Coronary calcification

OBJECTIVES: This study compared serial changes in coronary percent atheroma volume (PAV) and calcium index (CaI) in patients with coronary artery disease who were treated with and without warfarin. BACKGROUND: Warfarin blocks the synthesis and activity of matrix Gla protein, a vitamin K-dependent inhibitor of arterial calcification. The longitudinal impact of warfarin on serial coronary artery calcification in vivo in humans is unknown. METHODS: In a post hoc patient-level analysis of 8 prospective randomized trials using serial coronary intravascular ultrasound examinations, this study compared changes in PAV and CaI in matched arterial segments in patients with coronary artery disease who were treated with (n = 171) and without (n = 4,129) warfarin during an 18- to 24-month period...

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the incidence and course of healing of uncovered plaque ruptures (PR) following primary percutaneous coronary intervention. BACKGROUND: The infarct-related occlusion is frequently located at the lesion site with maximum thrombus burden, whereas the culprit PR may be situated more proximally or distally. METHODS: Uncovered PR in segments adjacent to the stent were identified by optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound using iMap (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Massachusetts) within 48 h and after 12 months...

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BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The study evaluated possible factors influencing the regression of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) through electrocardiographically gated cardiac computed tomography (CT). METHODS: 18 patients with KD exhibited CAAs in at least 2 CT examinations conducted from December 2004 to September 2015, and 37 aneurysms were observed. Every aneurysm was corrected through the descending aorta at the origin level of the left main coronary artery under a normal distribution and measured under a fixed window level...

AIM: Diabetic kidney disease is one of the leading complications of Type 1 diabetes, but its prediction remains a challenge. We examined predictors of rapid decline in estimated GFR (eGFR) in two Type 1 diabetes cohorts: the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes (CACTI) and the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications (EDC). METHODS: A select subset of participants (CACTI: n = 210 and EDC: n = 98) diagnosed before 17 years of age with Type 1 diabetes duration ≥ 7 years, and follow-up data on eGFR by CKD-EPI creatinine for up to 8 years were included in the analyses...

OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of the coronary orbital atherectomy system to treat severe coronary artery calcification (CAC) prior to stent placement in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. BACKGROUND: The ORBIT II study reported the safety and efficacy of orbital atherectomy treatment in 443 patients with severe CAC. Percutaneous coronary intervention in diabetic patients is associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) compared with non-diabetics...

Detecting coronary artery disease at a subclinical level has always been a challenging task for cardiologists. Various non-invasive echocardiographic approaches such as measurements of left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic function, left atrial enlargement, valve sclerosis and calcification, epicardial fat thickness, and pulse wave velocity have been proposed to integrate the available risk-charts. The present review is a collection of evidence that supports the role of the above mentioned features in cardiac risk stratification, summarizing the state of the art in non-invasive echocardiographic coronary risk assessment...

Coronary calcification (CCA) is one of the independent predictors for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in coronary intervention. Post-marketing surveillance study Japan is a prospective registry designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the everolimus-eluting stent (EES, XIENCE V/PROMUS Stent) in routine clinical practice at 47 centers. In this study, 1848 lesions (1546 patients) were assessed using quantitative coronary angiography. In these 1546 patients, renal function data were unknown in 26 patients...

The aim of the study was to estimate the rate of incidental cardiac findings (ICF) in patients undergoing noncardiac chest CT.An experienced radiologist retrospectively reviewed 237 consecutive patients (147 males and 90 females with median age of 69 years) undergoing a noncardiac chest CT. ICF at targeted review were compared to those mentioned in original reports (χ test).At review, ≥1 ICF was detected in 124/237 patients (52%), for a total of 229 ICF, 158 of them (69%) not originally mentioned. Valvular calcifications were unmentioned in 23/23 (100%) patients, main pulmonary artery dilation in 21/22 (96%), coronary calcifications in 69/86 (80%), right or left atrial dilation in 7/11 (64%), aortic atherosclerosis in 29/62 (47%), and ascending aorta dilatation in 8/18 (44%)...

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the prevalence, predictors, and clinical impact of target lesion calcification in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with newer generation drug-eluting stents (DES) and devices. BACKGROUND: Coronary calcification is independently associated with adverse outcomes following PCI. While newer DES and contemporary devices are considered safer and more efficacious, their influence on outcomes following PCI of heavily calcified lesions is unknown...

