Atherosclerosis plus最新文献

{"title":"Association of lipoprotein(a) with the angiographic extent of coronary artery disease and selected angiographic findings in patients with acute coronary syndromes","authors":"Michał Miszczak,&nbsp;Beata Mokrauz,&nbsp;Paweł Piwowarczyk,&nbsp;Grzegorz Sobieszek,&nbsp;Michał Woś,&nbsp;Aleksander Prejbisz,&nbsp;Piotr Dobrowolski","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100605","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100605","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The aim of this study was to investigate the association of serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] concentrations with the angiographic extent of coronary artery disease and selected angiographic findings in patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective, single-center study included 1009 consecutive patients hospitalized with ACS, including unstable angina (UA), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), between November 2022 and February 2025. Serum Lp(a) concentrations were measured routinely within the first 24 h of hospitalization. Associations between Lp(a) concentrations and angiographic findings were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for major cardiovascular risk factors.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The median Lp(a) concentration was 23.8 nmol/L, and elevated Lp(a) concentrations (≥105 nmol/L) were observed in 24.9% of patients. Higher Lp(a) concentrations were associated with a greater angiographic extent of coronary artery disease, including an increased prevalence of three-vessel disease and chronic total occlusions (CTO). In multivariable analyses, each 50 nmol/L increase in Lp(a) was associated with higher odds of three-vessel disease (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08–1.24; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) and CTO (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.06–1.29; <em>p</em> = 0.003). Using the clinically recommended threshold of ≥105 nmol/L, elevated Lp(a) remained independently associated with three-vessel disease (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.12–2.03; <em>p</em> = 0.008) and CTO (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.17–2.90; <em>p</em> = 0.009). Patients with premature STEMI exhibited the highest Lp(a) concentrations among all ACS subgroups. Among routinely measured lipid parameters, Lp(a) demonstrated the highest discriminatory performance for identifying CTO, although the overall discriminatory ability was modest.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Elevated Lp(a) concentrations were independently associated with the angiographic extent of coronary artery disease in patients with acute coronary syndromes, including multivessel disease and chronic total occlusions. These findings demonstrate a cross-sectional association between a single Lp(a) measurement obtained during the index hospitalization and selected angiographic findings. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these associations and determine their clinical significance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 100605"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148958096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The value and limitations of genetic testing in diagnosing and advising on cardiovascular risk in the rare Tangier Disease","authors":"A.J. Baxter,&nbsp;F. Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100589","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 100589"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148958290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TUDOR: a treatment-adjusted diagnostic algorithm for familial hypercholesterolaemia with dual external validation in 4,028 genetically confirmed cases","authors":"N. Genedy ∗,&nbsp;S. Zouwail","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100590","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 100590"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148958291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distribution of Lipoprotein(a) Concentrations in Children and Young People with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) compared to those without FH: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis","authors":"L. Priestley-Barnham,&nbsp;S.E. Humphries,&nbsp;J. Wray,&nbsp;T. Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.100596","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"65 ","pages":"Article 100596"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148958298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bisphosphonates use is associated with increased coronary artery calcification in the general population: The Rotterdam study","authors":"Mitra Nekouei Shahraki ,&nbsp;Layal Chaker ,&nbsp;Evert van Velsen ,&nbsp;Mare van Overbruggen ,&nbsp;Chris Heugens ,&nbsp;Maryam Kavousi ,&nbsp;Bruno H. Stricker ,&nbsp;Daniel Bos","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aims</h3><div>Bisphosphonates may influence arterial calcification through mechanisms shared with bone formation. As treatment often extends over several years, assessing the arterial effects requires long-term follow-up. This population-based cohort estimated the long-term association of bisphosphonates with calcification across multiple key arterial sites.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We included 2399 Rotterdam Study participants with baseline CT-assessed calcification in the coronary arteries (CAC), aortic arch (AAC), and extra/intracranial carotid arteries (ECAC and ICAC). Among these, 815 participants underwent repeat CT after a mean of 13.6 years. Pharmacy-linked data provided cumulative information on bisphosphonate use from study entry to follow-up. Multivariable linear and mixed-effects regressions evaluated associations between bisphosphonate use, duration, and the dose-response of duration with calcification volume.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Long-term bisphosphonate use (&gt;5 years) was statistically significantly associated with larger baseline CAC compared with both never use (β [95 % CI]: 0.42 [0.10, 0.73]) and short-term use (<em>p-interaction</em> = 0.02). At follow-up, prolonged use (mean duration: 4.9 years) was also significantly associated with increased CAC. Effect estimates increased across quartiles of duration for CAC, AAC, and ECAC (but not ICAC), with a significant linear trend only for CAC (<em>p-trend</em> &lt; 0.0001), suggesting a dose-response relationship. Across arterial sites, CAC showed the largest effect estimates, ICAC the smallest.