Large variation in blood flow between left ventricular segments, as detected by adenosine stress dynamic CT perfusion.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic cardiac CT perfusion (CTP) is based on repeated imaging during the first-pass contrast agent inflow. It is a relatively new method that still needs validation. PURPOSE: To evaluate the variation in adenosine stress dynamic CTP blood flow as compared to (99m) Tc SPECT. Secondarily, to compare manual and automatic segmentation. METHODS: Seventeen patients with manifest coronary artery disease were included. Nine were excluded from evaluation for various reasons. All patients were examined with dynamic stress CTP and stress/rest SPECT. CTP blood flow was compared with SPECT on a per segment basis. Results for manual and automated AHA segmentation were compared. RESULTS: CTP showed a positive correlation with SPECT, with correlation coefficients of 0·38 and 0·41 for manual and automatic segmentation, respectively (P<0·0001). There was no significant difference between the correlation coefficients of the manual and automated segmentation procedures (P = 0·75). The average per individual global CTP blood flow value for normal segments varied by a factor of 1·9 (manual and automatic segmentation). For the whole patient group, the CTP blood flow value in normal segments varied by a factor of 2·9/2·7 (manual/automatic segmentation). Within each patient, the average per segment blood flow in normal segments varied by a factor of 1·3-2·0/1·2-2·1 (manual/automatic segmentation). CONCLUSION: A positive but rather weak correlation was found between CTP and (99m) Tc SPECT. Large variations in CTP blood flow suggest that a cut-off value for stress myocardial blood flow is inadequate to detect ischaemic segments. Dynamic CTP is hampered by a limited coverage.

Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio is associated with non-calcified plaque burden in patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Elevations in soluble markers of inflammation and changes in leukocyte subset distribution are frequently reported in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Lately, the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio has emerged as a potential marker of both CAD severity and cardiovascular prognosis. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate whether neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and other immune-inflammatory markers were related to plaque burden, as assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), in patients with CAD. METHODS: Twenty patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and 30 patients with stable angina (SA) underwent CCTA at two occasions, immediately prior to coronary angiography and after three months. Atherosclerotic plaques were classified as calcified, mixed and non-calcified. Blood samples were drawn at both occasions. Leukocyte subsets were analyzed by white blood cell differential counts and flow cytometry. Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin(IL)-6 were measured in plasma. Blood analyses were also performed in 37 healthy controls. RESULTS: Plaque variables did not change over 3 months, total plaque burden being similar in NSTE-ACS and SA. However, non-calcified/total plaque ratio was higher in NSTE-ACS, 0.25(0.09-0.44) vs 0.11(0.00-0.25), p<0.05. At admission, levels of monocytes, neutrophils, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios, CD4+ T cells, CRP and IL-6 were significantly elevated, while levels of NK cells were reduced, in both patient groups as compared to controls. After 3 months, levels of monocytes, neutrophils, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios and CD4+ T cells remained elevated in patients. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios and neutrophil counts correlated significantly with numbers of non-calcified plaques and also with non-calcified/total plaque ratio (r = 0.403, p = 0.010 and r = 0.382, p = 0.024, respectively), but not with total plaque burden. CONCLUSIONS: Among immune-inflammatory markers in NSTE-ACS and SA patients, neutrophil counts and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios were significantly correlated with non-calcified plaques. Data suggest that these easily measured biomarkers reflect the burden of vulnerable plaques in CAD.