No abstract

The identification of a vulnerable plaque through the quantification of soluble biomarkers would improve the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. Inflammation and LDL oxidative modification have been implicated in CAD. Disease severity and plaque vulnerability have recently been associated to expansive plaque growth, rather than constrictive growth which results in vessel stenosis. Forty CAD patients were admitted prospectively. VH-IVUS was performed and TNF-α and ox-LDL were quantified in the serum and plasma, respectively. Expansive plaques characterized by large EEL diameters and preserved luminal measures were associated to STEMI patients. Larger EEL diameter (≥4.6 mm 2) was significantly associated to increases of TNF-α concentrations whereas larger plaque areas (≥13.0 mm 2) associated with ox-LDL increases in the circulation. Hence, TNF-α and ox-LDL may be indicators of plaque vulnerability.