View clinical trials related to Plaque, Atherosclerotic.
Filter by:Detection of coronary stenosis is of utmost importance in identifying vulnerable patients. The combined use of coronary computed tomography angiography at rest (CCTA) and stress myocardial computed tomography perfusion (stress-CTP) provides both anatomic and functional analysis of coronary artery disease (CAD) using a single imaging test. Stress-CTP evaluates myocardial perfusion by measuring myocardial blood flow (MBF) under pharmacologically induced stress conditions. The drawback is that stress-CTP requires additional scanning and administration of an intravenous stressor with an increase in radiation exposure and potential stressor-related side effects. The investigators recently patented a computational model that can reproduce MBF under stress conditions (Italian patent n. 102021000031475 Metodo implementato mediante computer per la simulazione del flusso sanguigno miocardico in condizioni di stress [Computational method for simulating myocardial blood flow in stress conditions], half owned by Centro Cardiologico Monzino, half by Politecnico di Milano). On top of this, CCTA can characterize plaque type and identify adverse plaque characteristics. Moreover, biomechanics analysis allows the study of luminal stenosis and stress within the plaque. Finally, radiomics, extracting quantitative features from medical images to create big data and identify novel imaging biomarkers, can be applied to improve the diagnostic accuracy of coronary plaques.
Chronological aging significantly contributes to structural and functional alterations in the vasculature, making it a major risk factor for atherosclerotic disease and its acute thrombotic events. DNA damage, including telomeric, non-telomeric, and mitochondrial damage, is recognized as a key initiator of vascular aging and atherogenesis. There is abundant evidence indicating the presence of oxidative DNA lesions, telomere erosion, and mitochondrial DNA damage in both experimental and human plaques, as well as in the peripheral cells of atherosclerotic patients. It is increasingly evident that genomic instability activates signaling pathways that lead to a multitude of pathophysiological cellular and molecular changes. These changes promote inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, and ultimately, cellular senescence, accompanied by the "senescence-associated secretory phenotype" (SASP). However, the precise mechanisms linking the DNA damage response (DDR) to senescence, SASP in vascular cells, and the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and vulnerable atheroma are yet to be fully understood. Additional research is needed to delineate the underlying mechanisms through which mitochondrial dysfunction influences telomere length and vice versa, and how their interaction contributes to the vascular aging process. Progress in this area has the potential to uncover therapeutic targets and novel, more precise diagnostic, and prognostic indicators. The objectives of the VICTORIA study are to examine the levels of aging-related non-coding RNA deregulation (specifically lncRNA TERRA and mitomiR) and peripheral markers of cell aging (including telomere length and mitochondrial DNA content) across the various spectra of angina pectoris (stable angina, unstable angina, NSTEMI, and STEMI). Additionally, the study aims to determine whether these markers are correlated with vulnerable plaque characteristics and major adverse cardiovascular events.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect medication on your heart. All patients between 18-80 years of age, at intermediate or high risk for coronary heart disease (calculated based on age, gender, race, and history of smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history of early coronary heart disease) with/without symptoms suggestive of heart disease, including chest pain or shortness of breath on exertion, will be selected to take part in this study. CT scan will be used to assess to see if the prescribed treatment changes the blood vessels in heart. The investigators are doing this study because they want to develop better tools to predict, diagnose, and treat coronary heart disease. This research will help improve care for patients with coronary heart disease by evaluating heart vessel narrowing and improving the decision-making for treatment.
The main objective of the present study is to verify, in vivo, whether shear forces computed solely based on coronary angiography and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques are associated with the biomarkers indicating the prothrombotic tendency of circulating blood in situ - distally and proximally to the coronary stenosis. The study will prospectively assess the relationship between i) the value and distribution of shear rate and shear stress (SS) estimated using three-dimensional angiography and CFD techniques, and ii) atherosclerotic plaque characteristics as assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), iii) functional parameters of diseased vessels assessed by vessel fractional flow reserve (vFFR), and iv) in situ platelet activation, as expressed by platelet-derived microvesicles (pMVs) and small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), platelet aggregometry and other serum prothrombotic or inflammatory biomarkers sampled within the coronary artery.
Branch atheromatous disease (BAD)-related stroke, characterized by subcortical single infarcts without severe stenosis of the large artery, but with a clear atherosclerotic mechanism, is now regarded as a separate stroke type. BAD is associated with early neurological deterioration and poor prognosis, but is lack of effective therapy. The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to test the efficacy and safety of intravenous tirofiban in patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by branch atheromatous disease. The main question it aims to answer is: Compared with standard antiplatelet therapy based on current stroke guideline, whether tirofiban used in acute phase of BAD could improve the proportion of excellent functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale: 0-1) at 90 days. Researcher will also compare the rate of major bleeding between treatment and control groups.
The goal of this clinical trail is to compare the differences in carotid plaque Treg cells' gene signature for activation, proliferation, and suppressive function using scRNA-seq in patients treated with IL-2 compared to control.
To evaluate the association of surem TRAF3IP2 levels with the atherosclerotic plaque development in human
Intracranial atherosclerotic disease is the most common cause of ischemic stroke in Asia, also in China. Currently, despite vascular recanalization therapy, statins are one of the main drug choices for treating atherosclerotic plaque. High resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) can accurately assess the status of intracranial and extracranial arterial plaque, and has high consistency with histopathology. Thus, HRMRI technology has been widely used to monitor the efficacy of drug treatment for atherosclerotic plaque in clinical trials or practice. As a non-invasive technique, HRMRI make it possible to assess the morphologic characteristics of vascular wall and plaque composition of intracranial artery in vivo. It can quantitative analysis including components such as lipid-rich necrotic core, fiber cap thickness, intra-plaque hemorrhage, calcification, etc. Therefore, it is crucial for evaluating the etiology of ischemic stroke and developing secondary prevention strategies. At present, there is a lack of large-scale and prospective study to evaluate the etiology of ischemic stroke including cryptogenic stroke based on HRMRI. In this context, this study aims to establish a multi center HRMRI database of intracranial arteries among Chinese patients with ischemic stroke.
Evaluation of carotid plaque vulnerability based on ultrasound imaging features， proteomics and metabolomics: a clinical multicenter study
The goal of this observational study is to learn more about plaque biology in asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) patients through imaging. The main questions it aims to answer are: - To determine the ability of 64Cu-CANF-Comb positron emission tomography (PET) to risk stratify ACAS patients for stroke event, to include transient ischemic attack or remote ipsilateral intervention. - To further understand the role of Natriuretic Peptide Receptor C (NPRC) in the evolution of carotid atherosclerosis. Participants will be asked to undergo a carotid PET-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination to assess whether the carotid atherosclerosis uptake of 64Cu-CANF-Comb as measured by PET-MRI correlates with patient outcomes (stroke, transient ischemic attack, or remote ipsilateral intervention).