Clinical Parameters and Epigenetic Biomarkers of Plaque Vulnerability in Patients with Carotid Stenosis

Carballo-Perich L, Puigoriol-Illamola D, Bashir S, Terceño M, Silva Y, Gubern-Mérida C, Serena J. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May 5;23(9):5149. doi: 10.3390/ijms23095149. PMID: 35563540
Abstract: Atheromatous disease is the first cause of death and dependency in developed countries and carotid artery atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of severe ischaemic strokes. Current management strategies are mainly based on the degree of stenosis and patient selection has limited
accuracy. This information could be complemented by the identification of biomarkers of plaque vulnerability, which would permit patients at greater and lesser risk of stroke to be distinguished, thus enabling a better selection of patients for surgical or intensive medical treatment. Although several
circulating protein-based biomarkers with significance for both the diagnosis of carotid artery disease and its prognosis have been identified, at present, none have been clinically implemented. This review focuses especially on the most relevant clinical parameters to take into account in routine clinical
practice and summarises the most up-to-date data on epigenetic biomarkers of carotid atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability.
Funding: This research was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund “A Way to Achieve Europe” Health Strategic Action Program PI16/01540 and PI19/01176 (J.S.) and by the Spanish Stroke Research Networks RETICS
RD16/0019/0003 (INVICTUS PLUS) and RD21/0006/0011 (RICORS-ICTUS). S.B., M.T., Y.S., C.G.-M. and J.S. were members of the Quality Research Group 2017-SGR-1730 from Generalitat de Catalunya. L.C.-P. was a recipient of a PFIS fellowship from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FI20/00305). The APC was funded by the grant from Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund “A Way to Achieve Europe” Spanish Stroke Research Network RETICS RD21/0006/0011 (RICORS-ICTUS).