Impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vessel wall inflammation and calcified plaque burden differs across vascular beds: a PET-CT study

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors on vessel wall inflammation and the calcified plaque burden in different vascular beds as assessed by PET/CT. 315 patients (mean age: 57.8 years, 123 male and 192 female) who underwent whole body 18F-FDG PET/CT examinations were included in the study. Blood pool-corrected standardised uptake value (TBR) and the calcified plaque score (CPS, grade 0-4) were determined in the thoracic and abdominal aorta, both common carotid and both iliac arteries. The following cardiovascular risk factors were documented: Age ≥65 years (n = 114), male gender (n = 123), diabetes (n = 15), hyperlipidemia (n = 62), hypertension (n = 76), body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 (n = 38), current smoker (n = 32). Effects of risk factors on TBR and CPS in different arterial beds were assessed using multivariate regression analysis. In the thoracic aorta TBR was independently associated with age ≥65 years and male gender, CPS was independently associated with age ≥65 years, male gender, hypertension and diabetes. In the abdominal aorta, TBR was independently associated with age ≥65 years and male gender, CPS with age ≥65 years, diabetes and smoking. Independent associations in the carotid arteries were found for age ≥65 years, male gender and BMI ≥ 30 in TBR and for age ≥65 and diabetes in CPS. In the iliac arteries, TBR was independently associated with age ≥65 and CPS with age ≥65, male gender, hypertension, diabetes and smoking. Findings of this PET/CT study demonstrate that the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vessel wall inflammation and calcified plaque burden differs across vascular territories. Overall, CPS was more closely associated with cardiovascular risk factors compared to TBR.