Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jan 29;7(2):109-114.
doi: 10.24875/RECIC.M24000498. eCollection 2025 Apr-Jun.

[Prognostic value of global plaque volume calculated from the 3D reconstruction of the coronary tree in patients without significant coronary artery disease. A multicenter study]

[Article in Spanish]
Carlos Cortés  1   2 , Julio Ruiz-Ruiz  1 , Fernando Rivero  3 , Ramón López-Palop  4 , Octavio Jiménez  5 , Alfonso Freites  6 , Luis R Gonçalves-Ramírez  7 , María Rosario Ortas Nadal  8 , Sara Blasco  1 , Mario García-Gómez  1 , Clara Fernández  1 , Luca Scorpiglione  1 , J Alberto San Román Calvar  1   2 , Ignacio J Amat-Santos  1   2
Affiliations

[Prognostic value of global plaque volume calculated from the 3D reconstruction of the coronary tree in patients without significant coronary artery disease. A multicenter study]

[Article in Spanish]
Carlos Cortés et al. REC Interv Cardiol. .

Abstract

Introduction and objectives:: The use of coronary physiology is essential to guide revascularization in patients with stable coronary artery disease. However, some patients without significant angiographic coronary artery disease will experience cardiovascular events at the follow-up. This study aims to determine the prognostic value of the global plaque volume (GPV) in patients with stable coronary artery disease without functionally significant lesions at a 5-year follow-up.

Methods:: We conducted a multicenter, observational, and retrospective cohort study with a 5-year follow-up. A total of 277 patients without significant coronary artery disease treated with coronary angiography in 2015 due to suspected stable coronary artery disease were included in the study. The 3 coronary territories were assessed using quantitative flow ratio, calculating the GPV by determining the difference between the luminal volume and the vessel theoretical reference volume.

Results:: The mean GPV was 170.5 mm3. A total of 116 patients (42.7%) experienced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at the follow-up, including cardiac death (11%), myocardial infarction (2.6%), and unexpected hospital admissions (38.1%). Patients with MACE had a significantly higher GPV (231.6 mm3 vs 111.8 mm3; P < .001). The optimal GPV cut-off point for predicting events was 44 mm3. Furthermore, in the multivariate analysis conducted, plaque volume, diabetes, hypertension, age, dyslipidemia, smoking, age, and GPV > 44 mm3 turned out to be independent predictors of MACE.

Conclusions:: GPV, calculated from the three-dimensional reconstruction of the coronary tree, is an independent predictor of events in patients with stable coronary artery disease without significant lesions. A GPV > 44 mm3 is an optimal cut-off point for predicting events.

Keywords: Coronary angiography; Coronary artery disease; Coronary atherosclerosis; Coronary physiology; Global plaque volume; Quantitative flow ratio.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTO DE INTERESES: Los autores no presentan conflictos de intereses.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flowchart of the patient selection process for inclusion in the study. CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; CTO, chronic total coronary occlusion; QFR, quantitative flow ratio.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Kaplan-Meier curve showing the patients’ event-free survival based on their global plaque volume.
Figura 1
Figura 1. Flow chart del proceso de selección de los pacientes incluidos en el estudio. CABG: cirugía de revascularización coronaria; QFR: cociente de flujo cuantitativo; OTC: oclusión coronaria crónica.
Figura 2
Figura 2. Curva de Kaplan-Meier que muestra la supervivencia libre de eventos de los pacientes según el volumen global de placa.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Laslett LJ, Alagona PJ, Clark BA 3rd, et al. The worldwide environment of cardiovascular disease:prevalence, diagnosis, therapy, and policy issues:a report from the American College of Cardiology. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012;60:S1-49. - PubMed
    2. Laslett LJ, Alagona PJ, Clark BA, 3rd, et al. The worldwide environment of cardiovascular disease:prevalence, diagnosis, therapy, and policy issues:a report from the American College of Cardiology. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012;60:S1–49. - PubMed
    1. Zimmermann FM, Ferrara A, Johnson NP, et al. Deferral vs. performance of percutaneous coronary intervention of functionally non-significant coronary stenosis:15-year follow-up of the DEFER trial. Eur Heart J. 2015;36:3182-3188. - PubMed
    2. Zimmermann FM, Ferrara A, Johnson NP, et al. Deferral vs. performance of percutaneous coronary intervention of functionally non-significant coronary stenosis:15-year follow-up of the DEFER trial. Eur Heart J. 2015;36:3182–3188. - PubMed
    1. Kuramitsu S, Matsuo H, Shinozaki T, et al. Five-Year Outcomes After Fractional Flow Reserve-Based Deferral of Revascularization in Chronic Coronary Syndrome:Final Results From the J-CONFIRM Registry. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2022;15:E011387. - PubMed
    2. Kuramitsu S, Matsuo H, Shinozaki T, et al. Five-Year Outcomes After Fractional Flow Reserve-Based Deferral of Revascularization in Chronic Coronary Syndrome: Final Results From the J-CONFIRM Registry. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2022;15:E011387. - PubMed
    1. De Bruyne B, Pijls NHJ, Kalesan B, et al. Fractional flow reserve-guided PCI versus medical therapy in stable coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:991-1001. - PubMed
    2. De Bruyne B, Pijls NHJ, Kalesan B, et al. Fractional flow reserve-guided PCI versus medical therapy in stable coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:991–1001. - PubMed
    1. Ciccarelli G, Barbato E, Toth GG, et al. Angiography versus hemodynamics to predict the natural history of coronary stenoses:Fractional flow reserve versus angiography in multivessel evaluation 2 substudy. Circulation. 2018;137:1475-1485. - PubMed
    2. Ciccarelli G, Barbato E, Toth GG, et al. Angiography versus hemodynamics to predict the natural history of coronary stenoses:Fractional flow reserve versus angiography in multivessel evaluation 2 substudy. Circulation. 2018;137:1475–1485. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources