title: Plaque location in the left anterior descending coronary artery and tissue characteristics in angina pectoris: an integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ruptured plaque and culprit lesions associated with anterior acute myocardial infarction cluster mainly in the proximal segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). This study investigated whether the tissue characteristics of plaque in the proximal LAD differs from that of plaque in the distal LAD as assessed by integrated backscatter (IB)-intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  IVUS interrogation was used to study 107 non-culprit intermediate plaques in 68 patients with angina pectoris who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions. Proximal and distal segments were defined as <30 mm and > or =30 mm from the ostium, respectively. IB-IVUS images were recorded, and the average percentage values of each plaque component (lipid, fibrosis, dense fibrosis, and calcification) were compared between segments. Plaques in the proximal segment (n=51) had a higher %lipid content (36 vs 19%, P<0.01) and a lower %fibrosis content (57 vs 64%, P<0.01) than did plaques in the distal segment (n=56). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that proximal plaques had a higher %lipid content, independently of other coronary risk factors and plaque burden (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The %lipid and %fibrosis contents differ significantly between plaques in the proximal segment and those in the distal segment of the LAD. (Circ J 2010; 74: 142 - 147).
authors: Division of Cardiology, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan.
authors: Naohiro
authors: N
authors: Komura
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Hibi
authors: Ikuyoshi
authors: I
authors: Kusama
authors: Fumiyuki
authors: F
authors: Otsuka
authors: Takayuki
authors: T
authors: Mitsuhashi
authors: Mitsuaki
authors: M
authors: Endo
authors: Noriaki
authors: N
authors: Iwahashi
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Okuda
authors: Kengo
authors: K
authors: Tsukahara
authors: Masami
authors: M
authors: Kosuge
authors: Toshiaki
authors: T
authors: Ebina
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Umemura
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*