title: Endothelial shear stress and coronary plaque characteristics in humans: combined frequency-domain optical coherence tomography and computational fluid dynamics study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the exposure of the entire vasculature to the atherogenic effects of systemic risk factors, atherosclerotic plaques preferentially develop at sites with disturbed flow. This study aimed at exploring in vivo the relationship between local endothelial shear stress (ESS) and coronary plaque characteristics in humans using computational fluid dynamics and frequency-domain optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three-dimensional coronary artery reconstruction was performed in 21 patients (24 arteries) presenting with acute coronary syndrome using frequency-domain optical coherence tomography and coronary angiography. Each coronary artery was divided into sequential 3-mm segments and analyzed for the assessment of local ESS and plaque characteristics. A total of 146 nonculprit segments were evaluated. Compared with segments with higher ESS [≥1 Pascal (Pa)], those with low ESS (<1 Pa) showed higher prevalence of lipid-rich plaques (37.5% versus 20.0%; P=0.019) and thin-cap fibroatheroma (12.5% versus 2.0%; P=0.037). Overall, lipid plaques in segments with low ESS had thinner fibrous cap (115 μm [63-166] versus 170 μm [107-219]; P=0.004) and higher macrophage density (normalized standard deviation: 8.4% [4.8-12.6] versus 6.2% [4.2-8.8]; P=0.017). Segments with low ESS showed more superficial calcifications (minimum calcification depth: 93 μm [50-140] versus 152 μm [105-258]; P=0.049) and tended to have higher prevalence of spotty calcifications (26.0% versus 12.0%; P=0.076).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coronary regions exposed to low ESS are associated with larger lipid burden, thinner fibrous cap, and higher prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheroma in humans. Frequency-domain optical coherence tomography-based assessment of ESS and wall characteristics may be useful in identifying vulnerable coronary regions.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01110538.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vergallo
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Michail I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Papafaklis
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Taishi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yonetsu
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Christos V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Bourantas
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Andreou
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McNulty
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Luigi M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Biasucci
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crea
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Charles L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Lampros K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Michalis
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.).
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division (R.V., T.Y., I.M., I.-K.J.) and Department of Medicine, Biostatistics Center (H.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital (M.I.P., I.A., C.L.F., P.H.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Interventional Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (C.V.B.); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (Z.W., J.G.F.); Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy (L.M.B., F.C.); and Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (L.K.M.) ijang@partners.org.
authors.forename: Ik-Kyung
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000368:Aged; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012042:Registries; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: atherosclerosis; optical coherence tomography; shear stress