Relationship between plaque burden and plaque vulnerability: Acute coronary syndromes versus chronic coronary syndrome

The relationship between plaque burden and microscopic characterization of plaque features as it pertains to clinical presentation has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the relationship between plaque burden and plaque vulnerability in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) versus chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). Patients who underwent both coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) before coronary intervention were enrolled. All plaques were detected in culprit vessels using CTA, and total plaque volume (TPV) and OCT features were assessed at the corresponding sites. All plaques were divided into three groups according to the tertile levels of TPV (low TPV: