scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF SPATIAL GRADIENT OF ENDOTHELIAL WALL SHEAR STRESS ON PLAQUE COMPOSITION AND DESTABILIZATION IN ADVANCED PLAQUES

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (14) ◽  
pp. E1867
Author(s):  
Wang-Soo Lee ◽  
Sang-Wook Kim ◽  
Young-Mi Jo ◽  
Seung-Wook Kim ◽  
Keung-Chul Rho ◽  
...  
Neurosurgery ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclyn M. Alfano ◽  
John Kolega ◽  
Sabareesh K. Natarajan ◽  
Jianping Xiang ◽  
Rocco A. Paluch ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) occur more frequently at certain bifurcations than at others. Hemodynamic stress, which promotes aneurysm formation in animal models, also differs among bifurcations, depending on flow and vessel geometry. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether locations that are more likely to develop IAs experience different hemodynamic stresses that might contribute to higher IA susceptibility. METHODS: We characterized the hemodynamic microenvironment at 10 sites in or around the circle of Willis where IAs commonly occur and examined statistical relationships between hemodynamic factors and the tendency for a site to form IAs. The tendency for each site to develop IAs was quantified on the basis of the site distribution from systematic literature analysis of 19 reports including 26 418 aneurysms. Hemodynamic parameters for these sites were derived from image-based computational fluid dynamics of 114 cerebral bifurcations from 31 individuals. Wall shear stress and its spatial gradient were calculated in the impact zone surrounding the bifurcation apex. Linear and exponential regression analyses evaluated correlations between the tendency for IA formation and the typical hemodynamics of a site. RESULTS: IA susceptibility significantly correlated with the magnitudes of wall shear stress and positive wall shear stress gradient within the hemodynamic impact zone calculated for each site. CONCLUSION: IAs occur more frequently at cerebral bifurcations that typically experience higher hemodynamic shear stress and stronger flow acceleration, conditions previously shown to promote aneurysm initiation in animals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E M J Hartman ◽  
A M Kok ◽  
A Hoogendoorn ◽  
F J H Gijsen ◽  
A F W Steen ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Local wall shear stress (WSS) metrics, high local lipid levels (as detected by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)), as well as systemic lipid levels, have been individually associated with atherosclerotic disease progression. However, a possible synergistic effect remains to be elucidated. This study is the first study to combine WSS metrics with NIRS-detected local lipid content to investigate a potential synergistic effect on plaque progression in human coronary arteries. Methods The IMPACT study is a prospective, single centre study investigating the relation between atherosclerotic plaque progression and WSS in human coronary arteries. Patients with ACS treated with PCI were included. At baseline and after 1-year follow-up, patients underwent near-infrared spectroscopy intravascular ultrasound (NIRS-IVUS) imaging and intravascular doppler flow measurements of at least one non-culprit coronary artery. After one month, a CT angiography was made. CT derived centreline combined with IVUS lumen contours resulted in a 3D reconstruction of the vessel. The following WSS metrics were computed using computational fluid dynamics applying the vessel specific invasive flow measurements: time-average wall shear stress (TAWSS), relative residence time (RRT), cross-flow index, oscillatory shear index and transverse wall shear stress. Low TAWSS is known as pro atherogenic, in contrast to all the other shear stress metrics, at which a high magnitude is pro-atherogenic. The arteries were divided into 1.5mm/45° sectors. Based on NIRS-IVUS, wall thickness change over time was determined and NIRS positive sectors detected. Furthermore, per vessel the shear stress was divided into tertiles (low, intermediate, high). To investigate the synergistic effect of local lipids on shear stress related plaque growth, wall thickness change over time was related to the different shear stress metrics comparing the NIRS-positive with the NIRS-negative sectors. Results 15 non-culprit coronary arteries from the first 14 patients were analyzed (age 62±10 years old and 92.9% male). A total of 2219 sectors were studied (5.2%, N=130, NIRS-positive) for wall thickness changes. After studying all five shear stress metrics, we found for TAWSS and RRT that presence of lipids, as detected by NIRS, amplified the effect of shear stress on plaque progression (see figure). Sectors presenting with lipid-rich plaque, compared to NIRS-negative sectors, showed more progression when they were exposed to low TAWSS (p=0.07) or high RRT (p=0.012) and more regression in sectors exposed to high TAWSS (p=0.10) or low RRT (p=0.06). Delta wall thickness vs shear stress Conclusion We presented the first preliminary results of the IMPACT study, showing the synergistic effect of lipid rich plaque and shear stress on plaque progression. Therefore, intravascular lipid-rich plaque (NIRS) assessment has added value to shear stress profiling for the prediction of plaque growth, leading to improved risk stratification. Acknowledgement/Funding ERC starting grant 310457


