Automatic Quantification of Local Plaque Thickness Differences as Assessed by Serial Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Using Scan-Quality-Based Vessel-Specific Thresholds.

INTRODUCTION: The use of serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) allows for the early assessment of coronary plaque progression, a crucial factor in averting major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). Traditionally, serial CCTA is assessed using anatomical landmarks to match baseline and follow-up scans. Recently, a tool has been developed that allows for the automatic quantification of local plaque thickness differences in serial CCTA utilizing plaque contour delineation. The aim of this study was to determine thresholds of plaque thickness differences that define whether there is plaque progression and/or regression. These thresholds depend on the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). METHODS: Plaque thickness differences between two scans acquired at the same moment in time should always be zero. The negative and positive differences in plaque contour delineation in these scans were used along with the CNR in order to create calibration graphs on which a linear regression analysis was performed. This analysis was conducted on a cohort of 50 patients referred for a CCTA due to chest complaints. A total of 300 coronary vessels were analyzed. First, plaque contours were semi-automatically determined for all major epicardial coronary vessels. Second, manual drawings of seven regions of interest (ROIs) per scan were used to quantify the scan quality based on the CNR for each vessel. RESULTS: A linear regression analysis was performed on the CNR and negative and positive plaque contour delineation differences. Accounting for the standard error of the estimate, the linear regression analysis revealed that above 1.009 - 0.002 × CNR there is an increase in plaque thickness (progression), and below - 1.638 + 0.012 × CNR there is a decrease in plaque thickness (regression). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing vessel-specific, quality-based thresholds for visualizing local plaque thickness differences evaluated by serial CCTA. These thresholds have the potential to facilitate the early detection of atherosclerosis progression.

Pharmacogenetics-guided dalcetrapib therapy after an acute coronary syndrome: the dal-GenE trial.

AIMS: In a retrospective analysis of dal-Outcomes, the effect of dalcetrapib on cardiovascular events was influenced by an adenylate cyclase type 9 (ADCY9) gene polymorphism. The dal-GenE study was conducted to test this pharmacogenetic hypothesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: dal-GenE was a double-blind trial in patients with an acute coronary syndrome within 1-3 months and the AA genotype at variant rs1967309 in the ADCY9 gene. A total of 6147 patients were randomly assigned to receive dalcetrapib 600 mg or placebo daily. The primary endpoint was the time from randomization to first occurrence of cardiovascular death, resuscitated cardiac arrest, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke. After a median follow-up of 39.9 months, the primary endpoint occurred in 292 (9.5%) of 3071 patients in the dalcetrapib group and 327 (10.6%) of 3076 patients in the placebo group [hazard ratio 0.88; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75-1.03; P = 0.12]. The hazard ratios for the components of the primary endpoint were 0.79 (95% CI 0.65-0.96) for myocardial infarction, 0.92 (95% CI 0.64-1.33) for stroke, 1.21 (95% CI 0.91-1.60) for death from cardiovascular causes, and 2.33 (95% CI 0.60-9.02) for resuscitated cardiac arrest. In a pre-specified on-treatment sensitivity analysis, the primary endpoint event rate was 7.8% (236/3015) in the dalcetrapib group and 9.3% (282/3031) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0.83; 95% CI 0.70-0.98). CONCLUSION: Dalcetrapib did not significantly reduce the risk of occurrence of the primary endpoint of ischaemic cardiovascular events at end of study. A new trial would be needed to test the pharmacogenetic hypothesis that dalcetrapib improves the prognosis of patients with the AA genotype. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration dal-GenE ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02525939.

