Increased circulating levels of malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein in patients with coronary microvascular dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is associated with angina symptoms and adverse clinical outcomes in patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) is reportedly a marker of the initiation and acceleration of epicardial coronary atherosclerosis. However, its impact on CMD remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between CMD and MDA-LDL levels. METHODS: This study included 95 patients who did not receive lipid-lowering medications and had no obstructive CAD. Obstructive CAD was defined as >50 % diameter reduction on coronary angiography or fractional flow reserve of ≤0.80. We retrospectively analyzed coronary flow reserve (CFR), index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR), and MDA-LDL levels. CMD was defined as either CFR <2.0 or IMR ≥25. RESULTS: CMD was observed in 29 (31 %) patients. MDA-LDL levels were significantly higher in patients with CMD than in those without CMD (124.8 ± 37.6 vs. 95.3 ± 29.5 U/L; p < 0.01). Univariable logistic regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between CMD and MDA-LDL levels (odds ratio (OR): 1.03; p < 0.01). In the multivariable model, MDA-LDL levels were significantly associated with CMD (OR: 1.02; p < 0.01). Regression analysis showed a significant correlation between MDA-LDL levels and CFR (r = -0.42, p < 0.01) and IMR (r = 0.35, p < 0.01). In the multiple regression analysis, MDA-LDL levels were independently associated with CFR (ß = -0.30, p < 0.01) and IMR (ß = 0.26, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: MDA-LDL levels were associated with CMD in patients without obstructive CAD.

Clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes in patients with cardiogenic shock undergoing mechanical circulatory support escalation from intra-aortic balloon pump to impella: From the J-PVAD registry.

BACKGROUND: An escalation strategy from intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) to Impella (AbioMed, Danvers, MA, USA) is proposed in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) refractory to IABP therapy, but its clinical data are lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes in patients undergoing IABP-Impella escalation. METHODS AND RESULTS: From the Japanese nationwide registry of Impella (J-PVAD), a total of 2578 patients with CS receiving Impella support were classified into the IABP-Impella group (n = 189) or the Primary Impella group (n = 2389). We applied 1:3 propensity score (PS) matching, selecting 185 patients and 555 patients, respectively. Before matching, the IABP-Impella group presented longer shock-to-Impella time, worse laboratory data, and more frequent inotropes and pulmonary artery catheter use than the Primary Impella group. After matching, the baseline characteristics were well-balanced. Regarding the 30-day clinical outcomes in the PS-matched cohort, there were no significant differences in the rates of mortality and major complications (a composite of bleeding, hemolysis, infection, stroke, myocardial infarction, limb ischemia, and vascular injury) between the groups. However, The IABP-Impella group showed a significantly higher rate of infection (10.3 % vs. 5.6 %, p = 0.042) and additional mechanical circulatory support use (34.1 % vs. 23.8 %, p = 0.008) than the Primary Impella group. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to patients with primary Impella support, those undergoing IABP-Impella escalation showed similar 30-day mortality and major complications despite poorer clinical conditions before Impella support and a more complicated clinical course after Impella insertion.

The preferable position for quantifying left ventricular diameter by transthoracic echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: In quantifying left ventricular (LV) diameter, which position for echocardiographic measurements, mitral valve tip level (MV-tip) or LV mid level (LV-mid), more accurately represents the LV volume is unclear. Furthermore, which factor affects the measurement error also has not been elucidated. METHODS: We enrolled 150 patients without myocardial infarction and local asynergy who underwent echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). Echocardiographic LV diastolic diameter (LVDD) and LV systolic diameter (LVDS) were measured at both MV-tip and LV-mid, and the LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and end-systolic volume (LVESV) were quantified using CMRI. We quantified the degree of aortic wedging as the angle between the anterior wall of the aorta and the ventricular septal surface (ASA). RESULTS: The average LVDD was smaller and average LVDS larger when measured at the MV-tip than at the LV-mid. In regression analyses, the correlation coefficient between LVDD and LVEDV was larger at LV-mid (R = 0.89) than at MV-tip (R = 0.82), and the correlation coefficient between LVDS and LVESV also larger at LV-mid (R = 0.93) than MV-tip (R = 0.87). ASA, Valsalva diameter, left atrial diameter, patient height, and LV mass significantly affected the echocardiographic measurement error, but no factor affected the measurement error when quantifying LVDD at the LV-mid level. CONCLUSIONS: The echocardiographic LV diameter measured at LV-mid has a stronger correlation with LV chamber size derived from CMRI than measurements at MV-tip. The LVDD measured at the LV-mid level is not affected by other factors.

