Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29432486›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Fractal analysis of plaque border, a novel method for the quantification of atherosclerotic plaque contour irregularity, is associated with pro-atherogenic plasma lipid profile in subjects with non-obstructive carotid stenoses.

Francesco Moroni, Marco Magnoni, Vittoria Vergani, Enrico Ammirati, Paolo G Camici

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03333330 (Non Invasive Vascular Imaging Combined With Systemic Biomarkers and Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Identification of Asymptomatic Patients With Unstable Carotid Atherosclerosis), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT03333330 phase3completednot on this map

Non Invasive Vascular Imaging Combined With Systemic Biomarkers and Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Identification of Asymptomatic Patients With Unstable Carotid Atherosclerosis

TypeinterventionalSponsorEnrico AmmiratiRan2012 to 2017Enrolled75ConditionsCarotid Artery Plaque, Atherosclerosis, Ischemic StrokeArmsVisipaque 320 and SonoVue
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

5 authors.

Francesco MoroniCardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Vita-Salute University and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-6101-1403
Marco MagnoniCardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Vita-Salute University and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Vittoria VerganiCardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Vita-Salute University and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Enrico AmmiratiCardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Vita-Salute University and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Paolo G CamiciCardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Vita-Salute University and San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsPlaque border irregularity is a known imaging characteristic of vulnerable plaques, but its evaluation heavily relies on subjective evaluation and operator expertise. Aim of the present work is to propose a novel fractal-analysis based method for the quantification of atherosclerotic plaque border irregularity and assess its relation with cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS AND

resultsForty-two asymptomatic subjects with carotid stenosis underwent ultrasound evaluation and assessment of cardiovascular risk factors. Total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) plasma cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations were measured for each subject. Fractal analysis was performed in all the carotid segments affected by atherosclerosis, i.e. 147 segments. The resulting fractal dimension (FD) is a measure of irregularity of plaque profile on long axis view of the plaque. FD in the severest stenosis (main plaque FD,mFD) was 1.136±0.039. Average FD per patient (global FD,gFD) was 1.145±0.039. FD was independent of other plaque characteristics. mFD significantly correlated with plasma HDL (r = -0.367,p = 0.02) and triglycerides-to-HDL ratio (r = 0.480,p = 0.002).

conclusionsFractal analysis is a novel, readily available, reproducible and inexpensive technique for the quantitative measurement of plaque irregularity. The correlation between low HDL levels and plaque FD suggests a role for HDL in the acquisition of morphologic features of plaque instability. Further studies are needed to validate the prognostic value of fractal analysis in carotid plaques evaluation.

Indexed as

FractalsAgedCarotid StenosisFemaleHumansLipidsMaleMiddle AgedPlaque, AtheroscleroticRisk FactorsUltrasonographyLipids

Identifiers

PMID29432486
PMCPMC5809053

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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.