Search results for "atherosclerotic"

Management of homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia in two brothers

2018

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a rare, genetic disorder of abnormally high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) requiring aggressive interventions to retard the evolution of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We treated two brothers (ages 46 years and 47 years) with HoFH with statins, lipoproteinapheresis (LA) and the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor lomitapide. Both brothers carried the p.Thr434Arg homozygous LDLR mutation and had childhood total cholesterol levels >700 mg/dL. Inter-LA LDL-C levels remained high; therefore, they were given escalating doses of oral lomitapide (5–10 mg/day). One brother was able to maintain LDL-C l…

Impaired Vitamin D Signaling in Endothelial Cell Leads to an Enhanced Leukocyte-Endothelium Interplay: Implications for Atherosclerosis Development

2015

Endothelial cell activation leading to leukocyte recruitment and adhesion plays an essential role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Vitamin D has cardioprotective actions, while its deficiency is a risk factor for the progression of cardiovascular damage. Our aim was to assess the role of basal levels of vitamin D receptor (VDR) on the early leukocyte recruitment and related endothelial cell-adhesion-molecule expression, as essential prerequisites for the onset of atherosclerosis. Knockdown of VDR in endothelial cells (shVDR) led to endothelial cell activation, characterized by upregulation of VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and IL-6, decreased peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) ro…

Comparison of iodinated contrast media for the assessment of atherosclerotic plaque attenuation values by CT coronary angiography: observations in an…

2013

Objective: To compare the influence of different iodinated contrast media with several dilutions on plaque attenuation in an ex vivo coronary model studied by multislice CT coronary angiography. Methods: In six ex vivo left anterior descending coronary arteries immersed in oil, CT (slices/collimation 64x0.625 mm, temporal resolution 210 ms, pitch 0.2) was performed after intracoronary injection of a saline solution, and solutions of a dimeric isosmolar contrast medium (Iodixanol 320 mgl ml(-1)) and a monomeric high-iodinated contrast medium (Iomeprol 400 mgl ml(-1)) with dilutions of 1/80 (low concentration), 1/50 (medium concentration), 1/40 (high concentration) and 1/20 (very high concent…

Haemodynamic predictors of a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer rupture using fluid-structure interaction analysis

2013

We present preliminary data on the flow-induced haemodynamic and structural loads exerted on a penetrating atherosclerotic aortic ulcer (PAU). Specifically, one-way fluid-structure interaction analysis was performed on the aortic model reconstructed from a 66-year-old male patient with a PAU that evolved into an intramural haematoma and rupture of the thoracic aorta. The results show that elevated blood pressure (117 mmHg) and low flow velocity at the aortic wall (0.15 m/s(2)) occurred in the region of the PAU. We also found a low value of time-averaged wall shear stress (1.24 N/m(2)) and a high value of the temporal oscillation in the wall shear stress (oscillatory shear index = 0.13) in t…

Periodontal status and the incidence of selected bacterial pathogens in periodontal pockets and vascular walls in patients with atherosclerosis and a…

2022

The aim of the study was to examine the periodontal status of patients with atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysms. The occurrence of 5 periodontopathogens was evaluated in periodontal pockets and atheromatous plaques together with specimens from pathologically changed vascular walls of aortic aneurysms. The study comprised 39 patients who qualified for vascular surgeries. Patients with periodontitis and concomitant atherosclerosis or aneurysms were enrolled in the study. Periodontal indices were evaluated, and subgingival plaque samples were examined together with atheromatous plaques or specimens from vascular walls to identify, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the following pe…

“Visual guidebook” of coronary atherosclerotic plaque features by Multislice CT Coronary Angiography

2009

How to describe Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque Features by State-of-the-Art Multislice CT

2006

Prognostic outcome of atherosclerotic plaques in patients with suspected coronary artery disease assessed with Multislice Computed Tomography Coronar…

2010

Imaging of atherosclerotic plaque with non invasive Multislice Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography

2011

LA CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIAE È CORRELABILE CON LA ROTTURA DELLA PLACCA ATEROSCLEROTICA? RUPTURE OF THE ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE: IS CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIAE A P…

2006

Background. The natural history of atherosclerosis has not clearly been elucidated yet. Some works reported that flogosis plays a role in plaque instability. Why does this inflammatory process start? We investigated the correlation between Chlamydia pneumoniae acute infection and plaque rupture. Methods. We compared blood concentrations of IgM anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae in patients affected by acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and in patients affected by stable angina. Results. Our results showed a minimal statistical difference, with a more positive value in patients with AMI. Subsequently, the group affected by AMI was divided into two subgroups with and without plaque rupture: the subgrou…