Long-term mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is associated with anti-citrullinated protein antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) mortality is higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in particular when anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are present. Recently, ACPA have also been described in a cohort of patients without RA, but with coronary artery disease (CAD). It is however unknown if ACPA can consistently be found in patients with CAD, and if ACPA are associated with mortality in these patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between ACPA and long-term outcomes including mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without RA. METHODS: All patients with STEMI from the MISSION! Intervention Study were analyzed. Patients with RA were excluded. The association between ACPA (anti-CCP3) at baseline and 10year mortality and re-infarction was investigated. RESULTS: In total, 29 (11%) of 275 included patients were ACPA-positive, substantiating the previous description of ACPA in CAD patients. Increased cumulative cardiac mortality was observed in ACPA-positive patients in comparison with ACPA-negative patients. Moreover, after correction for other associated factors, ACPA-positivity was associated with long-term mortality (HR 3.1 [CI 1.4-7.1] p-value=0.01) and long-term combined endpoint of re-infarction and death (HR 2.4 [1.2-4.6] p-value=0.01). CONCLUSION: In STEMI patients without RA, the presence of ACPA is independently associated with long-term mortality and the combined endpoint of re-infarction and death. ACPA in patients with and without RA might act as an independent pro-atherogenic factor.

Genetic invalidation of Lp-PLA2 as a therapeutic target: Large-scale study of five functional Lp-PLA2-lowering alleles.

Aims Darapladib, a potent inhibitor of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), has not reduced risk of cardiovascular disease outcomes in recent randomized trials. We aimed to test whether Lp-PLA2 enzyme activity is causally relevant to coronary heart disease. Methods In 72,657 patients with coronary heart disease and 110,218 controls in 23 epidemiological studies, we genotyped five functional variants: four rare loss-of-function mutations (c.109+2T > C (rs142974898), Arg82His (rs144983904), Val279Phe (rs76863441), Gln287Ter (rs140020965)) and one common modest-impact variant (Val379Ala (rs1051931)) in PLA2G7, the gene encoding Lp-PLA2. We supplemented de-novo genotyping with information on a further 45,823 coronary heart disease patients and 88,680 controls in publicly available databases and other previous studies. We conducted a systematic review of randomized trials to compare effects of darapladib treatment on soluble Lp-PLA2 activity, conventional cardiovascular risk factors, and coronary heart disease risk with corresponding effects of Lp-PLA2-lowering alleles. Results Lp-PLA2 activity was decreased by 64% ( p = 2.4 × 10-25) with carriage of any of the four loss-of-function variants, by 45% ( p < 10-300) for every allele inherited at Val279Phe, and by 2.7% ( p = 1.9 × 10-12) for every allele inherited at Val379Ala. Darapladib 160 mg once-daily reduced Lp-PLA2 activity by 65% ( p < 10-300). Causal risk ratios for coronary heart disease per 65% lower Lp-PLA2 activity were: 0.95 (0.88-1.03) with Val279Phe; 0.92 (0.74-1.16) with carriage of any loss-of-function variant; 1.01 (0.68-1.51) with Val379Ala; and 0.95 (0.89-1.02) with darapladib treatment. Conclusions In a large-scale human genetic study, none of a series of Lp-PLA2-lowering alleles was related to coronary heart disease risk, suggesting that Lp-PLA2 is unlikely to be a causal risk factor.

Personalized absolute benefit of statin treatment for primary or secondary prevention of vascular disease in individual elderly patients.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the absolute treatment effect of statin therapy on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; myocardial infarction, stroke and vascular death) for the individual patient aged ≥70 years. METHODS: Prediction models for MACE were derived in patients aged ≥70 years with (n = 2550) and without (n = 3253) vascular disease from the "PROspective Study of Pravastatin in Elderly at Risk" (PROSPER) trial and validated in the "Secondary Manifestations of ARTerial disease" (SMART) cohort study (n = 1442) and the "Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial-Lipid Lowering Arm" (ASCOT-LLA) trial (n = 1893), respectively, using competing risk analysis. Prespecified predictors were various clinical characteristics including statin treatment. Individual absolute risk reductions (ARRs) for MACE in 5 and 10 years were estimated by subtracting on-treatment from off-treatment risk. RESULTS: Individual ARRs were higher in elderly patients with vascular disease [5-year ARRs: median 5.1 %, interquartile range (IQR) 4.0-6.2 %, 10-year ARRs: median 7.8 %, IQR 6.8-8.6 %] than in patients without vascular disease (5-year ARRs: median 1.7 %, IQR 1.3-2.1 %, 10-year ARRs: 2.9 %, IQR 2.3-3.6 %). Ninety-eight percent of patients with vascular disease had a 5-year ARR ≥2.0 %, compared to 31 % of patients without vascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: With a multivariable prediction model the absolute treatment effect of a statin on MACE for individual elderly patients with and without vascular disease can be quantified. Because of high ARRs, treating all patients is more beneficial than prediction-based treatment for secondary prevention of MACE. For primary prevention of MACE, the prediction model can be used to identify those patients who benefit meaningfully from statin therapy.

