Atherosclerotic Plaque

This study is a prospective, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate whether early administration of PCSK9 inhibitors can effectively improve functional outcomes at 90 days in patients with ischemic stroke (AIS) associated with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS), primarily assessed using the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days.

This is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, blinded-endpoint, randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PCSK9 inhibitor combined with statin therapy compared to statin monotherapy in reversing asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis, assessed using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the intracranial vessel walls.

INTENSE Trial is a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-center study with two arms (40 mg intensified statin therapy vs matching placebo for rosuvastatin) among statin-naive patients referred to coronary CT angiography due to stable chest pain, followed for 24 months by using a photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT). INTENSE Trial aims 1) to assess the effect of short-term intensified statin therapy on coronary anatomy and physiology using PCD-CT and 2) to determine the impact of short-term, intensified statin therapy on coronary plaque morphology and hemodynamics to identify statin responder and non-responder patients in addition to testing the hypothesis of "plaque memory" after the 24-month follow-up period.

Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have high testosterone levels which is associated with altered insulin-glucose metabolism and an adverse blood lipid profile, predisposing them to the development of Type II Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). This study will investigate the use of dietary fish oil supplementation as a safe and effective intervention, and as an adjunct therapy to standard of care treatment with metformin to improve heart health, blood lipids and insulin-glucose metabolism in women with PCOS, and those with PCOS and Type 2 Diabetes.

The rupture or erosion of an atherosclerotic plaque with thrombosis or embolization often underlie heart attacks and strokes. The early identification of patients with atherosclerotic plaques prone to rupture or erosions, vulnerable plaques (VP), and their treatment before the occurrence of events is, therefore, one of the greatest cardiovascular challenges today. Possible approaches for early detection of VP include imaging techniques allowing visualization of plaque structure, circulating biomarkers and better understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of the disease. In the carotid plaque imaging project the investigators study human atherosclerotic plaques (that are removed by endarterectomy) to disclose their underlying structure and mechanisms, finding possible novel therapeutic targets or markers for VP. The investigators also study plaque structure with imaging methods and try to develop new ways to detect VP using circulating or imaging markers.

This study aims to investigate whether DCB angioplasty, compared to statin-based medical treatment alone, will lead to more reduction in plaque lipid burden as assessed by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) at 6-9 months following the index procedure.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of morbidity, disability, mortality, and health expenditures worldwide. A wealth of studies has demonstrated that people of South Asian ancestry have a higher risk of CHD and particularly premature CHD than most other racial/ethnic groups, and recent research suggests that this risk is higher in Pakistanis than in Indians-the two largest SA groups. Pakistan is the 5th most populous country in the world, and despite these concerning trends, so far there has been a scarcity of large studies evaluating the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in young-to-middle-aged Pakistanis. Also, there is currently no cardiovascular risk score specifically tailored to younger Pakistani men and women. The PAKistan Study of prEmature coronary atHerosclerosis in young AdulTs (PAK-SEHAT) aims at addressing these important gaps. PAK-SEHAT is an ongoing prospective cohort study that will enroll 2,000 asymptomatic Pakistani men aged 35 to 60 years and women aged 35 to 65 years from the general population, free of clinically overt cardiovascular disease. Participants will undergo a comprehensive baseline exam including coronary computed tomography angiography, and will be followed for incident events and repeat testing for 5 years. PAK-SEHAT will allow determining the prevalence, severity, determinants, and prognostic significance of early atherosclerosis in apparently healthy young-to-middle-aged Pakistanis. This knowledge can help inform primordial and primary prevention strategies, enhanced cardiovascular risk stratification, and potential plaque-screening approaches in Pakistan, all of which can ultimately help reduce the burden of CHD in the country. In this report investigators describe the rationale, objectives, methods, and discuss the potential implications of the PAK-SEHAT study.