title: Comparison of intravascular ultrasound and histological findings in culprit coronary plaques between ST-segment elevation and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
abstract: It remains uncertain whether the histology of culprit coronary plaques differs between ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-STEMI (NSTEMI). We compared intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and histologic findings in coronary culprit plaques among patients presenting with STEMI and NSTEMI. Atherectomy specimens were obtained from 96 patients, 70 with STEMI and 26 with NSTEMI, who underwent directional coronary atherectomy for de novo coronary artery lesions. IVUS examinations were performed before directional coronary atherectomy. IVUS and histologic data were analyzed. Clinical characteristics were largely similar between the 2 groups; however, normal antegrade flow before angioplasty was less frequently observed in patients with STEMI than those with NSTEMI. Plaque rupture was more common on the proximal side of the minimal lumen site. There were no differences in vessel area, lumen area, calcification, plaque burden, or remodelling index at the reference and culprit sites. However, the arc of the ruptured cavity was significantly greater in patients with STEMI than those with NSTEMI (69.4 ± 27.9° vs 51.8 ± 20.0°, respectively, p = 0.008). The proportion of atheroma, fibrocellular, and thrombus areas was not different between the 2 groups. Similarly, the relative areas immunopositive for CD31, smooth muscle α-actin, and CD68 were similar in the 2 groups. In conclusion, coronary culprit lesions in patients with STEMI show more severe plaque rupture with similar histologic features than those in patients with NSTEMI, supporting the idea that a large plaque rupture is more likely in STEMI patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol Whan
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ilseon
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Chan-Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyangsin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Duk-Woo
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soo-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Seung-Whan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Hak
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D017073:Atherectomy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012421:Rupture; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional