Total Coronary Artery Plaque Burden Measured by Cardiac Computed Tomography is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome

• Konishi Masaaki

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University. Division of Cardiology, Yokohama City University Medical Center.

• Sugiyama Seigo

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Sugamura Koichi

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Nozaki Toshimitsu

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Ohba Keisuke

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Matsubara Junichi

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Sumida Hitoshi

  Department of Interventional Cardiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Nagayoshi Yasuhiro

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Utsunomiya Daisuke

  Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Awai Kazuo

  Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University. Department of Radiology, Hiroshima University.

• Yamashita Yasuyuki

  Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

• Matsuzawa Yasushi

  Division of Cardiology, Yokohama City University Medical Center.

• Kimura Kazuo

  Division of Cardiology, Yokohama City University Medical Center.

• Umemura Satoshi

  Department of Medical Science and Cardiorenal Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine.

• Ogawa Hisao

  Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

Abstract

Aim: Increased coronary plaque burden, which could be involved in the pathogenesis of atherothrombotic events, is difficult to evaluate in the three major coronary arteries. The purpose of this study was to quantify coronary plaque volume using 64-slice computed tomography (CT).<BR>Methods: We measured coronary plaque volume with our new protocol in 23 consecutive patients (48% men; 66 ± 11 years old) who underwent cardiac CT for suspicion of coronary artery disease and had noncalcified plaques. We counted the total pixel volume of noncalcified plaques in the three major coronary arteries.<BR>Results: The coronary plaque volume was 1.29 ± 0.56 cm³ in the right coronary artery, 1.29 ± 0.42cm³ in the left main coronary artery and left anterior descending artery, and 0.88 ± 0.32 cm³ in the left circumflex artery. The total coronary plaque burden (TCPB) was 3.45 ± 1.02 cm³/patient and had a positive correlation with waist circumference (r =0.44, p < 0.05) and insulin resistance (r = 0.46, p < 0.05). TCPB was significantly greater in men (3.89 ± 1.07 cm³ vs. 3.06 ± 0.82 cm³ in women, p < 0.05), patients with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance (3.77 ± 0.94 cm³ vs. 2.86 ± 0.92 cm³ in non-diabetics, p < 0.05), and patients with metabolic syndrome (3.91 ± 0.95 cm³ vs. 3.03 ± 0.91 cm³ in patients without metabolic syndrome, p < 0.05).<BR>Conclusions: Cardiac CT can provide a noninvasive assessment of TCPB, which was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and its components. Measuring TCPB by CT could be an important strategy for identifying high-risk patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Journal

• Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis

  Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis 18 (11), 939-945, 2011

  Japan Atherosclerosis Society

Keywords

• Computed tomography
• Plaque
• Metabolic syndrome

Details

• CRID: 1390001204432187776
• NII Article ID: 130004845344
• DOI: 10.5551/jat.8953
• ISSN: 18803873
• ISSN: 13403478
• Web Site: https://search.jamas.or.jp/link/ui/2013012179
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed