The stimulatory effect on plaque formation observed when calcium was included in the plating medium (Potter and Nelson, 1952) suggested an investigation of the effects of calcium on the bacteriophage-host relationship. For the results of such an investigation to have significance, it was necessary that experiments be conducted in a basal medium that was essentially calcium-free so the amount of...

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetics are at increased risk for vascular events, but the value of further risk stratification for coronary heart disease (CHD) in asymptomatic subjects is unclear. We examined the added value of coronary computed tomography angiography over clinical risk scores (United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study), and coronary artery calcium in a population-based cohort of asymptom...

Kidney stone disease, or nephrolithiasis, is a common ailment. Among the different risk factors usually associated with nephrolithiasis are dehydration, metabolic defects (especially with regard to calcium and oxalate). The presence of a mineral deposit at the surface of the renal papilla (termed Randall's plaque) has all been recently underlined. Of note, Randall's plaque is made of the calciu...

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine whether the amount of noncalcified plaque (NCP) in nonobstructive coronary lesions as detected by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) was a predictor of future coronary events. BACKGROUND Patients presenting with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) frequently have multiple coronary plaques, which may be detected with MDCT. METHODS W...

BACKGROUND Virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) imaging is an innovative tool for the morphological evaluation of coronary atherosclerosis. Evidence for the effects of statin therapy on VH-IVUS parameters have been inconclusive. Consequently, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the impact of statin therapy on plaque volume and its composition using ...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to compare carotid plaque burden, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and abdominal aortic diameter (AAD) to coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in people without known cardiovascular disease. BACKGROUND The clinical utility of risk factors to predict cardiovascular events is limited. Detection of subclinical atheroscler...

INTRODUCTION The findings from intravascular ultrasound studies on the impact of calcium deposits on the results of stent implantation are conflicting. AIM To evaluate whether calcium deposits as assessed by (CTCA) influence results of stent deployment. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study population comprised 60 patients (43 male; age 64.2 ±8.6 years) who underwent CTCA before stent implantation...

Atherosclerosis developed in the arterial wall is major cause of cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart failure. Atherosclerosis, also referred to plaque can be classified stable, unstable, vulnerable plaque. In terms features compositions structures, atherosclerosis calcified plaque, with a lipid core, thin fibrous cap. It expected that compositions, mechanical properties plaques inter...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Calcified arterial plaque has been proposed as a subclinical marker of atherosclerosis. We compared it to a well-validated surrogate--carotid intimal medial thickness (IMT). METHODS Calcified arterial plaque was measured in 2 vascular beds (coronary and carotid) by computed tomography, and common carotid artery IMT was measured by B-mode ultrasonography, in 438 particip...

BACKGROUND The correlation of B-mode ultrasonographic morphology with histologic characteristics of atherosclerotic carotid plaques remains ill-defined. The classification of plaques with recently reported measures of plaque echogenicity and heterogeneity has been unsatisfactory. We used computer-assisted duplex ultrasound (DU) scan image analysis to determine echogenicity of specific tissues i...