Effects of Transradial Access on In-Hospital Outcomes in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: Insights from the Japanese Nationwide Database.

Because of its superior safety profile and improved outcomes, trans-radial percutaneous coronary intervention (TRI) has become the preferred access in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of native coronary disease. This study investigated the impact of TRI on in-hospital outcomes after PCI for coronary artery bypass graft vessels (GV-PCI). We analyzed patients who underwent GV-PCI in 2019-2022 from the Japanese nationwide registry. Patients were categorized into the TRI and trans-femoral PCI (TFI) groups. We assessed the association between TRI and in-hospital outcomes. The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital death and major bleeding. In this study, 2,295 patients were analyzed.. The primary outcomes occurred in 29 patients (1.3%), including 17 deaths (0.7%). Major bleeding occurred in 12 patients (0.5%), and access site bleeding in 7 patients (0.3%). The TRI group (n = 1,521) showed lower crude rates of the primary outcome (0.9% vs 1.9%, p = 0.039), major bleeding (0.3% vs 1.0%, p = 0.027), and access site bleeding (0.1% vs 0.6%, p = 0.047) compared with the TFI group (n = 774). Univariable logistic regression demonstrated a significant association of TRI with reduced primary outcome (odd ratio [OR] 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22 to 0.98), major bleeding (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.80), and access site bleeding (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.94). In the multivariable analysis, TRI was still significantly associated with a decrease in major bleeding events (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.93). In conclusion, the use of TRI was associated with a reduction in bleeding events when referenced to TFI in the context of GV-PCI.

Elevated arginine vasopressin levels surrogate acute lung injury in acute decompensated heart failure.

Activated arginine vasopressin (AVP) pathway worsens congestion in heart failure (HF), but its potential to relieve pulmonary congestion is also reported. The pathophysiological role and prognostic utility of AVP elevation in acute decompensated HF (ADHF) are poorly understood. We prospectively enrolled 52 hospitalized patients for ADHF to investigate the association between acute lung injury (ALI) in ADHF and AVP levels on admission. ALI was defined as respiratory failure leading to death, or requiring a respirator or a more than 12-h non-invasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) support. In addition, we investigated the prognostic value of AVP levels on admission for cardiovascular death or recurrence of ADHF after discharge. ALI was documented in 7 patients (13.5%) during a median hospital stay of 14 days. And the patients with ALI demonstrated significantly higher AVP levels than those without (32.5 ± 21.6 vs. 6.4 ± 8.7 pg/ml, p = 0.018). Besides, the patients with ALI demonstrated significantly higher heart rates (HR) and lower E/e' on admission (HR: 127 ± 24 vs. 97 ± 28 bpm; E/e': 10.6 ± 3.7 vs. 17.4 ± 6.2, all p < 0.05, respectively). Of note, significant hemodilution assessed by hemoglobin and hematocrit values were observed in the patients with ALI 48 h after admission. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that higher than 7.2 pg/ml surrogate ALI in ADHF (AUC: 0.897, p = 0.001, Sensitivity: 85.7%, and Specificity: 77.8%). In contrast, increased AVP levels on admission could not predict cardiovascular events after discharge. Elevated AVP levels on admission are associated with ALI in ADHF but not cardiovascular events after discharge.

A Case of Myocardial Infarction with Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries Complicated by a Ventricular Septal Rupture: The Challenge of Achieving Hemodynamic Stability Using Impella Devices.

The prognosis of myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is reported to be as worse as myocardial infarction with obstructive coronary arteries. However, its mechanical complications are still poorly understood. A 71-year-old woman developed MINOCA after ascending aortic replacement surgery. During treatment, the patient experienced cardiogenic shock due to a ventricular septal rupture (VSR). The introduction of Impella devices reduced the left-to-right shunt and improved the patient's hemodynamics. Finally, a scheduled surgical repair was performed under stable conditions. In this report, we focused on the pathophysiology of MINOCA-related VSR and discussed the effectiveness of Impella devices as a bridge to surgical repair and circulatory backup during the perioperative period.

Hemodialysis-induced Myocardial Stunning with No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: Pathophysiological Significance of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction.

Hemodialysis (HD)-induced myocardial stunning, characterized by transient left ventricular systolic dysfunction during HD, has been reported to be common and associated with a poor prognosis. However, the pathophysiology is not fully understood. We herein report a case of HD-induced myocardial stunning without obstructive coronary artery disease complicated by coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), suggesting that CMD plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of this disease.

Malondialdehyde-Modified Low-Density Lipoprotein as a Predictor of Major Adverse Limb Events after Endovascular Therapy in Patients with Lower Extremity Arterial Disease.

AIM: Adverse limb events after endovascular therapy (EVT) are a major concern. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) level, a potentially potent indicator of atherosclerosis, and clinical outcomes after EVT in patients with lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD). METHODS: A total of 208 LEAD patients who underwent EVT and MDA-LDL measurements were retrospectively analyzed. Those with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) were included in the CLTI subgroup (n=106). Patients were further categorized into the High or Low MDA-LDL groups according to the cut-off value calculated by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Major adverse limb events (MALE), a composite of cardiovascular death, limb-related death, major amputation, and target-limb revascularization, were evaluated. RESULTS: MALE occurred in 73 (35%) patients. The median follow-up interval was 17.4 months. The MDA-LDL cut-off values were 100.5 U/L (area under the curve [AUC] 0.651) in the overall population and 98.0 U/L (AUC 0.724) in the CLTI subgroup. Overall, the High MDA-LDL group showed significantly higher total cholesterol (189.7±37.5 mg/dL vs. 159.3±32.0 mg/dL, p＜0.01), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (114.3±29.7 mg/dL vs. 87.3±25.3 mg/dL, p＜0.01), and triglyceride (166.9±91.1 mg/dL vs. 115.8±52.3 mg/dL, p＜0.01) than the Low MDA-LDL group. Multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that MDA-LDL and C-reactive protein were independent predictors of MALE. In the CLTI subgroup, MDA-LDL was an independent predictor of MALE. The High MDA-LDL group showed worse MALE-free survival rates than the Low MDA-LDL group in overall (p＜0.01) and in the CLTI subgroup (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Serum MDA-LDL level was associated with MALE after EVT.

Association Between Aortic Stiffness and Exercise Tolerance in Patients at the Risk Stage of Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: The number of patients with heart failure (HF) has increased, and it is crucial to prevent the development of HF in patients at risk of HF. The present study aimed to risk stratify patients in Stage A and B HF based on associations between exercise-induced changes in aortic stiffness and exercise tolerance.Methods and Results: Patients in Stage A and B HF who performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test were enrolled in the study (n=106; median age 65.0 years [interquartile range 52.8-73.0 years]). Exercise tolerance was examined by the percentage of predicted peak oxygen consumption (%V̇O2peak). The ascending aortic pressure waveform was estimated non-invasively. Aortic stiffness was assessed using the augmentation index (AIx) and reflection magnitude (RM). Multivariable regression analysis showed that AIx measured both before and after exercise was significantly associated with %V̇O2peak (ß=-0.221 [P=0.049] and ß=-0.342 [P=0.003], respectively). When participants were divided into %V̇O2peak subgroups using a cut-off value of 60%, RM decreased immediately after exercise and remained lower 5 min after exercise in the group with preserved exercise tolerance, but recovered to baseline levels 5 min after exercise in the group with reduced exercise tolerance. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise-induced increases in aortic stiffness were associated with exercise tolerance in patients at risk of HF, suggesting that exercise-induced changes in aortic stiffness may be useful to stratify high-risk patients.