Obesity is the accumulation of abnormal or excessive fat that may interfere with the maintenance of an optimal state of health. The excess of macronutrients in the adipose tissues stimulates them to release inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6, and reduces production of adiponectin, predisposing to a pro-inflammatory state and oxidative stress. The increased level of interleukin 6 stimulates the liver to synthesize and secrete C-reactive protein. As a risk factor, inflammation is an imbedded mechanism of developed cardiovascular diseases including coagulation, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus...

Calcification of vessels is strongly associated with atherosclerosis and leads to coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealed several genes that are associated with and contribute to CAD/MI as well as coronary artery calcification (CAC); however, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. PHACTR1, which encodes phosphatase and actin regulator 1, is among these risk genes. The aim of this study was to functionally test whether Phactr1 regulates calcification in vitro using murine embryonic stem cell (mESC)-derived smooth muscle cells (SMCs)...

PURPOSE: We have demonstrated the ability to identify coronary calcium, a reliable biomarker of coronary artery disease, using non-gated, 2-shot, dual energy (DE) chest x-ray imaging. Here we will use digital simulations, backed up by measurements, to characterize DE calcium signals and the role of potential confounds such as beam hardening, x-ray scatter, cardiac motion, and pulmonary artery pulsation. For the DE calcium signal, we will consider quantification, as compared to CT calcium score, and visualization...

CTO lesions resisting balloon crossing are located in moderate/severe tortuous coronary arteries contain more moderate/severe calcification burden and carry a higher J-CTO score as compared with balloon crossable CTO lesions. CTO lesions resisting balloon crossing do not constitute a homogenous group. In 25% of the patients, the resisting CTO was caused by stent restenosis and thrombus is an integral component of CTO in addition to calcium and fibrosis. The excimer laser and rotational/orbital atherectomy are among useful debulking technologies capable of creating a "pilot recanalization channel" in the CTO that enables completion of the revasularization...

Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are known to increase vascular calcification, suggesting increased cardiovascular disease events. Apixaban is an oral direct factor Xa inhibitor superior to warfarin at preventing stroke or systemic embolism and may stabilize coronary atherosclerosis. The potential benefits of avoiding VKA therapy and the favorable effects of factor Xa inhibitors could contribute to cardiovascular disease event reduction. We hypothesized that apixaban inhibits vascular calcification and coronary atherosclerosis progression compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)...

AIM: Many studies have validated Agatston's coronary artery calcification score (CACS) for assessing vascular calcification (VC) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the CACS and common iliac artery calcification score (IACS) and to examine the variables related to each score. METHODS: The subjects were 145 non-dialysis CKD patients. The CACS and IACS were determined using the same thoracicoabdominal multi-detector computed tomography...

OBJECTIVE: To review the evidence for the use of vitamin K supplementation in clinical conditions such as osteoporosis, vascular calcification, arthritis, cancer, renal calculi, diabetes, and warfarin therapy. QUALITY OF EVIDENCE: PubMed was searched for articles on vitamin K (K1 and K2) along with books and conference proceedings and health conditions listed above. Level I and II evidence supports the use of vitamins K1 and K2 in osteoporosis and Level II evidence supports vitamin K2 in prevention of coronary calcification and cardiovascular disease...

Trifecta valve is a 3rd-generation, stented bioprosthesis which is made from one bovine pericardial sheet. A 77-years-old male patient had undergone combine aortic valve replacement (AVR) using a 23-mm Trifecta valve and ascending aorta replacement for severe aortic valve regurgitation and ascending aorta aneurysm. The postoperative period was uneventful. However, he presented with dyspnea on effort and severe aortic valve regurgitation 31 months after operation. Re-do AVR with a new bioprosthetic valve was performed via 2nd sternotomy...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular mortality of patients with combined peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is twice as high as that in those with either disease alone. It is known that patients with PAD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention have a higher incidence of adverse cardiac events such as myocardial infarction or target vessel revascularization. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we compared the detailed characteristics of culprit and nonculprit plaques between patients with and those without PAD using optical coherence tomography...