Genome-wide association studies identify genetic loci for low von Willebrand factor levels.

Low von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels are associated with bleeding symptoms and are a diagnostic criterion for von Willebrand disease, the most common inherited bleeding disorder. To date, it is unclear which genetic loci are associated with reduced VWF levels. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies to identify genetic loci associated with low VWF levels. For this meta-analysis, we included 31 149 participants of European ancestry from 11 community-based studies. From all participants, VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) measurements and genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scans were available. Each study conducted analyses using logistic regression of SNPs on dichotomized VWF:Ag measures (lowest 5% for blood group O and non-O) with an additive genetic model adjusted for age and sex. An inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis was performed for VWF:Ag levels. A total of 97 SNPs exceeded the genome-wide significance threshold of 5 × 10(-8) and comprised five loci on four different chromosomes: 6q24 (smallest P-value 5.8 × 10(-10)), 9q34 (2.4 × 10(-64)), 12p13 (5.3 × 10(-22)), 12q23 (1.2 × 10(-8)) and 13q13 (2.6 × 10(-8)). All loci were within or close to genes, including STXBP5 (Syntaxin Binding Protein 5) (6q24), STAB5 (stabilin-5) (12q23), ABO (9q34), VWF (12p13) and UFM1 (ubiquitin-fold modifier 1) (13q13). Of these, UFM1 has not been previously associated with VWF:Ag levels. Four genes that were previously associated with VWF levels (VWF, ABO, STXBP5 and STAB2) were also associated with low VWF levels, and, in addition, we identified a new gene, UFM1, that is associated with low VWF levels. These findings point to novel mechanisms for the occurrence of low VWF levels.

Prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography in diabetic patients without chest pain syndrome.

AIMS: Diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) are often free of chest pain syndrome. A useful modality for non-invasive assessment of CAD is coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA). However, the prognostic value of CAD on coronary CTA in diabetic patients without chest pain syndrome is relatively unknown. Therefore, the aim was to investigate the long-term prognostic value of coronary CTA in a large population diabetic patients without chest pain syndrome. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2013, 525 diabetic patients without chest pain syndrome were prospectively included to undergo coronary artery calcium (CAC)-scoring followed by coronary CTA. During follow-up, the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and late revascularization (>90 days) was registered. RESULTS: In total, CAC-scoring was performed in 410 patients and coronary CTA in 444 patients (431 interpretable). After median follow-up of 5.0 (IQR 2.7-6.5) years, the composite endpoint occurred in 65 (14%) patients. Coronary CTA demonstrated a high prevalence of CAD (85%), mostly non-obstructive CAD (51%). Furthermore, patients with a normal CTA had an excellent prognosis (event-rate 3%). An incremental increase in event-rate was observed with increasing CAC-risk category or coronary stenosis severity. Finally, obstructive (50-70%) or severe CAD (>70%) was independently predictive of events (HR 11.10 [2.52;48.79] (P = .001), HR 15.16 [3.01;76.36] (P = .001)). Obstructive (50-70%) or severe CAD (>70%) provided increased value over baseline risk factors. CONCLUSION: Coronary CTA provided prognostic value in diabetic patients without chest pain syndrome. Most importantly, the prognosis of patients with a normal CTA was excellent.

