Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26851729›Full record

ArticleComputers in biology and medicine2016

Morphometric analysis of calcification and fibrous layer thickness in carotid endarterectomy tissues.

Richard I Han, Thomas M Wheeler, Alan B Lumsden, Michael J Reardon, Gerald M Lawrie, K Jane Grande-Allen, Joel D Morrisett, Gerd Brunner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Computers in biology and medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Imaging Approaches to the Diagnosis of Vascular Diseases.Current atherosclerosis reports · 2022
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Richard I HanDivision of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States.
Thomas M WheelerDepartment of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.
Alan B LumsdenMethodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States.
Michael J ReardonMethodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States.
Gerald M LawrieMethodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States.
K Jane Grande-AllenDepartment of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States.
Joel D MorrisettDivision of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.
Gerd BrunnerDivision of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States. Electronic address: gbrunner@bcm.edu.
Houston Methodist · USBaylor College of Medicine · USRice University · US

Funding

ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY TRAINING CENTERT32HL007812 · NHLBI · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI BALLANTYNE, CHRISTIE MITCHELL · 1997 to 2012
$3.4M
LESION QUANTIFICATION IN HUMAN CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSISR01HL063090 · NHLBI · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI MORRISETT, JOEL DAVID · 2002 to 2005
$1.3M
Microvascular Perfusion Assessment of Ischemic Diabetic Ulcers Using MRIK25HL121149 · NHLBI · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV HERSHEY MED CTR · PI BRUNNER, GERD · 2015 to 2019
$799k
Shared Mechanisms of Valvular and Vascular CalcificationR21HL104377 · NHLBI · RICE UNIVERSITY · PI GRANDE-ALLEN, KATHRYN JANE, MORRISETT, JOEL DAVID · 2010 to 2012
$493k
NHLBI NIH HHS HL63090NHLBI NIH HHS K25 HL121149NHLBI NIH HHS K25HL121149NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL063090NHLBI NIH HHS R21 HL104377NHLBI NIH HHS R21HL104377NHLBI NIH HHS T32 HL007812NHLBI NIH HHS T32HL07812
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdvanced atherosclerotic lesions are commonly characterized by the presence of calcification. Several studies indicate that extensive calcification is associated with plaque stability, yet recent studies suggest that calcification morphology and location may adversely affect the mechanical stability of atherosclerotic plaques. The underlying cause of atherosclerotic calcification and the importance of intra-plaque calcium distribution remains poorly understood.

methodThe goal of this study was the characterization of calcification morphology based on histological features in 20 human carotid endarterectomy (CEA) specimens. Representative frozen sections (10μm thick) were cut from the common, bulb, internal and external segments of CEA tissues and stained with von Kossa׳s reagent for calcium phosphate. The morphology of calcification (calcified patches) and fibrous layer thickness were quantified in 135 histological sections.

resultsIntra-plaque calcification was distributed heterogeneously (calcification %-area: bulb segment: 14.2±2.1%; internal segment: 12.9±2.8%; common segment: 4.6±1.1%; p=0.001). Calcified patches were found in 20 CEAs (patch size: <0.1mm(2) to >1.0mm(2)). Calcified patches were most abundant in the bulb and least in the common segment (bulb n=7.30±1.08; internal n=4.81±1.17; common n=2.56±0.56; p=0.0007). Calcified patch circularity decreased with increasing size (<0.1mm(2): 0.77±0.01, 0.1-1mm(2): 0.62±0.01, >1.0mm(2): 0.51±0.02; p=0.0001). A reduced fibrous layer thickness was associated with increased calcium patch size (p<0.0001).

conclusionsIn advanced carotid atherosclerosis, calcification appears to be a heterogeneous and dynamic atherosclerotic plaque component, as indicated by the simultaneous presence of few large stabilizing calcified patches and numerous small calcific patches. Future studies are needed to elucidate the associations of intra-plaque calcification size and distribution with atherothrombotic events.

Indexed as

Carotid Artery DiseasesEndarterectomy, CarotidPlaque, AtheroscleroticVascular CalcificationFemaleHumansMaleCalcificationCarotid bifurcationCarotid endarterectomyFibrous layerImage analysis

Identifiers

PMID26851729
PMCPMC4765924
OpenAlexW2272574170

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.