ArticleClinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society2018
Predictors for target lesion microcalcifications in patients with stable coronary artery disease: an optical coherence tomography study.
Article in Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 34 papers.
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Who cites it
34 citing papers in PubMed, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Is a Biomarker of Red Cell Dysfunction Associated with Inflammation, Macrophage Polarization, and Coronary Artery Calcification: A Prognostic Marker in Cardiovascular Disease and a Potential Target for Anti-Cytokine Therapy.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Microcalcification: Effects on Atherosclerotic Vulnerable Plaques, Detection, and Therapeutic Perspectives.Current atherosclerosis reports · 2026Review
- Dynamic Gene Expression Signatures across Stages of Carotid Plaque Calcification.Journal of vascular research · 2026Article
- AI-based modality-agnostic classification system for vascular calcifications.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Development of an atherosclerosis rabbit model to evaluate the hemodynamic impact of extracorporeal circulation.Animal models and experimental medicine · 2025Article
- Percutaneous Revascularization of Thrombotic and Calcified Coronary Lesions.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- A Review Paper on Optical Coherence Tomography Evaluation of Coronary Calcification Pattern: Is It Relevant Today?Journal of cardiovascular development and disease · 2024Review
- Macrophages in cardiovascular diseases: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2024Review
- Molecular Pathways of Vulnerable Carotid Plaques at Risk of Ischemic Stroke: A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- High Tyrosol and Hydroxytyrosol Intake Reduces Arterial Inflammation and Atherosclerotic Lesion Microcalcification in Healthy Older Populations.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- The role of M1/M2 macrophage polarization in the pathogenesis of obesity-related kidney disease and related pathologies.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Review
- Coronary artery calcification and plaque stability： an optical coherence tomography study.Heliyon · 2023Article
- Changes in intra- and extracranial carotid plaque calcification: a 2-year follow-up study.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Intracoronary Imaging of Vulnerable Plaque-From Clinical Research to Everyday Practice.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Review
- The Role of Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Two-faced Janus: the dual role of macrophages in atherosclerotic calcification.Cardiovascular research · 2022Review
- Updates in the Impact of Chronic Systemic Inflammation on Vascular Inflammation by Positron Emission Tomography (PET).Current cardiology reports · 2022Review
- Pathophysiology of Atherosclerosis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Detection of Vulnerable Coronary Plaques Using Invasive and Non-Invasive Imaging Modalities.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Review
- Exosomes in atherosclerosis: Convergence on macrophages.International journal of biological sciences · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe minimal fibrous cap thickness overlying the necrotic lipid core as well as the presence of macrophages are established characteristics of coronary plaque vulnerability. Recently, the presence of microcalcifications has emerged as a novel feature of vulnerable lesions. However, clinical and plaque morphological predictors of microcalcifications are unknown.
methodsIn patients with stable coronary artery disease, analysis of plaque morphology (n = 112) was performed using optical coherence tomography prior to coronary intervention to assess predictors of microcalcifications.
resultsMicrocalcifications were present in 21/112 (18.7%) lesions. Segments with microcalcifications showed a higher total number of calcifications per lesion (6.7 ± 3.0 vs. 3.2 ± 2.5, p < 0.001), a lower percent area stenosis (70.9 ± 11.1 vs. 76.2 ± 9.7%, p = 0.028), and a higher frequency of macrophage infiltration (66.7 vs. 37.4%, p = 0.014). In lesions with vs. without microcalcifications, macrophage infiltration was characterized by a wider macrophage angle (31.1° ± 34.4° vs. 13.7° ± 20.6°, p = 0.003), a higher macrophage index (105.6 ± 269.0 vs. 31.6 ± 66.5° mm, p = 0.020), and an increased frequency of calcium-macrophage co-localization (47.6 vs. 15.6%, p = 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the total number of calcifications per lesion (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.23-1.91, p < 0.001), average macrophage angle (OR 1.28 for 10°-variation, 95% CI 1.03-1.60, p = 0.024), and percent area stenosis (OR 0.59 for 10% increase, 95% CI 0.34-1.04, p = 0.070) were independent predictors for the presence of microcalcifications, whereas the latter did not reach statistical significance.
conclusionMicrocalcifications are related to a less advanced stenosis severity and to extensive plaque inflammation, but not to clinical parameters. Our data may add to the understanding and role of microcalcifications in coronary artery lesions.
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