within 3 months of the sleep study, were eligible. We used the arousal index (ArI) derived from polysomnography to assess arousals during sleep and a semi-automated plaque quantification software to characterize and quantify the subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Multiple regression models were used to evaluate the associations of the ArI with the coronary atherosclerotic plaque presence, volume, and composition. (3) Results: A total of 99 patients with OSA were included in the study. In the multivariable models, patients with a high ArI (ArI > 32.2 events/h) were more likely to have coronary plaques compared to those with a low ArI (ArI ≤ 32.2 events/h) (OR: 3.29 [95% CI: 1.284 to 8.427], p = 0.013). Furthermore, the ArI exhibited significant associations with total (β = 0.015), noncalcified (β = 0.015), and low-attenuation (β = 0.012) coronary plaque volume after accounting for established risk factors (p = 0.008, 0.004, and 0.002, respectively). However, no association between the ArI and calcified plaque volume was found. (4) Conclusion: Repetitive arousals during sleep are associated with an increased coronary plaque burden in patients with OSA, which remained robust after adjusting for multiple established cardiovascular risk factors.

The Prevalence of Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia in Patients with or Without Psoriatic Arthritis is Associated with a Similar Cardiovascular Risk

Abstract Aim: To investigate the association between cardiovascular burden and monosodium urate (MSU) deposits in the joints of patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and no evidence of arthritis and subjects with psoriatic arthritis and hyperuricemia. Patients and methods: A single-center, cross-sectional study including 52 individuals: 39 with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and 13 with psoriatic arthritis and hyperuricemia. All patients underwent ultrasound of the joints by which the presence or absence of MSU crystal deposits was assessed. Subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography by which left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was estimated. Intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid arteries was measured and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques was registered. Results: We found no difference in the distribution of cardiovascular risk factors between the two groups. Further, no difference in their distribution was found between those who were not treated and those who were treated with urate-lowering medications. The frequency of articular MSU deposits was similar between non-allopurinol-treated and allopurinol-treated individuals (p = 0.554). There was no difference in the frequency of articular deposits between benzbromarone recipients and non-recipients (p = 0.396). We observed no connection between articular MSU deposits and LVMI (p = 0.625), IMT (p = 0.117) and atherosclerotic plaques (p = 0.102). Among untreated and treated with urate-lowering drugs there was no difference in LVMI (p = 0.063), IMT (p = 0.975) and plaque distribution (p = 1.000). Conclusion: We can assume that in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and no evidence of arthritis and in subjects with psoriatic arthritis and asymptomatic hyperuricemia, only the prescription of urate-lowering medications for reduction of urate load and cardiovascular risk is not sufficient.

Anti-Phosphatidylethanolamine and Anti-Phosphatidylserine Antibodies-Association with Renal Involvement, Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular Manifestations, Raynaud Phenomenon and Disease Activity in Polish Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective. To evaluate the association between anti-phosphatidylethanolamine (aPE) and anti-phosphatidylserine (aPS) antibodies and cardiovascular risk, organ involvement and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Methods. We studied 93 SLE patients and 30 controls. We analyzed levels of anti-phospholipid antibodies, including aPS and aPE, the profiles of antinuclear, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic (ANCA) and anti-endothelial antibodies, carotid intima-media thickness (cITM) and atherosclerotic plaque presence, ankle-brachial and high resistance indices, atherosclerotic risk factors, organ manifestations and treatment. Results. Levels of aPS and aPE were significantly higher in SLE patients in comparison with the controls (p = 0.038 and p = 0.044, respectively). aPS was associated with the risk of Raynaud’s phenomenon (p = 0.021) development. aPE increased the risk of renal involvement (p = 0.049), cerebral stroke (p = 0.050), high vlues of cIMT (p = 0.041) development as well as occurrence of selected serological markers associated with activity of the disease such as anti-double stranded DNA (p = 0.021). The long duration of regular smoking (p = 0.021) and the high number of cigarettes/day (p = 0.015) were significantly associated with the risk of aPE occurrence. Conclusions. Patients with aPS and aPE are at risk of vascular involvement. Especially the presence of aPE may significantly increase the risk of thrombotic complications development in SLE patients without classical serological markers of APS. Finally, aPE might be used as a marker of disease activity and risk of renal injury development in this patient group. The classical atherosclerotic markers including lipid indices play an important role in complex analysis of cardiovascular risk in lupus patients and enable to identify patients at the highest risk and implement effective preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Н-тип артеріальної гіпертензії: зв’язок з атеросклерозом сонних артерій

