Plasma Pentraxin3 Level Is Associated With Plaque Vulnerability Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients...

The role of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has been implicated in the process of plaque vulnerability. However, few studies have addressed the direct relationship between plaque morphology and plasma PTX3. We evaluated the relationship between coronary vulnerable plaque, assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), and plasma PTX3 in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).OCT was used to determine plaque vulnerability in 51 patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS; n = 17) and stable angina (SA; n = 34). Both highly-sensitive C-reactive protein and systemic plasma PTX3 were measured.Based on the OCT findings, patients were divided into 3 groups; a fibrous plaque (n = 18), thick-cap fibroatheroma (ThCFA) (n = 19), and thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) (n = 14) groups. ThCFA was defined as a lipid-rich plaque (lipid content in ≥ 2 quadrant) covered with ≥ 65 μm thick fibrous cap, and TCFA was that with < 65 μm. There were no differences in patient characteristics between the 3 groups except for the presence of ACS and eicosapentaenoic acid levels. TCFA was more frequently observed with plaque rupture and intraluminal thrombus compared with the other 2 groups. Plasma PTX3 levels were higher in the TCFA group compared with the fibrous plaque and ThCFA groups, and showed weak correlation with cap thickness.Plasma PTX3 level was associated with plaque vulnerability assessed by OCT in patients with CAD.