Rationale and approach to evaluation of the impact of medical therapies on progression of atherosclerosis with arterial wall imaging

Abstract

Background:

Despite the benefit of medical therapies, there remains a substantial residual risk of cardiovascular events. Atherosclerosis imaging has been used to assess new therapies.

Scope:

A selective review of current imaging techniques used to evaluate novel anti-atherosclerotic therapies.

Findings:

Noninvasive and invasive arterial wall imaging permits characterization of the quantity and composition of atherosclerotic plaque. Serial imaging enables assessment of the impact of therapies on the natural history of disease progression.

Conclusion:

Both noninvasive and invasive imaging modalities can be used in development programs to provide an early assessment of the impact of novel anti-atherosclerotic agents.

Key words::

• Atherosclerosis
• Clinical trials
• Imaging
• Risk factors

Publisher’s Note

Over the past several years, powerful therapeutic options have become available for atherosclerosis. Some demonstrate a reversal in disease progression; some, a reduction in occurrence. We invited top experts in this important field to submit the following three papers on the subject of atherosclerosis imaging. Their work provides an overview of the evidence and issues, and describes the rationale, the findings and the future requirements for atherosclerosis imaging in clinical trials. This is first of many Special Focus series that you’ll see in future issues of CMRO.

Jay Magrann, Publisher, CMRO  

Publisher’s Note

Over the past several years, powerful therapeutic options have become available for atherosclerosis. Some demonstrate a reversal in disease progression; some, a reduction in occurrence. We invited top experts in this important field to submit the following three papers on the subject of atherosclerosis imaging. Their work provides an overview of the evidence and issues, and describes the rationale, the findings and the future requirements for atherosclerosis imaging in clinical trials. This is first of many Special Focus series that you’ll see in future issues of CMRO.

Jay Magrann, Publisher, CMRO  

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This was a commissioned article. No third-party funding was provided for its writing or publication.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

S.J.N. has disclosed that he has received honoraria or consulting fees from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck, Takeda, Roche, Esperion and Novo-Nordisk, and research support from AstraZeneca, Novartis, Eli Lilly and Resverlogix. A.L. has disclosed the sponsorship of Hospitals of Regina Foundation, Canada. K.U. and O.B. have no financial relationships to disclose.

Some peer reviewers receive honoraria from CMRO for their review work. The peer reviewers of this paper have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Acknowledgment

The authors have disclosed that they had no outside editorial assistance in preparing this manuscript.