Non-A Blood Type Is a Risk Factor for Poor Cardio-Cerebrovascular Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Dialysis.

The clinical impact of ABO blood type on cardio-cerebrovascular outcomes in patients undergoing dialysis has not been clarified. A total of 365 hemodialysis patients participated in the current study. The primary endpoint was defined as a composite including cardio-cerebrovascular events and cardio-cerebrovascular death. The primary endpoint was observed in 73 patients during a median follow-up period of 1182 days, including 16/149 (11%) with blood type A, 22/81 (27%) with blood type B, 26/99 (26%) with blood type O, and 9/36 (25%) with blood type AB. At baseline, no difference was found in the echocardiographic parameters. Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that blood type (type A vs. non-A type; hazard ratio (HR): 0.46, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.26-0.81, p = 0.007), age (per 10-year increase; HR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.18-1.84), antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy (HR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.07-3.41), LVEF (per 10% increase; HR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.96), and LV mass index (per 10 g/m2 increase; HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13) were the independent determinants of the primary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier curves also showed a higher incidence of the primary endpoint in the non-A type than type A (Log-rank p = 0.001). Dialysis patients with blood type A developed cardio-cerebrovascular events more frequently than non-A type patients.

Intraprocedural Thrombotic Events during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Due to Acquired Antithrombin Deficiency-related Heparin Resistance Successfully Treated with Antithrombin Gamma Supplementation.

A 75-year-old man receiving treatment for necrotizing pancreatitis developed septic disseminated intravascular coagulation and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a large amount of fresh thrombi appeared after balloon dilatation for the ACS-culprit lesion. Given the low plasma antithrombin (AT) activity and poorly prolonged activated clotting time (ACT), we suspected that acquired AT deficiency-related heparin resistance (HR) was responsible for the thrombus formation. Administration of AT gamma markedly improved ACT, and we successfully completed PCI. We suggest that AT gamma be considered a treatment option for AT deficiency-related HR and subsequent intraprocedural thrombotic events.

Clinical impact of the pathological quantification of myocardial fibrosis and infiltrating T lymphocytes using an endomyocardial biopsy in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: The impact of quantitative pathological findings derived from endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) on clinical prognosis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 55 consecutive HCM patients who underwent EMB. We quantified the collagen area fraction (CAF), the cardiomyocyte diameter, the nuclear area and circularity, and the number of myocardial infiltrating CD3+ cells using EMB samples by image analyzing software. The primary clinical endpoint was defined as a composite including cardiovascular death, admission due to heart failure and ventricular arrhythmia. RESULTS: During the median follow-up of 37.2 months, the primary endpoint was found in 12 patients. No significant difference in the risk score of 5-year sudden cardiac death was observed between the event-occurrence group and the event-free group. In the multivariable Cox proportional-hazard analysis, CAF [hazard ratio (HR) per 10% increase: 1.555, 95% CI: 1.014-2.367, p = 0.044] and the number of infiltrating CD3+ cells (HR per 10% increase: 1.231, 95% CI: 1.011-1.453, p = 0.041) were the independent predictors of the primary endpoint, while the myocardial diameter and the nuclear irregularity had no significant prognostic impact. Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated that patients with both higher CAF and higher number of CD3+ cells had the worst prognosis (log-rank, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The higher CAF and the higher number of infiltrating CD3+ cells quantified using EMB samples were the independent predictors of poor clinical outcomes in patients with HCM. Cardiomyocyte diameter and nuclear irregularity did not significantly impact the clinical prognosis.

