{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T02:17:47Z","timestamp":1783649867325,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":163,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"22","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,17]],"date-time":"2025-11-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763337600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Intracoronary optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a highly accurate and sensitive imaging tool capable of providing high resolution visualization of atherosclerotic coronary plaque morphology and microstructures in vivo. OCT has proven to be useful in clinical practice, particularly in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) guidance, assessment of stent-related complications, and elucidation of the pathobiological cause of acute coronary syndrome. Notably, OCT allows for the detection of specific plaque features (i.e., thin cap fibroatheroma, lipid-rich plaque, macrophage infiltration, healed plaques, microvessels, etc.) that are known to carry prognostic significance in the context of coronary artery disease (CAD). These insights may offer valuable information about the patient\u2019s overall atherosclerotic background, potentially supporting more personalized secondary prevention strategies, including lifestyle modification and targeted pharmacologic therapies. Recently, the role of preventive PCI in plaques with high-risk features has also been investigated with promising\u2014though still preliminary\u2014results. In this narrative review, we primarily aim to discuss studies evaluating the prognostic value of OCT-identified coronary plaque microstructures. We also assessed potential therapeutic implications in the management of patients with CAD.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14228132","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]],"date-time":"2025-11-19T12:55:31Z","timestamp":1763556931000},"page":"8132","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Prognostic Role and Therapeutic Implications of Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography Detected Coronary Plaque Microstructures in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6602-971X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michele","family":"Russo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL2 Abruzzo, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9037-2840","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elena","family":"Bacigalupi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL2 Abruzzo, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9177-9547","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco","family":"Radico","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL2 Abruzzo, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Scorpiglione","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL2 Abruzzo, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Filippo Luca","family":"Gurgoglione","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, University of Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandro","family":"Russo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carlo","family":"Vigna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3909-182X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mattia","family":"Galli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, 04100 Latina, Italy"},{"name":"Maria Cecilia Hospital, GVM Care & Research, 48033 Cotignola, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9669-4278","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefano","family":"Benenati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiovascular Disease Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, IRCCS Italian Cardiology Network, 16132 Genova, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rocco","family":"Vergallo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Interventional Cardiology Unit, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department (DICATOV), IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), Universit\u00e0 di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6439-1018","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rocco Antonio","family":"Montone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Sciences, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Umberto","family":"Benedetto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiac Surgery, University \u201cG. d\u2019Annunzio\u201d, 66100 Chieti, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giampaolo","family":"Niccoli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, University of Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Prati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital, 00184 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Centro per la Lotta Contro L\u2019Infarto\u2014CLI Foundation, 00182 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5455-6010","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Zimarino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL2 Abruzzo, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, \u201cGabriele d\u2019Annunzio\u201d University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"GBD 2021 Forecasting Collaborators (2024). Burden of disease scenarios for 204 countries and territories, 2022\u20132050: A forecasting analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet, 403, 2204\u20132256."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1016\/j.acvd.2023.12.009","article-title":"Profile of patients hospitalized in intensive cardiac care units in France: ADDICT-ICCU registry","volume":"117","author":"Gall","year":"2024","journal-title":"Arch. Cardiovasc. 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