Elucidation of the pathogenic mechanism of plaque disruptions: the significance of cholesterol crystals

• Project/Area Number: 25461074
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Inami Shigenobu 国際医療福祉大学, 大学病院, 准教授 (30350044)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高野 仁司 日本医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (90277533)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: 急性冠症候群 / コレステリン結晶 / 不安定プラーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Background: Recent reports suggest that cholesterol crystallizations within a coronary plaque plays a key role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We investigated whether cholesterol crystals (CCs) within coronary plaques are related to a history of ACS. Methods: 42 patients with a history of ACS (prior ACS group) and 40 patients without that (no prior ACS group) were enrolled and underwent optical coherence tomography in multiple coronary arteries in order to detect CCs. Results: At least one cholesterol crystal was found somewhere on the explored coronary arteries in 52 patients (63.4%). CCs was found more frequently in prior ACS group patients (33pts.78.6%) than no prior ACS group (19pts.47.5%) (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated the correlation between the presence of CCs within coronary plaques and a history of ACS. CCs within coronary plaques might be a key pathological feature of vulnerable coronary