A case of an elderly female who developed subacute pleuropericarditis following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

Despite the established safety of BNT162b2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, some rare but serious complications have been previously reported. Here, we report a rare case of an elderly female who developed subacute pleuropericarditis after the vaccination. An 88-year-old female experienced weight gain and dyspnea three days after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccination, and one month later, presented to our hospital due to the exacerbation of the symptoms. Computed tomography showed remarkable pericardial and bilateral pleural effusions, and transthoracic echocardiogram visualized collapse signs of right and left atrium which indicates pre-tamponade. Percutaneous drainages of pericardial and pleural effusions stabilized her vital condition and revealed that all of them were exudative, indicating the presence of pleuropericarditis. Finally, we diagnosed this case as COVID-19 vaccine-associated pleuropericarditis because there were no signs of bacterial/viral infection or any other relevant causes except for the vaccination. When the pericardial and pleural effusions are concurrently found after COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine-associated pleuropericarditis should be considered as a differential diagnosis. The aggressive drainage of pericardial and pleural effusions could be helpful not only for diagnosis but also for treatment in the clinical management of COVID-19 vaccine-associated pleuropericarditis. Learning objective: Although the safety and efficacy of BNT162b2 have been widely accepted, it is clinically important to know the potential risk of side effects. When the pericardial and pleural effusions are concurrently found after the vaccination, coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine-associated pleuropericarditis should be considered as a differential diagnosis.

Effects of hemodialysis and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate in nonhemodialysis on clinical outcomes after fractional flow reserve-guided deferral of revascularization.

ABSTRACT: The effect of renal dysfunction on clinical outcomes following fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided deferral of revascularization remains unelucidated.We retrospectively analyzed 224 patients with atherosclerotic coronary lesions who underwent deferred revascularization based on an FFR of >0.80. The median follow-up interval was 28.1 months. Patients were divided into 2 groups: the hemodialysis (HD) and the non-HD group. The non-HD group was further classified into 2 subgroups according to their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level: eGFR <45, equivalent to chronic kidney disease stage 3b-5 and eGFR ≥45. We evaluated major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and any revascularization.MACE occurred in 36 patients (16.1%). The rate of HD was significantly higher in the MACE group (19% vs 6%, P < .01). In non-HD patients, the eGFR was significantly lower in the MACE group (51.2 vs 63.2 mL/min/1.73 m2, P < .01). Overall, univariate Cox regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between HD and MACE (HR 2.91, P = .01), as did the multivariate model (HR 2.90, P = .01). Of the MACE, more deaths occurred in HD patients (15.8% vs 2.9%, P = .03). Among non-HD patients, eGFR <45 (HR 2.70, P = .02), FFR (per 0.01, HR 0.87, P < .01), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (per 10 mg/dL, HR 1.17, P = .02) were independent predictors of MACE. Any revascularization was more common in patients with eGFR<45 than in those with eGFR ≥45 (21.4% vs 7.3%, P = .02). Kaplan-Meier estimates revealed that the HD group showed a significantly lower MACE-free survival rate than the nonHD group (log-rank P < .01). In non-HD patients, the eGFR<45 group showed a lower MACE-free survival rate than the eGFR ≥45 group (log-rank P = .01).HD and reduced eGFR in non-HD patients were associated with adverse cardiac events after FFR-guided deferral of revascularization.

Ventricular Sigmoid Septum as a Risk Factor for Anthracycline-Induced Cancer Therapeutics-Related Cardiac Dysfunction in Patients With Malignant Lymphoma.

Background: Identifying risk factors for cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is essential for the early detection and prompt initiation of medial therapy for CTRCD. No study has investigated whether the sigmoid septum is a risk factor for anthracycline-induced CTRCD. Methods and Results: We enrolled 167 patients with malignant lymphoma who received a CHOP-like regimen from January 2008 to December 2017 and underwent both baseline and follow-up echocardiography. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤50% were excluded. CTRCD was defined as a ≥10% decline in LVEF and LVEF <50% after chemotherapy. The angle between the anterior wall of the aorta and the ventricular septal surface (ASA) was measured to quantify the sigmoid septum. CTRCD was observed in 36 patients (22%). Mean LVEF and global longitudinal strain (GLS) were lower, left ventricular mass index was higher, and ASA was smaller in patients with CTRCD. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis, GLS (hazard ratio [HR] per 1% decrease 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.35) and ASA (HR per 1° increase 0.97; 95% CI 0.95-0.99) were identified as independent determinants of CTRCD. An integrated discrimination improvement evaluation confirmed the significant incremental value of ASA for developing CTRCD. Conclusions: Smaller ASA was an independent risk factor and had significant incremental value for CTRCD in patients with malignant lymphoma who received the CHOP-like regimen.

Early detection and progression of sepsis-related myocardial calcification with subsequent left ventricular systolic dysfunction: a case report.

Sepsis-related myocardial calcification (SRMC) is a life-threatening complication. However, it is a rare entity and its clinical course is not well-understood. A 54-year-old man after bone graft surgery presented with septic shock due to surgical site infection. The initial computed tomography (CT) showed no deposit of calcium in the left ventricle (LV), and echocardiography demonstrated preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 61%. On the 10th day of admission, CT detected new-onset LV myocardial calcification with preserved LVEF of 60% in echocardiography. On the 63rd day, follow-up CT revealed an increased density of the calcified lesion in the LV, and echocardiography showed a significantly reduced LVEF of 30%. This case report clarified a clinical course of SRMC that the calcium deposit began early after the onset of sepsis and LV systolic function declined subsequently along with the progression of the LV calcification. A serial assessment of CT and echocardiography from the initial stage in sepsis could be helpful for early detection and appropriate management of SRMC patients. Learning objective:Sepsis-related myocardial calcification (SRMC) is under-diagnosed in daily clinical practice because most cases progress silently. By serially assessing computed tomography and echocardiography in patients with sepsis from the initial stage, we can detect SRMC early and follow a change in the calcium in the left ventricle (LV) and LV function.>.

Impact of glucose variability on coronary plaque vulnerability in patients with dysglycemia: A whole coronary analysis with multislice computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Dysglycemia is associated with an increased risk of acute coronary syndrome caused by the disruption of vulnerable plaques. The relationship between glycemic variability (GV), which is a component of impaired glucose metabolism, and coronary plaque vulnerability has not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the impact of GV on whole coronary plaque vulnerability using multislice computed tomography (MSCT). METHODS: We analyzed 88 patients with dysglycemia who underwent 24 h blood glucose monitoring and MSCT. The mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE) was calculated as an index of the GV. We defined a CT-derived vulnerable plaque as a plaque with a remodeling index > 1.10 and a mean CT density < 30 HU. We calculated the percentage of low-attenuation plaque (% LAP) as the ratio of the low-attenuation component (CT density < 30HU) volume to the total vessel volume. RESULTS: Vulnerable plaques were detected in 27 patients (31%). Patients with vulnerable plaques had higher MAGE (110.0 ± 40.7 vs. 71.7 ± 21.7, p < 0.01) than patients without vulnerable plaques. A univariate logistic regression analysis showed that vulnerable plaques were associated with the MAGE [odds ratio (OR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.07, p < 0.01]. In a multivariate model, the MAGE (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.07) remained a significant predictor of vulnerable plaque presence. Patients with multivessel-vulnerable plaques had higher MAGE values than those with single-vessel involvement or no vulnerable plaques (132.3 ± 39.4 vs. 102.2 ± 39.7, vs. 71.7 ± 21.7, p < 0.01). The regression analysis showed a positive correlation between MAGE levels and the % LAP (r = 0.55, p < 0.01). In a multiple linear regression analysis, the MAGE was independently associated with the % LAP (ß = 0.42, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Increased GV is associated with the presence and extent of vulnerable plaques.