The role of computed tomography angiography in assessing the correlation between properties of coronary atherosclerotic plaque and blood lipids

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAHD) is the leading cause of death in developed countries.

OBJECTIVE:

This study aimed to explore the correlation between the properties of coronary atherosclerotic plaque and blood lipids using computed tomography angiography (CTA).

METHODS:

A total of 83 patients with coronary heart disease were included in this study (males: 50; females: 33; average age: [59 $\pm$ 8] years old). They were classified into the stable angina group and unstable angina group. Atherosclerotic plaques were classified as fatty plaques (soft plaques), fibrous plaques, and calcified plaques based on the computed tomography (CT) values. SPSS 17.0 statistical software was used to analyze the correlation between the properties of angina and the CT values of atherosclerotic plaques, blood lipids, and plaque properties, and then compared between the stable and unstable angina groups.

RESULTS:

There were statistically significant differences in plaque properties between the stable and unstable angina groups ( $P<$ 0.001). During CTA examination, we found statistically significant differences in the CT density values of atherosclerotic plaques between the stable and unstable angina groups ( $P<$ 0.001). There were statistically significant differences between the properties of angina and the level of blood lipids ( $P<$ 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Anginal properties negatively correlated with calcified plaques and positively correlated with non-calcified plaques. Calcified plaques negatively correlated with total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG), and positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Non-calcified plaques negatively correlated with HDL-C and positively correlated with TC, LDL-C, and TG.