Risk Factors for Plaque Vulnerability in a Community Population: Endothelial Function and Arterial Stiffness Indexes

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Vascular Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Atherosclerotic plaque rupture is a leading cause of cardiovascular mortality.
• Early identification of vulnerable plaques is crucial for preventing acute cardiovascular events.
• Current preventive strategies for atherosclerotic vascular disease require improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key risk factors for carotid artery plaque stability and vulnerability.
• To provide insights for early prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Main Methods:

• 136 patients with stable and 635 with vulnerable plaques were analyzed.
• Arterial stiffness and endothelial function were assessed.
• Logistic regression was used to analyze associations with plaque stability.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in cf-PWV or RHI between stable and vulnerable plaque groups.
• Male sex, smoking history, ejection, and duration were risk factors for plaque stability.
• Male sex, increased Aortic AIx, decreased SEVR, and shorter carotid-femoral distance independently correlated with plaque vulnerability.

Conclusions:

• RHI and cf-PWV showed no relation to plaque stability.
• Male sex, decreased SEVR, increased Aortic AIx, and shorter carotid-femoral artery distance increase the risk of vulnerable plaques.
• Findings offer a reference for early cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease prevention.