Fulcher Jordan, Patel Sanjay, Nicholls Stephen J, Bao Shisan, Celermajer David
Department of Cardiology , Royal Prince Alfred Hospital , Camperdown, New South Wales , Australia ; NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre , Camperdown, New South Wales , Australia ; Heart Research Institute , Newtown, New South Wales , Australia.
Department of Cardiology , Royal Prince Alfred Hospital , Camperdown, New South Wales , Australia ; Heart Research Institute , Newtown, New South Wales , Australia ; Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney , New South Wales , Australia.
Open Heart. 2015 Oct 8;2(1):e000314. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2015-000314. eCollection 2015.
In this pilot feasibility study, we aimed to establish a reproducible means of performing serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) procedures in the abdominal aorta of the cholesterol-fed rabbit.
Eight cholesterol-fed New Zealand White rabbits were assigned to abdominal aortic balloon injury at baseline (n=6) or as controls (n=2). Three of the balloon injured rabbits received statins from weeks 6 to 12 post balloon injury. OCT of the abdominal aorta in each rabbit was performed at baseline±week 6±week 12 via alternate vascular access points (left or right femoral artery or left carotid artery). OCT sequences were analysed to derive an indexed plaque volume and other OCT measures of plaque complexity, and results were compared between groups. Histopathological correlations with OCT images were made following terminal procedures.
Of the 16 OCT procedures in these rabbits (6 at baseline, 4 at 6 weeks, 6 at 12 weeks), excellent and analysable images were obtained on 15 occasions (94%). Inability to obtain adequate arterial access for the OCT catheter was the major experimental limitation encountered in the early part of our experience. Balloon injured rabbits developed larger volume and more complex plaque than non-balloon injured rabbits on all OCT indices measured (eg, both mean plaque volume and lumen stenosis were approximately double in the balloon injured group, p<0.0001). A significant correlation between 12 week measures of plaque area by OCT and histology was demonstrated (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.992, p<0.0001).
Our preliminary experience suggests that serial OCT of the abdominal aorta in the New Zealand White rabbit is feasible and a potentially promising means of performing serial studies of aortic atherosclerosis.
在这项初步可行性研究中，我们旨在建立一种可重复的方法，用于在喂食胆固醇的兔子腹主动脉中进行系列光学相干断层扫描（OCT）检查。
将8只喂食胆固醇的新西兰白兔在基线时分为腹主动脉球囊损伤组（n = 6）或对照组（n = 2）。其中3只球囊损伤的兔子在球囊损伤后第6至12周接受他汀类药物治疗。通过交替的血管接入点（左或右股动脉或左颈动脉），在基线±第6周±第12周对每只兔子的腹主动脉进行OCT检查。分析OCT序列以得出斑块体积指数和其他斑块复杂性的OCT测量值，并在组间进行结果比较。在最终操作后进行OCT图像与组织病理学的相关性分析。
在这些兔子中进行的16次OCT检查（基线时6次，6周时4次，12周时6次），有15次（94%）获得了优质且可分析的图像。在我们经验的早期，无法为OCT导管获得足够的动脉接入是遇到的主要实验限制。在所有测量的OCT指标上，球囊损伤的兔子比未球囊损伤的兔子形成了更大体积和更复杂的斑块（例如，球囊损伤组的平均斑块体积和管腔狭窄程度均约为未损伤组的两倍，p<0.0001）。OCT测量的12周斑块面积与组织学之间存在显著相关性（Pearson相关系数：0.992，p<0.0001）。
我们的初步经验表明，在新西兰白兔腹主动脉中进行系列OCT检查是可行的，并且是进行主动脉粥样硬化系列研究的一种潜在有前景的方法。
