Atherosclerosis
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Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) accumulation is believed to be associated with development of coronary atherosclerosis. We investigated whether EAT volume as assessed by computed tomography (CT) has value in prediction of future cardiac events. ⋯ We suggest that high EAT volume may be an independent predictor of future coronary events and increases predictive values of CAC score in patients without proven CAD.
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Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disease caused mainly by LDLR mutations. This study assessed the influence of the presence and type of LDLR mutation on lipid profile and the response to lipid-lowering therapy in Brazilian patients with heterozygous FH. ⋯ Our findings indicate that the presence and type of LDLR mutations influence lipid profile and response to lipid-lowering therapy in Brazilian patients with heterozygous FH. Thus, more intensive care with pharmacological therapeutics should be performed in patients who have a molecular analysis indicating the presence of a LDLR mutation.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Incremental prognostic value of coronary computed tomographic angiography over coronary artery calcium score for risk prediction of major adverse cardiac events in asymptomatic diabetic individuals.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosis by coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is useful for identification of symptomatic diabetic individuals at heightened risk for death. Whether CCTA-detected CAD enables improved risk assessment of asymptomatic diabetic individuals beyond clinical risk factors and coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) remains unexplored. ⋯ For asymptomatic diabetic individuals, CCTA measures of CAD severity confer incremental risk prediction, discrimination and reclassification on a per-patient, per-vessel and per-segment basis.
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There is a need for non-invasive and accurate techniques for assessment of severity of atherosclerotic disease in the carotid arteries. Recently an automated single sweep three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) technique became available. The aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of the automated single sweep method in a cohort of patients undergoing clinically indicated carotid ultrasound. ⋯ The new automated single sweep 3D ultrasound is feasible in the majority of patients. Good reproducibility in plaque and artery volume measurements makes this technique suitable for serial assessment of carotid plaques.