Age-Related Differences in Intravascular Ultrasound Findings in 1,009 Coronary Artery Disease Patients

Abstract

Background The aim of this study was to assess the age-related differences in intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) findings of target lesions in patients with coronary artery disease. (n=93)]. Calcified plaque (18%, 25%, 33%, 38%, and 46%, p<0.001) and negative remodeling (29%, 48%, 44%, 44%, and 66%, p<0.001) were most common, and reference segment plaque burden (35±11%, 35±10%, 39±10%, 38±10%, and 40±11%, p<0.001) was greatest in Group V. Plaque rupture (52%, 31%, 42%, 38%, and 20%, p=0.009) and thrombus (38%, 30%, 31%, 24%, and 11%, p=0.026) were most common in Group I. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, patient age was an independent predictor of calcified plaque (odds ratio (OR)=1.03, p=0.001), negative remodeling (OR= 1.04, p=0.001), and mean reference segment plaque burden >50% (OR=1.03, p=0.006). Conclusion Elderly patients have more severe calcifications with negative remodeling and diffuse atherosclerosis, whereas younger patients have more unstable plaque morphology. (Circ J 2008; 72: 1270 -1275 Methods and Results

Inactive Matrix Gla Protein Is Causally Related to Adverse Health Outcomes

“…and diffuse atherosclerosis, whereas younger patients have a more unstable coronary plaque morphology. 25 The higher degree of coronary calcification in the elderly is in line with the age-related increase in inactive dp-ucMGP. In morphological studies, coronary plaque calcification was not associated with instability, whereas ruptured plaques showed little calcification.…”

“…26 Furthermore, the number of coronary arterial segments with noncalcified plaque as assessed by computed tomography was associated with a 30% 27 to 71% 28 higher incidence of coronary 27 or cardiac 28 events in patients with suspected 27,28 or known 28 coronary artery disease. In view of the currently available literature, we assume that inhibition of plaque calcification by active MGP is a risk factor in the coronary circulation, [25][26][27][28] whereas in large conduit arteries, such as the femoral artery, 4 the opposite is the case. An alternative explanation for the inverse association between coronary events and dp-ucMGP levels might reside in the vitamin K-dependent activation of growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6).…”

Differences in coronary plaque composition with aging measured by coronary computed tomography angiography

“…Both histological [30][31][32] and IVUS studies [33,34] have established that the burden of coronary plaque increases with age, and that the extent of calcification also increases with age. In comparison to IVUS, CCTA is a safer, non-invasive technique that likewise allows for both an estimation of luminal stenosis and plaque composition.…”

Age-Induced Reduction in Mitochondrial Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Activity and Tolerance of Macrophages Against Apoptosis Induced by Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein

“…[28][29][30][31] Here we showed that aging is associated with the reduction of activity of only one of the various antioxidant enzymes. In addition, we investigated the association of aging with the tolerance of macrophages against oxLDL.…”