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 171447 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Xing ◽  
A. M. Moerman ◽  
Y. Ridwan ◽  
M. J. Daemen ◽  
A. F. W. van der Steen ◽  
...  

Wall shear stress (WSS) is involved in atherosclerotic plaque initiation, yet its role in plaque progression remains unclear. We aimed to study (i) the temporal and spatial changes in WSS over a growing plaque and (ii) the correlation between WSS and plaque composition, using animal-specific data in an atherosclerotic mouse model. Tapered casts were placed around the right common carotid arteries (RCCA) of ApoE −/− mice. At 5, 7 and 9 weeks after cast placement, RCCA geometry was reconstructed using contrast-enhanced micro-CT. Lumen narrowing was observed in all mice, indicating the progression of a lumen intruding plaque. Next, we determined the flow rate in the RCCA of each mouse using Doppler Ultrasound and computed WSS at all time points. Over time, as the plaque developed and further intruded into the lumen, absolute WSS significantly decreased. Finally at week 9, plaque composition was histologically characterized. The proximal part of the plaque was small and eccentric, exposed to relatively lower WSS. Close to the cast a larger and concentric plaque was present, exposed to relatively higher WSS. Lower WSS was significantly correlated to the accumulation of macrophages in the eccentric plaque. When pooling data of all animals, correlation between WSS and plaque composition was weak and no longer statistically significant. In conclusion, our data showed that in our mouse model absolute WSS strikingly decreased during disease progression, which was significantly correlated to plaque area and macrophage content. Besides, our study demonstrates the necessity to analyse individual animals and plaques when studying correlations between WSS and plaque composition.


Author(s):  
Arun Ramu ◽  
Guo-Xiang Wang

Intracranial aneurysms are abnormal enlargement in the walls of cerebral arteries. The rupture of aneurysms is the leading cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), with a high mortality and morbidity rate. A majority of saccular cerebral aneurysms occur at sites of arterial bifurcations. However, a good percentage of aneurysms are curvature induced and are found along the cavernous arterial segment. The occurrence of such non branching aneurysms, clinically called dorsal aneurysms, can be related to the increased wall shear stress at the curved arteries. The rupture of aneurysms usually occurs at the dome region, which is subjected to reduced wall shear stress (wss) owing to low re-circulating flow. Hence it is important to understand the impact of arterial curvature on the WSS distribution along the dome of aneurysms. Previously, studies have not taken into account the aspect of low WSS along the dome region. In the present 3-d computational fluid dynamic approach, we investigate the impact of varying arterial curvature on spherical dorsal aneurysms. The primary velocity patterns, the WSS distribution along the dome of the aneurysm and the area of increased WSS have been quantified for steady flow conditions.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Dolan ◽  
Song Liu ◽  
Hui Meng ◽  
John Kolega

In both human and animal models, cerebral aneurysms tend to develop at the apices of bifurcations in the cerebral vasculature. Due to the focal nature of aneurysm development it has long been speculated that hemodynamics are an important factor in aneurysm susceptibility. The local hemodynamics of bifurcations are complex, being characterized by flow impingement causing a high frictional force on the vessel wall known as wall shear stress (WSS) and significant flow acceleration or deceleration, manifested as the positive or negative spatial gradient of WSS (WSSG). In vivo studies have recently identified that aneurysm initiation occurs at areas of the vessel wall that experience a combination of both high WSS and positive WSSG [1,2]


