Different stages of intraplaque hemorrhage are associated with different plaque phenotypes: a large histopathological study in 794 carotid and 276 femoral endarterectomy specimens.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) is an important determinant of progression and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaque. We recently demonstrated that IPH is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. IPH has become more clinically relevant since magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique is able to visualize IPH in vivo. Different stages of IPH have been described. However, etiology of the different stages is not known and it is unclear if these detected different stages are all associated with the vulnerable plaque phenotype.

METHODS AND RESULTS

1070 patients who underwent a carotid (n=794) or femoral (n=276) endarterectomy were included. Histopathological presence of IPH was determined and divided into 3 types: recent, organized and amorphous IPH. Carotid IPH was observed in 644/794 (81%) plaques, divided into 14 (2%) recent, 70 (11%) organized and 560 (87%) amorphous. Femoral IPH was observed in 175/276 (63%) plaques, divided into 2 (1%) recent, 89 (51%) organized and 84 amorphous (48%). Overall presence of carotid IPH was associated with a large lipid core, no or minor staining of smooth muscle cells, no or minor calcification and high microvessel density. Overall presence of femoral IPH was associated with moderate to heavy staining of macrophages. Plaques with organized IPHs revealed more macrophages, a larger lipid core, less smooth muscle cells, less calcification and higher microvessel density than plaques with amorphous IPHs.

CONCLUSIONS

IPH is a significant characteristic of carotid and femoral atherosclerotic plaque and can be classified into different types. Organized IPH is associated with unstable and amorphous IPH with stable plaque characteristics.