Homocysteine levels and treatment effect in the PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of preventive pravastatin treatment on coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality in older persons at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), stratified according to plasma levels of homocysteine. DESIGN: A post hoc subanalysis in the PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER), started in 1997, which is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with a mean follow-up of 3.2 years. SETTING: Primary care setting in two of the three PROSPER study sites (Netherlands and Scotland). PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (n = 3,522, aged 70-82, 1,765 male) with a history of or risk factors for CVD were ranked in three groups depending on baseline homocysteine level, sex, and study site. INTERVENTION: Pravastatin (40 mg) versus placebo. MEASUREMENTS: Fatal and nonfatal CHD and mortality. RESULTS: In the placebo group, participants with a high homocysteine level (n = 588) had a 1.8 higher risk (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.5, P = .001) of fatal and nonfatal CHD than those with a low homocysteine level (n = 597). The absolute risk reduction in fatal and nonfatal CHD with pravastatin treatment was 1.6% (95% CI = -1.6 to 4.7%) in the low homocysteine group and 6.7% (95% CI = 2.7-10.7%) in the high homocysteine group (difference 5.2%, 95% CI = 0.11-10.3, P = .046). Therefore, the number needed to treat (NNT) with pravastatin for 3.2 years for benefit related to fatal and nonfatal CHD events was 14.8 (95% CI = 9.3-36.6) for high homocysteine and 64.5 (95% CI = 21.4-∞) for low homocysteine. CONCLUSION: In older persons at risk of CVD, those with high homocysteine are at highest risk for fatal and nonfatal CHD. With pravastatin treatment, this group has the highest absolute risk reduction and the lowest NNT to prevent fatal and nonfatal CHD.

A physician's guide for the management of hypertriglyceridemia: the etiology of hypertriglyceridemia determines treatment strategy.

Hypertriglyceridemia is a common lipid disorder associated to different, highly prevalent metabolic derangements like diabetes mellitus, the metabolic syndrome and obesity. The choice of treatment depends on the underlying pathogenesis and the consequences for atherosclerosis or pancreatitis. A family history, physical examination and analysis of the lipid profile including measurement of apolipoprotein B or non-HDL-C are necessary to establish the underlying primary or secondary cause. Due to physiological diurnal variations of triglycerides (TG), the time of measurement (fasting or postprandial) should be taken into account when evaluating TG values. Increased awareness arises concerning the impact of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia on the development of atherosclerosis. Hypertriglyceridemia is strongly associated to postprandial hyperlipidemia, remnant accumulation, increased small dense LDL concentrations, low HDL-C, increased oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, leukocyte activation and insulin resistance. All these factors are strongly linked to the development of atherosclerosis. Treatment should be aimed at reducing the secretion of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, increasing intravascular lipolysis and reducing the number of circulating remnants. The main intervention is a change of lifestyle with decreased alcohol consumption, increased physical activity, dietary changes and, if applicable, adaptation of used medication. Fibrates, fish oil and nicotinic acid are the first choice of treatment in sporadic and familial hypertriglyceridemia to reduce the risk of pancreatitis, whereas high dose statins, sometimes in combination with fibrates, nicotinic acid, or fish oil capsules, are indicated for familial combined hyperlipidemia. Statins are necessary to reach low LDL-C concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and statin dosage should be increased when hypertriglyceridemia is present to reach secondary treatment targets for apolipoprotein B or non-HDL-C. Finally, family screening is mandatory to detect familial lipid disorders for early intervention in other family members.

Antiplatelet therapy in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing myocardial revascularisation: beyond clopidogrel.

BACKGROUND: Despite revascularisation, outcomes among patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remain suboptimal. SCOPE: This review compares clopidogrel, ticagrelor and prasugrel as antiplatelet strategies with a particular focus on STEMI. Medline and Google Scholar were searched for relevant terms and citations from these articles were also assessed. FINDINGS: While clopidogrel represented an important therapeutic advance, variations in platelet response and a relatively slow onset of action compromise outcomes in some patients. Ticagrelor and prasugrel are more effective than clopidogrel, although essentially only one large study supports each drug. Nevertheless, a detailed examination of the evidence reveals several issues that may influence the decision to prescribe ticagrelor instead of prasugrel and vice versa. Arguably, prasugrel could be the preferred strategy in STEMI, reflecting the drugs' efficacy in clopidogrel-naïve patients, the most common group in clinical practice. Conversely, ticagrelor may be a better option than clopidogrel in clopidogrel-pretreated patients showing a mortality benefit irrespective of clopidogrel pre-treatment. The clinical benefits offered by prasugrel and ticagrelor need to be offset against the increased cost and we suggest an algorithm for using these new compounds in the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) setting. The risk of bleeding associated with prasugrel is similar to that of clopidogrel and ticagrelor following exclusion of at-risk patients. Nevertheless, prasugrel may be especially appropriate for STEMI patients undergoing PCI who are considered to be at high risk of ischaemia. Conversely, ticagrelor's short half-life, while potentially a limitation during maintenance therapy, may reduce bleeding risk if the patient undergoes CABG during the same hospital admission, although confirmatory studies are needed. CONCLUSION: Future studies also need to address several other outstanding issues, such as the subsequent approach if patients do not undergo PCI, and to overcome limitations in and differences between the primary studies. In particular, head-to-head comparisons need to compare directly the risks and benefits of ticagrelor and prasugrel in STEMI patients. These caveats notwithstanding, ticagrelor and prasugrel markedly improve the prognosis for patients with STEMI.

Inflammatory biomarkers, physical activity, waist circumference, and risk of future coronary heart disease in healthy men and women.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of physical activity and abdominal obesity to the variation in inflammatory biomarkers and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in a European population. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a prospective case-control study nested in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk cohort, we examined the associations between circulating levels or activity of C-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase (MPO), secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), fibrinogen, adiponectin, waist circumference, physical activity, and CHD risk over a 10-year period among healthy men and women (45-79 years of age). A total of 1002 cases who developed fatal or non-fatal CHD were matched to 1859 controls on the basis of age, sex, and enrolment period. Circulating levels of C-reactive protein, sPLA2 (women only), fibrinogen, and adiponectin were linearly associated with increasing waist circumference and decreasing physical activity levels. After adjusting for waist circumference, physical activity, smoking, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and further adjusted for hormone replacement therapy in women, C-reactive protein, MPO (men only), sPLA2, fibrinogen, but not Lp-PLA2 and adiponectin were associated with an increased CHD risk. CONCLUSION: Inactive participants with an elevated waist circumference were characterized by deteriorated levels of inflammatory markers. However, several inflammatory markers were associated with an increased CHD risk, independent of underlying CHD risk factors such as waist circumference and physical activity levels.

Usefulness of hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype in type 2 diabetes mellitus to predict the presence of coronary artery disease as assessed by computed tomographic coronary angiography.

The present study tested whether in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) the combination of increased waist circumference and increased plasma triglyceride (TG) levels can predict the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) as assessed by multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTA). In 202 patients with type 2 DM who were clinically referred for CTA, waist circumference and TG levels were measured. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to waist circumference measurements and TG levels. Increased waist circumference and TG levels (n = 61, 31%) indicated the presence of the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype. Patients with low waist circumference and TG (n = 49, 24%) were considered the reference group. Physical examination and blood measurements were performed. CTA was used to determine presence and severity of CAD. In addition, plaque type was evaluated. Plasma cholesterol levels were significantly increased in the group with increased TG levels and waist circumference, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly lower than in the reference group. There was a significant increase in the presence of any CAD (odds ratio 3.3, confidence interval 1.31 to 8.13, p <0.05) and obstructive CAD (≥50%, odds ratio 2.9, confidence interval 1.16 to 7.28, p <0.05) in the group with increased TG level and waist circumference. In addition, a significantly larger number of noncalcified and mixed plaques was observed. In conclusion, in patients with type 2 DM, presence of the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype translated into a deteriorated blood lipid profile and more extensive CAD on CTA. Accordingly, the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype may serve as a practical clinical biomarker to improve risk stratification in patients with type 2 DM.

Effect of increasing doses of Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin on apolipoproteins, enzymes and lipid transfer proteins involved in lipoprotein metabolism and inflammatory parameters.

UNLABELLED: This paper contains detailed results of a sub-population of the prospective randomized RADAR (Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin in different Dosages And Reverse cholesterol transport) study. OBJECTIVE: Statin treatment results in substantially decreased incidence of cardiovascular events but the exact pathophysiological mechanism of their beneficial effect is yet unclear. We aimed to examine the effects of up-titrated doses of two widely used statins (atorvastatin (ATOR) and rosuvastatin (ROSU)) on parameters involved in lipoprotein metabolism, in patients with low high density lipoprotein cholesterol values (HDL-C). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this RADAR substudy, 80 patients, aged 40-80 years, with known cardiovascular disease and low HDL-C (<1.0 mmol/l), were randomized to receive, after an initial 6 week dietary run-in phase, either ATOR 20 mg (n = 41) or ROSU 10 mg (n = 39). The doses were up-titrated (in 6 week intervals) to 80 mg of ATOR or 40 mg of ROSU at 12 weeks. Serum lipoproteins and lipoprotein metabolism parameters were measured at baseline and at 6 and 18 weeks of follow up. RESULTS: Both statins significantly reduced total cholesterol (TChol) and non-HDL-C values with ROSU being more effective for the doses studied (p < 0.05). No statistically significant effect on HDL-C was observed for either statin. Apolipoproteins (apo) B, CI, CIII, AV and E were significantly reduced in both groups (p < 0.05), while the ratio of HDL particles containing both apoAI and apoAII (LpAI-AII) over HDL containing apoAI alone (LpAI) was changed for both statins with the decrease of LpAI being more prominent in the ATOR group (p = 0.028). Cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) mass and activity, phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) mass and activity were all significantly reduced in both treatment groups over the follow-up period (p < 0.001). ATOR displayed a more prominent decrease of PLTP activity compared to ROSU (p = 0.043), while ROSU displayed a more prominent decrease of Lp-PLA2 activity compared to ATOR (p = 0.04). Both statins effectively reduced, in a dose-dependent way, high sensitivity C-reactive protein values over time, while no effect on the levels of circulating inter cellular adhesion molecule 1 (cICAM-1) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of statin treatment extend further and beyond a mere TChol and LDL cholesterol reduction, as demonstrated by the aforementioned alterations of lipoproteins, enzymes and lipid transfer proteins involved in lipoprotein metabolism and pro-atherogenic and inflammatory molecules. ROSU and ATOR displayed a similar pattern of effect on lipid metabolism with discrete differences in the magnitude of this effect in certain variables. Despite the limitations of small population size and lack of clinical end points, reported data provide an insight for the possible pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in the effect of increasing dosages of different statin treatments.

Late stent malapposition risk is higher after drug-eluting stent compared with bare-metal stent implantation and associates with late stent thrombosis.

AIMS: Late stent malapposition (LSM) may be acquired (LASM) or persistent. LSM may play a role in patients who develop late stent thrombosis (ST). Our objective was to compare the risk of LASM in bare metal stents (BMS) with drug-eluting stents (DES) and to investigate the possible association of both acquired and persistent LSM with (very) late ST. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched PubMed and relevant sources from January 2002 to December 2007. Inclusion criteria were: (a) intra-vascular ultrasonography (IVUS) at both post-stent implantation and follow-up; (b) 6-9-month-follow-up IVUS; (c) implantation of either BMS or the following DES: sirolimus, paclitaxel, everolimus, or zotarolimus; and (d) follow-up for LSM. Of 33 articles retrieved for detailed evaluation, 17 met the inclusion criteria. The risk of LASM in patients with DES was four times higher compared with BMS (OR = 4.36, CI 95% 1.74-10.94) in randomized clinical trials. The risk of (very) late ST in patients with LSM (five studies) was higher compared with those without LSM (OR = 6.51, CI 95% 1.34-34.91). CONCLUSION: In our meta-analysis, the risk of LASM is strongly increased after DES implantation compared with BMS. Furthermore, LSM seems to be associated with late and very late ST.

