RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Significance of intraplaque neovascularisation for vulnerability: optical coherence tomography study JF Heart JO Heart FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society SP heartjnl-2012-302445 DO 10.1136/heartjnl-2012-302445 A1 Jinwei Tian A1 Jingbo Hou A1 Lei Xing A1 Soo-Joong Kim A1 Taishi Yonetsu A1 Koji Kato A1 Hang Lee A1 Shaosong Zhang A1 Bo Yu A1 Ik-Kyung Jang YR 2012 UL http://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2012/08/05/heartjnl-2012-302445.abstract AB Objectives This study aimed to investigate the role of intraplaque neovascularisation (NV) in culprit lesions and non-culprit lesions of unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and in lesions of stable angina pectoris (SAP) using optical coherence tomography (OCT).Design This study was a retrospective study.Setting The significance of NV for culprit and non-culprit plaques remains unclear.Participants A total of 356 plaques from 92 UAP patients and 25 SAP patients who underwent OCT imaging were divided into three groups: culprit lesions in UAP (92), non-culprit lesions in UAP (203) and lesions of SAP (61).Main outcome measures NV and plaque characteristics were examined by OCT and plaques with and without NV were compared.Results Among UAP culprit lesions, plaques with NV had significantly higher incidence of thin cap fibroatheroma (81% vs 47%, p=0.002) compared with those without NV. In addition, the fibrous cap was thinner (56±20 μm vs 75±30 μm, p<0.001), lipid arc was greater (254±66° vs 222±65°, p=0.024) and lipid core length was longer (13±5 mm vs 10±6 mm, p=0.007). No significant difference was observed between non-culprit lesions of UAP with and without NV, and between lesions of SAP with and without NV.Conclusion In patients with UAP, the culprit plaques with NV had vulnerable features such as thinner fibrous cap, greater lipid arc, longer lipid core length and more frequent thin cap fibroatheroma compared with those without NV. In both non-culprit lesions of UAP patients and in lesions of SAP patients NV was not associated with vulnerable plaque characteristics.