View clinical trials related to Plaque, Atherosclerotic.
Filter by:People with diabetes are at increased risk for atherosclerosis and have high CVD morbidity and mortality rates. Tools for detecting and quantifying atherosclerotic pro/regression in people with diabetes and other CVD risk factors lack sensitivity and specificity for molecular level events that occur during the early stages of atherogenesis. Inflammatory macrophage infiltration in the vessel endothelium is an early, molecular level proatherogenic event. Activated macrophages consume glucose at a high rate. Novel in vivo radiotracer PET/CT techniques have been developed to detect, image and quantify molecular level events like macrophage inflammation and glucose utilization (18FDG) in human vessels. We propose to develop and test this novel technique in the Center for Clinical Imaging Research (CCIR) at WUMS. We propose that HIV-infected people with significant CVD risk profiles are a suitable, unique human model for testing these novel imaging techniques. HIV-infected people taking anti-HIV medications develop insulin resistance, T2DM, dyslipidemia, central adiposity, and hypertension. HIV replicates in macrophages and represents a chronic proinflammatory condition. Recent data indicate that HIV+ CVD risk have greater risk for atherosclerosis and MI than HIV-negative people. To test feasibility, we hypothesize that: a.18FDG-PET/CT imaging will detect more macrophage glucose uptake and inflammation in the carotid and aorta arteries of HIV-infected people with CVD risk than in HIV-negative controls; b. radiotracer PET/CT measures of proatherogenic processes will correlate with carotid intima media thickness; a standard measure of carotid atherosclerotic burden. We propose to obtain pilot data that shows feasibility for a novel analytical approach that will expand capabilities for researchers interested in studying the links between diabetes, inflammation, and CVD in humans.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, atorvastatin attenuates inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques detected by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose(FDG) PET.
The purpose of this study is to utilize high-resolution CMR carotid imaging for the characterization of carotid wall volumes and plaque content in patients with clinical significant carotid atherosclerosis. Patients who are scheduled to undergo an imaging procedure will be recruited from the cath lab. Upon enrollment, blood samples conventional and genetic profiling will be collected. For patients undergoing a carotid endarterectomy, tissue from the carotid vessel will be collected during their procedure. Comparison of the MR images with tissue and/or blood samples will be made. Length of time in the study will be approximately 1 day. There will be no study-related patient follow-up.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether intensive lipid lowering and Omega-3 fatty acid are effective in the treatment of coronary atherosclerotic plaque.
This study will assess the effect of RO4607381, compared to placebo, on atherosclerotic plaque in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) including patients with other CHD risk factors. After a pre-randomisation period during which positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT) and MRI will be conducted, patients will be randomized to receive either RO4607381 600mg po daily, or placebo po daily. PET/CT and MRI scans will be taken at intervals during the study. The anticipated time on study treatment is 2 years, and the target sample size is 100 individuals.
The aim of the present study is to examine the atherosclerotic plaque stability using in vivo and in vitro techniques and to investigate the influence of exercise, anti-diabetic, lipid-lowering and cannabinoids receptor antagonists on atherosclerotic plaque texture in patients with cardiovascular risk and animals prone to atherosclerosis.
Lipid-rich atherosclerotic plaques, or "vulnerable plaques" are prone to rupture, causing local intravascular thrombosis, with subsequent grave clinical consequences. Atherosclerotic plaques normally removed during surgery, and peripheral blood samples will be studied to achieve the following objectives: "1" Define histological features of the vulnerable plaque, analyze its physical characteristics, and investigate selected gene expression. "2" Study biomarkers of inflammation in conjunction with the presence of vulnerable plaques. "3" Explore the potential role of infection in atherogenesis.
This study will identify genes and proteins in the blood of patients with atherosclerosis and in that of normal volunteers. The findings will be compared to determine the influence of these substances on the development of atherosclerosis a narrowing and hardening of blood vessel walls by deposits of fatty substances. Blood vessel blockage caused by atherosclerosis can impede blood flow and cause stroke, heart attack and poor limb circulation. The information from this study may lead to better ways to detect, prevent and treat these diseases. Healthy volunteers and patients scheduled for carotid endarterectomy at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, are eligible for this study. Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure in which the inner layer of the carotid artery (neck artery supplying blood to the brain) is scraped away to open the blocked vessel. Participants will undergo the following tests and procedures: Patients - Blood sample: Collection of about 32 cc (8 tablespoons) of blood for genetic and protein analysis - Tissue sample: Collection of a piece of diseased blood vessel discarded from the endarterectomy procedure - Review of records: Review of medical records for information about past illnesses, medications, tests, and so forth, if needed Normal Volunteers - Blood samples: Collection of about 32 cc (8 tablespoons) of blood for genetic and protein analysis - Carotid artery ultrasound: Ultrasound imaging of the neck arteries for detection of any blockage - Electrocardiogram: Recording of the electrical activity of the heart to detect any abnormalities in heart rhythm - Echocardiogram: Ultrasound examination to detect possible abnormalities of the heart muscle - Cardiac stress test: Treadmill stress test to detect possible heart vessel blockage (for subjects who have not had a cardiac stress test in the past year) - Review of records: Review of medical records for information about past illnesses, medications, tests, and so forth, if needed
Rupture of unstable atherosclerotic plaques is the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism of acute coronary syndromes and thus also of perioperative myocardial ischemia. Lipid lowering drugs such as statins and fibrates have been shown to improve the outcomes of patients with atherosclerosis. This is not only mediated through their therapeutic actions on lipid metabolism, but relies on a multitude of pleiotropic effects of these substances. One of the most interesting of these effects is the stabilisation of atherosclerotic plaques. To investigate these effects in a perioperative setting, patients scheduled for thromboendarterectomy of the carotid artery will be recruited. They will be randomised to receive either atorvastatin 10mg/d, gemfibrozil 1200mg/d or placebo for two weeks preoperatively. Specimens of carotid plaques will be obtained intraoperatively. After microscopic characterisation of plaques, DNA-microarray analyses will be done to gain insights into the transcriptional regulation and expression profiles of various types of atherosclerotic plaques under different pharmacological circumstances (stable or unstable with statin/fibrate/placebo).
First, to establish a comparison of the pathophysiology of carotid atherosclerosis and the genetic and environmental variables that cause those plaques to become symptomatic. Second, to differentiate between vulnerable plaque and other types of plaque using ultrasound elastography, MRI data, trans-cranial doppler along with RF (radio frequency) analysis of back-scattered ultrasonic echoes.