Head-to-head comparison between bicycle exercise testing and coronary calcium score and coronary stenoses on multislice computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a head-to-head comparison between signs of ischemia during bicycle exercise testing and coronary atherosclerosis on multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Two hundred and one patients underwent exercise testing, followed by 64-slice MSCT. A subgroup of 63 (31%) patients also underwent conventional coronary angiography. The exercise test was positive or negative based on electrocardiographic signs of ischemia. On MSCT, total calcium score was obtained. Based on MSCT angiography, the patients were classified as having normal MSCT or coronary atherosclerosis [with nonobstructive and obstructive CAD (>/=50% luminal narrowing) present]. RESULTS: In 178 patients with interpretable examinations, the exercise test was positive in 36 (20%) and negative in 142 (80%) patients. Calcium score was identical in patients with a positive [median (interquartile range) 11 (0-343)] and a negative exercise test [18 (0-335), P=NS]. The prevalence of nonobstructive CAD was the same in two patients groups [13 (36%) patients with a positive vs. 54 (38%) patients with a negative exercise test, P=NS]. Although obstructive CAD was observed in 15 (42%) patients having a positive exercise test, obstructive lesions were also present in 38 (27%) patients without ischemia on exercise testing. The findings were confirmed by conventional coronary angiography. CONCLUSION: No correlation was observed between ischemia on exercise testing and both calcium scoring and nonobstructive CAD on MSCT. A large proportion of obstructive lesions on MSCT were not observed on exercise testing. Potentially, MSCT may provide additional information on CAD.

Inflammation and apoptosis genes and the risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVES: Genetic factors appear to be important in the development of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention, as well as in the process of inflammation, a pivotal factor in restenosis. Caspase-1, interleukin-1-receptor and protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 22 are important mediators in the inflammatory response and caspase-1 also in apoptosis. Therefore, we examined whether polymorphisms in these candidate genes are related to the risk of developing restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: The GENetic DEterminants of Restenosis-project is a multicenter prospective follow-up study. The 5352G/A (L235L) caspase-1-polymorphism, the 7464C/G (A124G) interleukin-1r-polymorphism and the 1858C/T (R620W) protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 22-polymorphism were genotyped. To examine the functional effect of the caspase-1 polymorphism, mature plasma interleukin-1beta levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole blood from a subpopulation of patients. RESULTS: A total of 3104 patients, age 62.1+/-10.7 years, were included after successful percutaneous coronary intervention. A significant association between the 5352AA genotype of the caspase-1 gene and target vessel revascularization (relative risk 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.32-3.76) was observed after correcting for clinical variables. Angiographic analysis of a subgroup of patients (N=478) also showed an increased risk for developing restenosis for patients having the 5352GA/AA genotype (P=0.001). The results were corroborated, although they were not statistically significant, by somewhat higher mature interleukin-1beta levels in patients with the 5352AA genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that patients with the 5352AA genotype in the caspase-1 gene are at increased risk of developing restenosis. If confirmed by other studies, screening patients for this genotype can lead to better risk stratification and provide indications for improving individual treatment; for instance, by providing a new target for drug-eluting stents.

