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Thromb Haemost 2016; 115(03): 501-508
DOI: 10.1160/th15-07-0614
Theme Issue Article
Schattauer GmbH

Animal models for plaque rupture: a biomechanical assessment

Kim Van der Heiden   *
1   Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
,
Ayla Hoogendoorn   *
1   Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
,
Mat J. Daemen
2   Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
,
Frank J. H. Gijsen
1   Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 31 July 2015

Accepted after minor revision: 22 October 2015

Publication Date:
20 March 2018 (online)

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Summary

Rupture of atherosclerotic plaques is the main cause of acute cardiovascular events. Animal models of plaque rupture are rare but essential for testing new imaging modalities to enable diagnosis of the patient at risk. Moreover, they enable the design of new treatment strategies to prevent plaque rupture. Several animal models for the study of atherosclerosis are available. Plaque rupture in these models only occurs following severe surgical or pharmaceutical intervention. In the process of plaque rupture, composition, biology and mechanics each play a role, but the latter has been disregarded in many animal studies. The biomechanical environment for atherosclerotic plaques is comprised of two parts, the pressure-induced stress distribution, mainly - but not exclusively – influenced by plaque composition, and the strength distribution throughout the plaque, largely determined by the inflammatory state. This environment differs considerably between humans and most animals, resulting in suboptimal conditions for plaque rupture. In this review we describe the role of the biomechanical environment in plaque rupture and assess this environment in animal models that present with plaque rupture.

Keywords

Animal models - atherosclerosis - biomechanics - devices

* These authors contributed equally.


 

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