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Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research

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01-02-2021 | Colchicine | Original Article

Effects of Colchicine on Atherosclerotic Plaque Stabilization: a Multimodality Imaging Study in an Animal Model

Authors: Alberto Cecconi, Jean Paul Vilchez-Tschischke, Jesus Mateo, Javier Sanchez-Gonzalez, Samuel España, Rodrigo Fernandez-Jimenez, Beatriz Lopez-Melgar, Leticia Fernández Friera, Gonzalo J López-Martín, Valentin Fuster, Jesus Ruiz-Cabello, Borja Ibañez

Published in: Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Colchicine demonstrated clinical benefits in the treatment of stable coronary artery disease. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of colchicine on atherosclerotic plaque stabilization. Atherosclerosis was induced in the abdominal aorta of 20 rabbits with high-cholesterol diet and balloon endothelial denudation. Rabbits were randomized to receive either colchicine or placebo. All animals underwent MRI, ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and histology. Similar progression of atherosclerotic burden was observed in the two groups as relative increase of normalized wall index (NWI). Maximum ¹⁸F-FDG standardized uptake value (meanSUVmax) decreased after colchicine treatment, while it increased in the placebo group with a trend toward significance. Animals with higher levels of cholesterol showed significant differences in favor to colchicine group, both as NWI at the end of the protocol and as relative increase in meanSUVmax. Colchicine may stabilize atherosclerotic plaque by reducing inflammatory activity and plaque burden, without altering macrophage infiltration or plaque typology.

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Title: Effects of Colchicine on Atherosclerotic Plaque Stabilization: a Multimodality Imaging Study in an Animal Model
Authors: Alberto Cecconi
Jean Paul Vilchez-Tschischke
Jesus Mateo
Javier Sanchez-Gonzalez
Samuel España
Rodrigo Fernandez-Jimenez
Beatriz Lopez-Melgar
Leticia Fernández Friera
Gonzalo J López-Martín
Valentin Fuster
Jesus Ruiz-Cabello
Borja Ibañez
Publication date: 01-02-2021
Publisher: Springer US
Keywords: Colchicine
Arterial Occlusive Disease
Published in: Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research / Issue 1/2021
Print ISSN: 1937-5387
Electronic ISSN: 1937-5395
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-020-09974-7

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Effects of Colchicine on Atherosclerotic Plaque Stabilization: a Multimodality Imaging Study in an Animal Model

Abstract

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Abstract

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