Impact of Myocardial Bridging on Plaque Vulnerability and Long-Term Clinical Outcomes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K09536
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: Kawasaki Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Ryotaro 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (70388974)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 根石 陽二 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (80319946) ; 久米 輝善 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (60341088)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 心筋架橋 / 粥状動脈硬化症 / 不安定プラーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A myocardial bridging (MB) is the term for the anatomic variant where the myocardial muscle partially covers the epicardial coronary arteries, especially the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed in 70 patients without significant stenosis in the LAD. MB was identified 47 cases (67.1%). Plaque volume, plaque vulnerability and calcified lesions within the MB segment were significantly greater than in the proximal LAD. Plaque volume and plaque vulnerability within the distal LAD were significantly greater in non-MB patients compared with MB patients. On the other hand, there were no differences in plaque characteristics within the proximal LAD regardless of MB.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

MBを有する例ではOCTを用いることでプラークの不安定性や石灰化病変を有する割合がMB内よりMB近位部で高率であり、慎重なフォローが必要であること実証された。