Author(s):  
Leonie Rouleau ◽  
Monica Farcas ◽  
Jean-Claude Tardif ◽  
Rosaire Mongrain ◽  
Richard Leask

Endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction has been linked to atherosclerosis through their response to hemodynamic forces. Flow in stenotic vessels creates complex spatial gradients in wall shear stress. In vitro studies examining the effect of shear stress on endothelial cells have used unrealistic and simplified models, which cannot reproduce physiological conditions. The objective of this study was to expose endothelial cells to the complex shear shear pattern created by an asymmetric stenosis. Endothelial cells were grown and exposed for different times to physiological steady flow in straight dynamic controls and in idealized asymmetric stenosis models. Cells subjected to 1D flow aligned with flow direction and had a spindle-like shape when compared to static controls. Endothelial cell morphology was noticeable different in the regions with a spatial gradient in wall shear stress, being more randomly oriented and of cobblestone shape. This occurred despite the presence of an increased magnitude in shear stress. No other study to date has described this morphology in the presence of a positive wall shear stress gradient or gradient of significant shear magnitude. This technique provides a more realistic model to study endothelial cell response to spatial and temporal shear stress gradients that are present in vivo and is an important advancement towards a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in coronary artery disease.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 20120094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel O. Bernabeu ◽  
Rupert W. Nash ◽  
Derek Groen ◽  
Hywel B. Carver ◽  
James Hetherington ◽  
...  

Perturbations to the homeostatic distribution of mechanical forces exerted by blood on the endothelial layer have been correlated with vascular pathologies, including intracranial aneurysms and atherosclerosis. Recent computational work suggests that, in order to correctly characterize such forces, the shear-thinning properties of blood must be taken into account. To the best of our knowledge, these findings have never been compared against experimentally observed pathological thresholds. In this work, we apply the three-band diagram (TBD) analysis due to Gizzi et al. (Gizzi et al. 2011 Three-band decomposition analysis of wall shear stress in pulsatile flows. Phys. Rev. E 83 , 031902. ( doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.83.031902 )) to assess the impact of the choice of blood rheology model on a computational model of the right middle cerebral artery. Our results show that, in the model under study, the differences between the wall shear stress predicted by a Newtonian model and the well-known Carreau–Yasuda generalized Newtonian model are only significant if the vascular pathology under study is associated with a pathological threshold in the range 0.94–1.56 Pa, where the results of the TBD analysis of the rheology models considered differs. Otherwise, we observe no significant differences.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Dolan ◽  
Frasier Sim ◽  
Hui Meng ◽  
John Kolega

In both human and animal models, cerebral aneurysms tend to develop at the apices of bifurcations in the cerebral vasculature where the blood vessel wall experiences complex hemodynamics. In vivo studies have recently revealed that the initiation of cerebral aneurysms is confined to a well-defined hemodynamic microenvironment [1,2]. Metaxa et al. [2] found that early aneurysm remodeling initiates where the vessel wall experiences high wall shear stress (WSS) and flow is accelerating, thus creating a positive spatial gradient in WSS (WSSG). Closer examination of such in vivo studies reveals that exposure of the vessel wall to equally high WSS in the presence of decelerating flow, that is, negative WSSG, does not result in aneurysm-like destruction.


Author(s):  
Biyue Liu ◽  
Jie Zheng ◽  
Richard Bach ◽  
Dalin Tang

There are two major hemodynamic stresses imposed at the blood-arterial wall interface by flowing blood: the wall shear stress (WSS) acting tangentially to the wall, and the wall pressure (WP) acting vertically to the wall. These forces influence the artery wall metabolism and correspond to the local modifications of artery wall thickness, composition, microarchitecture, and compliance [2]. The role of flow wall shear stress in atherosclerosis progression has been under intensive investigation [4], while the impact of local blood pressure on plaque progression has been under-studied.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document