The elevated levels of soluble growth stimulation expressed gene 2 are associated with coronary atherosclerotic plaque destabilization in unstable angina patients: a case control study

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Flowchart of this study

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  Fig. 2. OCT images of coronary plaque destabilization: a Plaque rupture is characterized by fibrous cap discontinuity with evidence of a cavity within the plaque. b Eroded plaque is characterized by the attached thrombus overlying a plaque without evidence of fibrous cap disruption. c Calcific nodules appear in OCT as single or multiple regions of calcium that protrude into the lumen with fibrous cap disruption. d Spontaneous coronary artery dissection appears in OCT as a separation of the intima and media from the adventitia, with or without communication with the lumen

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  Fig. 3. The sST2 levels in UA patients (n = 122) and healthy controls (n = 107)(a). Patients with plaque destabilization displayed significantly higher levels of sST2 than stable plaque (b)

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  Fig. 4. The levels of sST2 in UA patients among different numbers of diseased vessel subgroups (a) and various appearances of plaque destabilization (b). The levels of sST2 were correlated to age (c) and sex (d). Abbreviations: PR, plaque rupture; EP, eroded plaque; SCAD, spontaneous coronary artery dissection; CN, calcific nodules

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  Fig. 5. Receiver-operating characteristic curves for the sST2 level as a predictor of the plaque destabilization

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  Fig. 6. Multivariate logistic regression analyses for sST2 > 20.85 pg/ml and other potential predictors of plaque destabilization. Model 1: adjusted for age, sex; Model 2: Model 1 adjusted for smoking, LVEF, BMI; Model 3: Model 2 adjusted for hypertension, diabetes, MI, and stroke; Model 4: Model 3 adjusted for triglyceride, LDL-C, HDL-C, FBG. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; MI, myocardial infarction; FBG, fasting blood-glucose; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; UA patients with stable plaque were included as the control group; *, P < 0.05 versus control.