Vascular remodeling in atherosclerotic coronary arteries is affected by plaque composition.
BACKGROUND
Narrowing of lumen in atherosclerotic lesions is determined not solely by accumulation of plaque but also by constrictive or expansive vascular remodeling. Underlying mechanisms and determinants of these bidirectional processes are not known.


OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the response of vascular remodeling to progressive atherosclerosis by analyzing its potential association with composition of plaque.


METHODS
Seventy patients with 77 de-novo coronary artery lesions underwent intravascular ultrasound imaging before coronary intervention. Target lesions were defined as soft, fibrous/mixed, and calcified plaques. Quantitative measurements of area of lumen (A(L)), total area of vessel (A(TV)) and area of plaque (A(P) = A(TV)-A(L)) were performed at the lesion site and at the proximal and distal reference sites. Remodeling was determined by using a remodeling index [I(R) = (stenosis of A(TV)/mean reference A(TV)) x 100].


RESULTS
Overall vascular remodeling was balanced with a mean remodeling index of 100.2+/-19.3% and a high interlesion range (60.2-152.4%). The remodeling index for soft lesions was significantly higher than those for fibrous/mixed and calcified lesions (110+/-18.8 versus 96.2+/-14.4 and 85.9+/-15.1%, P < 0.01). Calcified lesions exhibited lower remodeling indexes than did uncalcified lesions (85.9+/-15.1 versus 104.6+/-18.4%, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Processes involved in vascular remodeling are affected by composition of plaque insofar as there is a higher prevalence of constrictive remodeling among calcified plaques and a higher prevalence of expansive remodeling among soft lesions. These findings indicate that constrictive remodeling is a late manifestation in atherogenesis. Future studies are warranted in order to enhance the understanding of progression of atherosclerosis, and of mechanisms of vascular remodeling and their impacts on interventional therapy.
Department of Cardiology, University of Ulm, Germany. rolf.fuessl@medizin.uni-ulm.de
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RT
Fuessl
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Kranenberg
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U
Kiausch
F M
FM
Baer
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Sechtem
H W
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Höpp
D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional