High-risk plaque in the superficial femoral artery of people with peripheral artery disease: Prevalence and associated clinical characteristics

Objective: We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the prevalence and associated clinical characteristics of high-risk plaque (defined as presence of lipid-rich necrotic core [LRNC] and intraplaque hemorrhage) in the superficial femoral arteries (SFA) among people with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Background: The prevalence and clinical characteristics associated with high-risk plaque in the SFA are unknown. Methods: Three-hundred-three participants with PAD underwent MRI of the proximal SFA using a 1.5TS platform. Twelve contiguous 2.5mm cross-sectional images were obtained. Results: LRNC was present in 68 (22.4%) participants. Only one had intra-plaque hemorrhage. After adjusting for age and sex, smoking prevalence was higher among adults with LRNC than among those without LRNC (35.9% vs. 21.4%, p=0.02). Among participants with vs. without LRNC there were no differences in mean percent lumen area (31% vs. 33%, p=0.42), normalized mean wall area (0.71 vs. 0.70, p=0.67) or maximum wall area (0.96 vs. 0.92, p=0.54) in the SFA. Among participants with LRNC, cross-sectional images containing LRNC had a smaller percent lumen area (33%±1% vs. 39%±1%, p