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Arterial Adventitial Vasa Vasorum Density Reflects The Progression Of Unstable Plaques: A Retrospective Clinical

Jiemei Yang1, Penghao Gao2, Qiannan Li3

  • 1Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Cardiovascular Institute, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P.R. China; Cardiac Ultrasound Division, the First Affiliated Hospital, Cardiovascular Institute, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P.R. China.

Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
|February 16, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Arterial adventitial vasa vasorum (AVV) density in carotid arteries indicates atherosclerosis severity. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) effectively reduces AVV hyperplasia and shrinks atherosclerotic plaques in human lesions.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Biology
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Arterial adventitial vasa vasorum (AVV) is implicated in atherosclerosis (AS) development, but effective anti-AVV therapies are lacking.
  • AS is a systemic vascular disease involving multiple sites, not just local plaque formation.
  • Current understanding of AVV's role in carotid AS and potential therapeutic interventions requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if human carotid AVV density correlates with plaque neovascularization and intimal-media hyperplasia.
  • To investigate the efficacy of sonodynamic therapy (SDT) in reducing human AVV density.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective study of 160 carotid atherosclerosis patients.
  • Utilized duplex ultrasound scanning (DUS), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), coronary angiography, and CT angiography (CTA).
  • Employed Pearson correlation and ROC curve analysis to assess AVV/VV hyperplasia and intima-media thickness (IMT); developed SDT for treatment.

Main Results:

  • Local AVV presence in carotid plaques correlated with plaque echogenicity, progression, and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) events.
  • AVV hyperplasia in carotid plaques was associated with coronary artery stenosis.
  • SDT demonstrated a reduction in local AVV hyperplasia and plaque size in femoral and carotid lesions.

Conclusions:

  • AVV presence in human carotid arteries reflects the severity of both carotid and coronary artery AS.
  • SDT is a potential therapeutic approach to reduce AVV hyperplasia and mitigate AS progression in human arteries.
Abstract

Keywords:
Adventitial vasa vasorumArteriosclerosis plaqueContrast-enhanced ultrasoundIntraplaque vasa vasorumSonodynamic therapy

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