Pharmacogenetics of the CD14 endotoxin receptor polymorphism and progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is at least in part an inflammatory disease. CD14 is an endotoxin receptor that after binding of lipopolysaccharides evokes endothelial activation and secretion of several cytokines. A polymorphism of CD14 has been associated with myocardial infarction. We evaluated the role of the -159 T/C polymorphism in the promoter region of the CD14 gene in relation to severity and progression of coronary atherosclerosis and response to the HMG CoA reductase inhibitor pravastatin. We recruited patients from the multi-center double-blind randomized placebo controlled REGRESS trial and genotyped the -159T/C CD14 polymorphism. DNA and angiographic follow-up were available from 759 patients with objectivated coronary artery disease. We measured changes in mean segment diameter (MSD) and minimum obstruction diameter (MOD) with quantitative coronary angiography and noted the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events. The genotype distribution was 28% TT, 49% CT, 23% CC. We did not find any association between genotype and MSD and MOD at baseline, frequency of previous myocardial infarction, changes in MSD and MOD or major clinical events. Treatment with the HMG CoA reductase inhibitor pravastatin reduced progression of coronary atherosclerosis and adverse events equally for all genotypes. We conclude, that the -159T/C polymorphism in the CD14 monocyte receptor gene was not associated with progression of coronary atherosclerosis in this population nor did it influence the efficacy of pravastatin in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Association between thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and clinical outcome in patients with unstable angina pectoris.

Decrease of fibrinolytic potential is considered to be a risk factor for arterial thrombosis. The recently described thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) attenuates fibrinolysis by cleaving of the C-terminal lysine residues from fibrin, thereby inhibiting tPA mediated plasminogen activation. The role of plasma TAFI antigen (Ag) levels and gene polymorphisms in arterial thrombosis is still not elucidated. In this prospective study, the association between plasma TAFI Ag levels and the TAFI gene polymorphisms, Ala147Thr, Thr325Ile and -438A/G, with refractory unstable angina pectoris (UAP) was determined. The study population consisted of 209 patients with UAP of whom 76 were refractory and 133 non-refractory to medical treatment. In the same study population the contribution of these polymorphisms to plasma TAFI Ag levels was determined. Plasma TAFI Ag levels were significantly higher in non-refractory patients compared to refractory patients (geometric mean 114.4 and 105.6 U/dl respectively, p=0.042). Plasma TAFI Ag levels in the lowest quartile resulted in a 2.6 fold (95% confidence interval 1.2-5.9) increased risk for refractory UAP compared to plasma TAFI Ag levels in the upper quartile. The three studied TAFI polymorphisms had an independent and additive effect on plasma TAFI Ag levels. However, no significant association between the individual TAFI polymorphisms and refractiveness was observed. In conclusion, in this study population plasma TAFI Ag levels are significantly correlated with refractiveness in patients with UAP. Furthermore, all three polymorphisms contribute independently to plasma TAFI Ag levels, but not to refractiveness.

Effects of amlodipine, atorvastatin and combination of both on advanced atherosclerotic plaque in APOE*3-Leiden transgenic mice.

Combined treatment of statins and calcium channel blockers has been suggested to be superior to statin therapy alone. We quantified the anti-atherosclerotic potential of amlodipine, atorvastatin and their combination on existing atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta of APOE*3-Leiden transgenic mice. Sixty-two mice were fed a high cholesterol containing diet for 18 weeks. A subgroup of 10 mice was then killed. All other mice received the diet for another 18 weeks, alone (late control group), along with 0.01% atorvastatin, 0.002% w/w amlodipine, or their combination (all groups, n = 13). Atherosclerotic lesions, collagen content and monocyte adherence were quantified using standard histology (aortic root). Raman spectroscopy was used to quantify the content of cholesterol and calcification (aortic arch). Compared to the late control group, treatment with amlodipine, atorvastatin or the combination, reduced atherosclerostic lesion area by, respectively, 25%, 39% and 46% in the aortic root (P < 0.01) and by 53%, 55% and 60% in the aortic arch (P < 0.05). Atorvastatin, but not amlodipine reduced the adherence of monocytes in the intima. Lesion severity and plaque contents of collagen, cholesterol and calcification were equal for all treatment groups. Neither treatment resulted in regression of atherosclerotic plaque size. In conclusion, both atorvastatin and amlodipine significantly retard the progression of existing atherosclerotic lesions. No additive effect of the combination of amlodipine and atorvastatin could be observed in this study.