Мета роботи – визначити зв’язок артеріальної гіпертензії (АГ) та гіпергомоцистеїнемії (ГГЦ) з наявністю атеросклеротичних бляшок у сонних артеріях.Матеріали і методи. Робота виконана в рамках дослідження ХІПСТЕР в Україні. У дослідження залучено 40 пацієнтів з АГ I і II ступеня (середній рівень офісного систолічного (САТ) / діастолічного (ДАТ) артеріального тиску – (155,88/92,60±1,63/1,43) мм рт. ст.). Вік хворих становив 26–74 роки, у середньому (55,85±2,09) року. Пацієнтів з рівнем гомоцистеїну ≥ 10 мкмоль/л визначали як пацієнтів з ГГЦ (Н-тип АГ). Жорсткість судин встановлювали за швидкістю поширення пульсової хвилі (ШППХ). Пацієнтів обстежували на початку та через 6 місяців лікування. Наявність атеросклерозу сонних артерій визначали на початку та через 12 місяців спостереження. Результати та обговорення. Виявлено, що oфісний САТ у пацієнтів з АГ Н-типу на початку і через 6 місяців лікування був вищим порівняно з пацієнтами без ГГЦ ((156,45±1,04) проти (152,55±1,41) мм рт. ст. на початку (р&lt;0,05) і (130,65±0,96) проти (126,97±1,08) мм рт. ст. через 6 місяців (р&lt;0,05)). Пацієнти з АГ Н-типу порівняно з пацієнтами без ГГЦ мали більш виражений ступінь інсулінорезистентності (індекс НОМА (4,27±0,18) проти (3,20±0,24) ум. од., р&lt;0,05). У 56,7 % (n=17) пацієнтів з АГ Н-типу та у 40,0 % (n=4) пацієнтів з АГ без ГГЦ було виявлено атеросклеротичні бляшки в сонних артеріях (p&lt;0,05). Пацієнти з АГ Н-типу мали вищу поширеність атеросклерозу сонних артерій – площа атеросклеротичної бляшки, виміряна за NASCET, становила 43,4 проти 26,7 % (p&lt;0,05) та була більшою, ніж у пацієнтів із АГ без ГГЦ. Через 12 місяців нові атеросклеротичні бляшки було виявлено у 3 (10,0 %) пацієнтів із АГ Н-типу, а в групі осіб з АГ без ГГЦ не виявлено в жодного пацієнта. При проведенні регресійного аналізу рівень гомоцистеїну в сироватці крові асоціювався з ШППХ незалежно від зниження АТ на тлі терапії, а також із рівнем холестерину ліпопротеїнів низької щільності (ХСЛПНЩ) та наявністю атеросклеротичних бляшок у сонних артеріях. Рівень гомоцистеїну був пов’язаний із ШППХе після лікування (β=0,307; р=0,001), ХСЛПНЩ до лікування (β=–1,501; р=0,017), наявністю атеросклеротичних бляшок після лікування (β=5,236; р=0,031).Висновки. Н-тип артеріальної гіпертензії асоціювався з наявністю атеросклеротичного стенотичного ураження сонних артерій.

Combination of optical coherence tomography and MALDI mass spectrometry imaging to characterize coronary artery lipids in an atherosclerotic swine model

Background and Aims : In-vivo imaging techniques like optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used in patients to characterize lipid presence in atherosclerotic plaques (i.e. lipid-rich arteries). However, they do not provide detailed information on plaque lipid composition and distribution. The aim of this study was to identify, characterize and visualize distribution of lipids using MALDI-MSI in the regions that OCT detected as lipid-rich in swine atherosclerotic plaques.

Unveiling the antiatherogenic role of advanced lipoprotein characteristics in postoperative subjects with morbid obesity

Background and Aims : Nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) analysis have recently used to uncover hidden quantitative lipoprotein characteristics in cardiometabolic scenarios. The aim of this study was to assess whether bariatric surgery (BS) improved the quantitative characteristics of lipoproteins and their relationship with the presence of atherosclerotic plaque.

