Plaque Disruption in a Rabbit Model of Atherothrombosis Occurs in Regions of Low Endothelial Shear Stress

Alkystis Phinikaridou¹, Ning Hua¹, James A. Hamilton¹

Local hemodynamic factors, in particular low endothelial shear stress (ESS), have been shown to play a major role in the regional localization and progression of atherosclerosis. In this study, we have measured shear stress by in vivo MRI in a rabbit aorta with stable and vulnerable plaques. Low ESS was associated with plaques with positive arterial remodeling that disrupted after pharmacological triggering. Measurement of ESS in individuals with atherosclerotic disease might be a useful parameter for assessing plaque instability and predicting the risk of future cardiovascular events.