Detection and Stabilisation of Vulnerable Plaques in the Coronary Arteries

Abstract

Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques (AP) can be assessed by coronary artery imaging techniques. Intravascular ultrasound allows real-time assessment of the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the vessel, the severity of its remodelling, and the size and structure of the AP. The resolution of optical coherent tomography makes it possible to accurately identify vulnerable APs according to the following characteristic parameters: a large necrotic nucleus, a thin fibrous capsule, neoangiogenesis and inflammatory changes in the AP cap. Percent atheroma volume, total atheroma volume, maximum lipid core burden index within 4 mm, minimal fibrous cap thickness, maximum lipid arc, lipid length and macrophage grade are the main characteristics of vulnerable AP. Lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) has a stabilising effect on AP. Databases searched were PubMed and Web of Science up to April 2023. In total, eight relevant articles (original clinical studies) were selected. In the ODISSEY J-IVUS study, there was a decrease of total AP volume by 3.1% in the monotherapy group and 4.8% in the combined LLT group (p=0.23). In the GLAGOV trial, atheroma volume decreased by 0.9 mm3 in the placebo group and 5.8 mm3 in the evolocumab group (p<0.001). Plaque regression was observed in 64.3% of patients in the evolocumab group and 47.3% in the placebo group. The dynamics of the minimum thickness of the fibrous cap varied within 18.0–62.67 µm on combined LLT and 13.2–33.19 µm on monotherapy (PACMAN-AMI). Regression of the lipid arc was also observed in the HUYGENS study. The development of cardiovascular imaging has made it possible to expand understanding of the morphology of vulnerable AP.