In This Issue

HomeCirculation ResearchVol. 131, No. 2In This Issue Free AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyRedditDiggEmail Jump toFree AccessIn BriefPDF/EPUBIn This Issue Ruth Williams Ruth WilliamsRuth Williams Search for more papers by this author Originally published7 Jul 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000560Circulation Research. 2022;131:127is related toBrown Adipocyte ADRB3 Mediates Cardioprotection via Suppressing Exosomal iNOSPiezo1-Regulated Mechanotransduction Controls Flow-Activated Lymphatic ExpansionInterleukin-6 Predicts Carotid Plaque Severity, Vulnerability, and ProgressionPiezo1-Regulated Mechanotransduction Controls Flow-Activated Lymphatic Expansion (p e2)Piezo activation drives growth of the lymphatic network, report Choi et al.Download figureDownload PowerPointAs well as being thoroughfares for immune cells, lymph vessels are drainage channels that help maintain tissue fluid homeostasis. This network of branching tubes grows as fluids begin to flow in the developing embryo. Indeed, fluid flow induces calcium influx into lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), which in turn promotes proliferation and migration of the cells and, ultimately, sprouting of lymph tubules. But how do LECs detect fluid flow in the first place? Piezo1 is a flow-sensing mechanosensory protein known for its role in blood vessel development and, furthermore, certain mutations to Piezo1 cause abnormal lymphatic growth in humans. Choi and colleagues now show that Piezo1 is expressed in embryonic mouse LECs and that suppression of Piezo1 inhibits both flow-activated calcium entry (via the channel Orai1) and downstream target gene activation. Overexpression of Piezo1, by contrast, induced the target genes. The team went on to show that mice lacking either Piezo1 or Orai1 had lymphatic sprouting defects, and that pharmacological activation of Piezo1 in mice enhanced lymphangiogenesis and prevented edema after tail surgery. Together the results confirm Piezo1’s role in flow-dependent lymphatic growth and suggest it might be a target for treating lymphedema.Brown Adipocyte ADRB3 Mediates Cardioprotection via Suppressing Exosomal iNOS (p 133)Activation of ADRB3 in brown fat protects the heart from fibrosis, report Lin et al.Download figureDownload PowerPointWhile overactivation of β1 and β2 adrenergic receptors can lead to heart damage, the same is not true for the third subtype—ADRB3. Activation of this receptor, which is primarily expressed in brown adipose tissue (BAT), is linked to beneficial metabolic activity and heart protection. And, as Lin and colleagues now show, this is not the only way ADRB3 protects the heart. The team studied mice with a BAT-specific deletion of ADRB3 and found, after a month of angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension, that the animals fared worse than controls (suffering exacerbated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis). In vitro experiments indicated this negative fibrotic effect of ADRB3 deletion was due, at least in part, to direct communication between the adipocytes and heart cells, specifically via adipocyte-released exosomes containing induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)—an enzyme previously implicated in cardiac dysfunction. The authors surmised that ADRB3 normally suppresses iNOS to protect the heart and showed that while exosomes with high iNOS exacerbated Ang-II-induced heart damage when infused into mice, silencing iNOS prevented this. The work thus highlights a novel BAT-to-heart communication system and identifies factors involved that could be clinically targeted to tackle heart disease.Interleukin-6 Predicts Carotid Plaque Severity, Vulnerability and Progression (p e22)Plasma levels of IL-6 predict stroke risk from carotid artery disease, say Kamtchum-Tatuene et al.Download figureDownload PowerPointExcessive plasma cholesterol together with systemic inflammation are contributing factors in atherosclerosis. While traditional remedies have been aimed at lowering a patient’s lipid levels, drugs that tackle inflammation are now also under investigation, including those that suppress interleukin-6 (IL-6)—an inflammatory cytokine implicated in the disease. Focusing on carotid artery disease—the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in major blood vessels supplying the brain—Kamtchum-Tatuene and colleagues investigated whether IL-6 levels correlated with disease severity. They examined levels of the cytokine and data from carotid artery ultrasounds—taken five years apart to assess the presence, severity and progression of plaques—for 4334 individuals enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) cohort—an NIH-funded prospective population study. IL-6 was found to robustly correlate with and predict plaque severity independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. The study also determined a threshold IL-6 blood plasma level of 2.0pg/ml that identifies individuals with the highest likelihood of plaque vulnerability and progression. This threshold value, say the authors, could be used to select patients who might benefit from novel IL-6-lowering medications. Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articlesBrown Adipocyte ADRB3 Mediates Cardioprotection via Suppressing Exosomal iNOSJing-Rong Lin, et al. Circulation Research. 2022;131:133-147Piezo1-Regulated Mechanotransduction Controls Flow-Activated Lymphatic ExpansionDongwon Choi, et al. Circulation Research. 2022;131:e2-e21Interleukin-6 Predicts Carotid Plaque Severity, Vulnerability, and ProgressionJoseph Kamtchum-Tatuene, et al. Circulation Research. 2022;131:e22-e33 July 8, 2022Vol 131, Issue 2Article InformationMetrics © 2022 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/RES.0000000000000560 Originally publishedJuly 7, 2022 PDF download Advertisement

Polyvascular Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Correlation Between Ankle Brachial Index and Carotid Atherosclerosis in a Population-Based Sample.

We assessed the correlation between the biomarkers of lower limb atherosclerosis (eg, ankle-brachial index [ABI]) and of carotid atherosclerosis (eg, common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and presence of atherosclerotic plaque) in a population-based cohort from Girona (Northwest Spain) recruited in 2010. Ankle-brachial index and carotid ultrasound were performed in all participants. Generalized additive multivariable models were used to adjust a regression model of common carotid IMT on ABI. Logistic regression multivariable models were adjusted to assess the probability of carotid plaque in individuals with peripheral artery disease. We included 3307 individuals (54.2% women), mean age 60 years (standard deviation 11). Two patterns of association were observed between subclinical biomarkers of atherosclerosis at the lower limb and carotid artery. Ankle-brachial index and common carotid IMT showed a linear trend in men [beta coefficient (95% confidence interval) =-.068 (-.123; -.012); P = .016]. Women with peripheral artery disease presented with high risk of atherosclerotic plaque at the carotid artery [Odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.61, (1.46; 4.69); P = .001]. Men showed a significant linear association between ABI levels and common carotid IMT values. Women with peripheral artery disease presented with high risk of atherosclerotic plaque at the carotid artery.

Albuminuria but not low eGFR is closely associated with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes: an observational study

BackgroundThere is still controversy regarding the associations of urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, it is necessary to explore the correlation between them in T2DM patients.MethodsWe conducted a survey involving 2565 T2DM patients from a single center. The study cohort was classified into three groups based on the levels of albuminuria: normal UAE (UAE < 30 mg/24 h), moderate UAE (UAE between 30 and 299 mg/24 h) and high UAE (UAE ≥ 300 mg/24 h). Additionally, the patients were divided into three separate groups according to eGFR levels, including low eGFR (eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2), intermediate eGFR (eGFR 60–89 ml/min/1.73 m2) and normal eGFR (eGFR ≥ 90 ml/min/1.73 m2) groups. Atherosclerotic lesions were compared among the three UAE and eGFR groups. Regression analyses were used to assess the associations of atherosclerotic lesions with UAE and eGFR in T2DM.ResultsAfter controlling for age, sex and diabetes duration, the prevalence of atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis were significantly increased from the normal to high UAE groups (plaque: 72.2%, 78.6% and 87.3%, respectively, p = 0.016 for trend; stenosis: 14.0%, 25.5% and 37.3%, respectively, p < 0.001 for trend). Likewise, the values of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and femoral intima-media thickness (FIMT) were also obviously increased from the normal to high UAE groups (CIMT: p < 0.001 for trend; FIMT: p = 0.001 for trend). Conversely, only the FIMT value was clearly increased from the low to normal eGFR groups (p = 0.001 for trend). Fully adjusted regression analyses revealed that UAE was closely associated with the presence of atherosclerotic plaque (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.03–1.40, p = 0.020) and stenosis (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01–1.35, p = 0.036), and with the values of CIMT (β 0.05, 95% CI 0.01–0.10, p = 0.029) and FIMT (β 0.07, 95% CI 0.03–0.11, p = 0.001) in T2DM patients. However, there was no significant association between eGFR levels and atherosclerotic lesions in T2DM after adjustment for multiple confounding factors.ConclusionsOverall, albuminuria rather than low eGFR is closely associated with atherosclerotic lesions in T2DM patients. Albuminuria is an independent risk factor for carotid and femoral atherosclerotic lesions in T2DM. Therefore, albuminuria may be a potential early marker to predict the development of atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM.

Atheromatosis of the brain-supplying arteries: Circle of Willis, basilar, vertebral and their branches

PurposeAtherosclerotic plaques in the brain-supplying arteries are slowly-developing alterations of vascular structures that can lead to neurological impairment due to stenosis and insufficient oxygenation of eloquent brain areas. The aim of this study is to provide detailed demographic information related to the incidence of atherosclerotic plaques in the cerebral arteries. Material and methodsForty-eight circles of Willis (21 men, 21 women, mean age: 70.26, six samples unknown) were macroscopically analyzed for length, diameter, and presence of atherosclerotic plaques. Statistical analysis was used to identify potential differences in the locations and frequencies of atherosclerotic plaques in relation to age and sex. ResultsThe study sample revealed 261 atherosclerotic plaques. The key findings were significant correlations between plaque development and age and between plaque location and age; however, there was no significant sex difference. ConclusionThe upper and lower branches of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) were novel locations predisposing to plaque development. A cut-off value at 60 years revealed a significant difference in plaque development and distribution. There were no significant sex differences in the occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques.