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European Heart Journal Advance Access published online on April 21, 2009
European Heart Journal, doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehp122
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Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2009. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Lipid-rich plaque and myocardial perfusion after successful stenting in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome: an optical coherence tomography study

Atsushi Tanaka*, Toshio Imanishi, Hironori Kitabata, Takashi Kubo, Shigeho Takarada, Takashi Tanimoto, Akio Kuroi, Hiroto Tsujioka, Hideyuki Ikejima, Kenichi Komukai, Hideaki Kataiwa, Keishi Okouchi, Manabu Kashiwaghi, Kohei Ishibashi, Hiroki Matsumoto, Kazushi Takemoto, Nobuo Nakamura, Kumiko Hirata, Masato Mizukoshi and Takashi Akasaka

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1, Kimiidera Wakayama, Japan

Received 2 September 2008; revised 6 March 2009; accepted 10 March 2009 * Corresponding author. Tel: +81 723 447 2300, Fax: +81 723 446 0631, Email: m4497147{at}msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp

Aims: Although some recent guidelines recommend an early invasive strategy for non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS), several studies have failed to identify any benefit for very early intervention for NSTEACS. The no-reflow phenomenon may inhibit the expected benefit from very early recanalization for NSTEACS subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether optical coherence tomography (OCT) could predict no-reflow in patients with NSTEACS.

Methods and results: This study comprised 83 consecutive patients with NSTEACS who underwent OCT and successful emergent primary stenting. On the basis of post-stent TIMI flow, patients were divided into two groups: no-reflow group (n = 14) and reflow group (n = 69). Thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) was defined as a plaque presenting lipid content for >90°, and with thinnest part of the fibrous cap measuring <70 µm. Thin-cap fibroatheroma were more frequently observed in the no-reflow group than in the reflow group (50% vs. 16%, P = 0.005). The frequency of the no-reflow phenomenon increases according to the size of the lipid arc in the culprit plaque. Final TIMI blush grade also deteriorated according to the increase in the lipid arc. A multivariable logistic regression model revealed that lipid arc alone was an independent predictor of no-reflow (odds ratio 1.018; CI 1.004–1.033; P = 0.01).

Conclusion: Optical coherence tomography can predict no-reflow after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in NSTEACS. The lipid contents of a culprit plaque may play a key role in damage to the microcirculation after PCI for NSTEACS. From our results, it is found that OCT is useful tool for stratifying risk for PCI for NSTEACS.

Key Words: Microcirculation • Reperfusion • Plaque • Angioplasty • OCT


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