Background: The association between high-risk cardiovascular factors and atherosclerotic is well established. However, whether plaque vulnerability is related to specific cardiovascular risk factors remains unknown. The association between plaque vulnerability and cardiovascular risk factors was evaluated in plaques removed in a carotid endarterectomy.
Methods: Consecutive subjects scheduled for a carotid endarterectomy were recruited. All patients' baseline characteristics, risk factors, laboratory results, cardiovascular disease history, and medication use history were collected preoperatively. Histopathologic features within the vulnerable plaques were analyzed postoperatively. Risk factors for plaque vulnerability were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses with adjustment for potential confounders.
Results: A total of 128 carotid plaques were removed during the carotid endarterectomy. On multivariate analysis, hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 5.971, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.959-18.203, P = 0.002) and dyslipidemia (OR 3.822, 95% CI 1.317-11.089, P = 0.014) were independently associated with plaque vulnerability. Hypertension was independently associated with the presence of a ruptured fibrous cap (OR 6.122, 95% CI 2.318-16.166, P < 0.001), intraplaque hemorrhage (OR 3.535, 95% CI 1.551-8.055, P = 0.003), and a large lipid core (OR 2.335, 95% CI 1.053-5.180, P = 0.037). The incidence of having a large lipid core was increased by 3.216-fold in patients with dyslipidemia (95% CI 1.409-7.340, P = 0.006). When the multivariate analysis was restricted to symptomatic patients, hypertension (OR 5.005, 95% CI 1.294-19.350, P = 0.020) was the most significant risk factor associated with vulnerable plaque.
Conclusion: The composition heterogeneity in the atherosclerotic plaque was significantly correlated to specific cardiovascular risk factors.
Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Plaque composition; Risk factor; Vulnerable plaque.
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