Angiography-derived radial wall strain corresponds with plaque composition and vulnerability: Study

CAG and OCT images from 114 patients (124 vessels) were analyzed.

Following were the study's salient findings:

• The average time for the analysis of RWSmax was 57 seconds.
• The RWSmax in the interrogated plaques was 12% and correlated positively with the LCR (r=0.584) and lipidic plaque burden (r=0.411) and negatively with fibrous cap thickness (r= −0.439).
• An RWSmax >12% was an angiographic predictor for an LCR >0.33 (area under the curve [AUC]=0.86) and TCFA (AUC=0.72).
• Lesions with RWSmax >12% had a higher prevalence of TCFA (22.0% versus 1.5%), thinner fibrous cap thickness (71 μm versus 101 μm), more considerable lipidic plaque burden (23.3% versus 15.4%), and higher maximum LCR (0.41 versus 0.18) compared to lesions with RWSmax ≤12%.

The researchers conclude, "in patients with intermediate coronary stenosis, angiography-derived RWS was notably correlated with plaque composition and known OCT features of plaque vulnerability."

Reference:

The study titled "Radial wall strain: a novel angiographic measure of plaque composition and vulnerability" was published in EuroIntervention. DOI: 10.4244/EIJ-D-22-00537