Evaluation of plaque characteristics in coronary artery patients with impaired glucose tolerance through optical coherence tomography

OBJECTIVE  With the adoption of optical coherence tomography (OCT), this study targets the impacts on plaque characteristics brought about by impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in patients with coronary artery disease.

METHODS  For this study, 150 patients with coronary artery disease were recruited. Regarding glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc), the patients were sectioned into normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and diabetes mellitus (DM) groups. Coronary angiography (CAG) and OCT were conducted for 150 patients.

RESULTS  There were 186 plaques discovered in 150 patients (37, 40, 44, and 65 in the NGT, IFG, IGT, and DM groups, respectively). Compared to the NGT group, the lipid core size, which is presented as the average angle of the lipid arc, was markedly larger in the IFG,IGT and DM groups ( 135.7 ± 32.7 Ê, 161.2 ± 55.7 Ê, 162.5 ± 55.8 Ê, and 170.2 ± 59.7 Ê, respectively, all P values< 0.05). Meanwhile, the fibrous cap over the lipid core in the NGT group was remarkably thicker than that in the IFG, IGT, and DM groups (115.7 ± 47.7 μm vs. 77.7 ± 23.5 μm, 75.1 ± 23.2 µm, 71.2 ± 22.1 µm, all P values<0.05).

CONCLUSION  Coronary plaques in coronary artery patients with NDT are more stable than in those with IGT and DM.

Tomography, Optical Coherence; Diabetes Mellitus; Coronary Disease; Coronary Artery Disease; Atherosclerosis