title: Elevated levels of systemic pentraxin 3 are associated with thin-cap fibroatheroma in coronary culprit lesions: assessment by optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to determine whether systemic levels of pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a novel inflammatory marker, are associated with thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Biomarkers predicting the presence of TCFA in vivo have not been established.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 75 patients (stable angina pectoris, n = 47; acute coronary syndrome, n = 28) with de novo culprit lesions who were examined by optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound. We defined TCFA as lipid-rich plaque with a fibrous cap <65 μm thick. Systemic levels of PTX3 were compared between patients with and without TCFA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight and 37 patients with and without TCFA, respectively, were identified. Levels of PTX3 were significantly higher in patients with than in those without TCFA (p < 0.001) and correlated inversely with fibrous cap thickness (r = -0.71, p = 0.001) and positively with the remodeling index (r = 0.25, p = 0.037). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a higher PTX3 level was the most powerful predictor of TCFA (odds ratio: 3.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.75 to 6.05, p < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that >3.24 ng/ml of PTX3 could predict TCFA with 84% sensitivity and 86% specificity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher levels of systemic PTX3 are associated with TCFA. Systemic PTX3 levels comprise a useful inflammatory marker that reflects coronary plaque vulnerability.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors: Seiji
authors: S
authors: Koga
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Ikeda
authors: Takeo
authors: T
authors: Yoshida
authors: Tomoo
authors: T
authors: Nakata
authors: Masayoshi
authors: M
authors: Takeno
authors: Nobuhito
authors: N
authors: Masuda
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Koide
authors: Hiroaki
authors: H
authors: Kawano
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Maemura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000032:analysis*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins
keywords: ACS; AMI; C-reactive protein; CRP; CSA; EEM; IVUS; OCT; P+M; PTX3; SAP; TCFA; UAP; acute coronary syndromes; acute myocardial infarction; cross-sectional area; external elastic membrane; high-sensitivity C-reaction protein; hs-CRP; intravascular ultrasound; optical coherence tomography; pentraxin 3; plaque plus media; stable angina pectoris; thin-cap fibroatheroma; unstable angina pectoris; vulnerable plaque