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Long-term bisphosphonate use is associated with increased arterial calcification, most notably with increased CAC, with a dose-response relationship further strengthening this observation. Large-scale observational studies are encouraged to use advanced causal inference methods to evaluate this long-term association and provide additional evidence to strengthen the causal interpretation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"63 ","pages":"Pages 19-27"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role and mechanism of G9A-BMP2 in calcification-induced formation of unstable plaque","authors":"Wenjuan Yang ,&nbsp;Zheng Ma ,&nbsp;Ying Cui ,&nbsp;Shaobin Jia","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.02.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.02.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>G9A, a histone methyltransferase that facilitates H3K9 dimethylation, has been implicated in the epigenetic regulation of vascular processes. This study encapsulates its involvement in the calcification and stability of atherosclerotic plaques, further investigating its interaction with bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), a pivotal factor in vascular calcification, unveiling that G9A fosters plaque calcification and instability via the BMP2 signaling pathway.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The progression of unstable plaques, histone methylation status, and vascular calcification incidence were monitored in the carotid plaques of ApoE^−/− mice subjected to a high-fat diet over 30 weeks. Additionally, these parameters were scrutinized in pathological specimens from patients who underwent carotid plaque excision. In vitro, rat thoracic aortic smooth muscle A7R5 cells were cultured, with the G9A gene being manipulated through techniques of gene knockdown and overexpression.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In ApoE^−/−mice and human carotid arteries, calcification exacerbated plaque instability in the context of a high-fat diet. This phenomenon was accompanied by elevated levels of G9A and dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 9, alongside G9A expression in vitro. The absence of G9A in vitro impeded the calcification process of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), whereas G9A overexpression prompted a shift in the phenotypic attributes of smooth muscle cells.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings indicate that G9A amplifies vascular calcification through the activation of Bmp2 signaling, a fundamental mediator of vascular calcification. The relationship between vascular calcification and the emergence of unstable plaques may be intricately associated with histone methylation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"63 ","pages":"Pages 77-87"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147396788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heterozygous transferrin receptor 1 deletion reduces atherosclerotic lesion formation in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice","authors":"Yoshiro Naito,&nbsp;Tetsuo Horimatsu,&nbsp;Masanori Asakura,&nbsp;Masaharu Ishihara","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2025.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2025.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), an intracellular iron receptor, has multiple biological functions. We have previously reported that aortic TfR1 expression increases in human and murine abdominal aortic aneurysm, but its role in the development of atherosclerosis remains unclear. In the present study, we generated apolipoprotein-E (ApoE) and TfR1 deficient mice and examined the impact of its deletion on the development of atherosclerosis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods and results</h3><div>Homozygous ApoE deficient (<em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>}) mice were crossbred to heterozygous TfR1 deficient (<em>TfR1</em>^{<em>+/−</em>}) mice to generate ApoE and TfR1 deficient (<em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>}<em>/TfR1</em>^{<em>+/−</em>}) mice. <em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>} and <em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>}<em>/TfR1</em>^{<em>+/−</em>} mice presented a similar phenotype including body weight and lipid values. Of note, after a high-fat feeding for 16 weeks, <em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>}<em>/TfR1</em>^{<em>+/−</em>} mice exhibited a reduction of the atherosclerotic areas in the aortic sinus and aorta compared with <em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>} mice despite similar lipid values. In addition, <em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>}<em>/TfR1</em>^{<em>+/−</em>} mice showed decreases in oxidative stress and macrophage accumulation in the aortic sinus and aorta compared with <em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>} mice.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These results indicate that TfR1 deletion attenuates the development of atherosclerotic lesion formation in <em>ApoE</em>^{<em>−/−</em>} mice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"63 ","pages":"Pages 14-18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population-based reference intervals for lipid function tests in pregnant and non-pregnant women in Nairobi City, Kenya","authors":"David Nzioka Mutua ,&nbsp;Eliud Nyaga Mwaniki Njagi ,&nbsp;George Owino Orinda","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Accurate interpretation of clinical laboratory test results relies on the application of appropriate reference intervals, which differs between populations. Despite this, there is no Kenyan-derived reference values for clinical management of both pregnant and non-pregnant women, potentially leading to diagnostic misclassification. This study established age- and trimester-specific reference intervals for lipid function tests and compare them with the current practice cut-offs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Lipid parameters were determined in non-pregnant and pregnant women aged 19–29 and 30–40 years, partitioned by trimester. The measured parameters included total cholesterol, low and density lipoproteins, triglycerides, non-high-density lipoproteins, and their ratios. Differences between groups were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Out-of-range analysis were performed between the newly developed reference intervals and the current practice reference values.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Significant age- and trimester-specific differences were noted in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and lipid ratios (p &lt; 0.05), with incremental increases observed in later trimesters. High-density lipoproteins showed variable changes. Out-of-range comparison show significant misclassification: 54 % of pregnant women aged 30–40 years in the trimester two exceeded current low-density lipoproteins reference intervals, while 60 % were misclassified for triglycerides in third trimester. Remarkably, 100 % of women across all groups fell outside the standard high-density lipoproteins reference limits.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The current practice reference intervals are inappropriate for clinical assessment of pregnant and non-pregnant women in Nairobi, Kenya. Establishing age- and trimester-specific reference intervals provides a more accurate clinical decision-making tool, enhancing maternal care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"63 ","pages":"Pages 44-51"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pre-procedural C-reactive protein levels and carotid or intracranial artery restenosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Krishi Jain ,&nbsp;Hermann Pasha ,&nbsp;J.J. Coughlan ,&nbsp;Daniel O'Callaghan ,&nbsp;Niall Connolly ,&nbsp;Roisin Colleran ,&nbsp;Osama Soliman ,&nbsp;Robert A. Byrne ,&nbsp;Himanshu Rai","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Restenosis of the carotid or intracranial (IC) arteries, shown to be associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke, represents an unresolved clinical issue. Residual local and systemic inflammation at the time of the index revascularization, of which C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of, has been associated with coronary restenosis. Its association with carotid or IC restenosis post revascularization, however, remains uncertain. We therefore conducted a systematic review and a study-level meta-analysis investigating the association of pre-procedural CRP levels and the subsequent incidence of carotid and IC restenosis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Online databases of PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched for articles published until August 31st, 2025. Pooled effect sizes were obtained from study-level standard mean differences (SMD) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI), employing a Z-test, with random effects for analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Out of 175 unique articles screened, 12 case-control studies, with a total sample of 2040 (325 restenosis cases/1715 no-restenosis controls), were included for quantitative synthesis. The pooled results demonstrated that pre-procedural CRP levels were associated with carotid or IC restenosis, with significantly higher pre-procedural CRP levels amongst the restenosis group in comparison to the no-restenosis group (SMD = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.11–0.89, p = 0.01). No apparent publication bias was detected either visually by Begg's funnel plot or Egger's test (p = 0.51). Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis supported the robustness of the results.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This meta-analysis suggests a significant association between pre-procedural CRP levels and the subsequent incidence of carotid and intracranial artery restenosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"63 ","pages":"Pages 52-57"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Statin treatment in routine clinical practice: Insights from the STATRIP physician survey","authors":"Panagiota Anyfanti ,&nbsp;Christina Antza ,&nbsp;Dimitrios Poulis ,&nbsp;Konstantinos Konstantaros ,&nbsp;Makrina Savvoulidou ,&nbsp;Georgios Styliadis ,&nbsp;Vasilios Kotsis","doi":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.athplu.2026.01.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Statins remain to date the primary therapeutic option for dyslipidemia. However, a significant portion of patients with dyslipidemia fail to achieve optimal low-density lipoprotein targets for reasons often related to treating physicians. The aim of STAtin Treatment in Routine clinical Practice (STATRIP) survey was to report and quantify perceptions and common beliefs regarding treatment with statins, among physicians implicated in the primary and secondary care of patients with dyslipidemia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods and results</h3><div>This observational cross-sectional study was conducted using an online-distributed questionnaire, which was designed to cover a wide range of physicians’ knowledge and perceptions on treatment with statins. A total of 261 health care providers filled out the survey, mostly general practitioners and internists (93.5 %). Study participants clearly expressed their concerns regarding statin-related side effects, including fears on interactions with other medication, muscle aches and pain, increase in liver enzymes, and gastrointestinal disorders. Myalgias were observed by physicians in as many as 29.2 % of patients receiving rosuvastatin, and in as many as 26.5 % receiving atorvastatin. Combination lipid-lowering therapy with ezetimibe was reported by only 53.6 % of participants as a prevalent strategy for uncontrolled individuals. Only 58.6 % apply non-HDL cholesterol measurements in their clinical practice.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our study provides a clear perspective of treating physicians regarding statin prescription patterns. Several misconceptions, especially regarding statin-related adverse effects, hold well among treating physicians. Insufficient implementation of dyslipidemia guidelines calls for more targeted educational interventions to achieve optimal management of patients with dyslipidemia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72324,"journal":{"name":"Atherosclerosis plus","volume":"63 ","pages":"Pages 28-33"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}