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Article

Serial Coronary Plaque Composition After Inclisiran Initiation Assessed by Automated CCTA: A Retrospective Pilot Study

1
Department of Cardiology, Minamino Cardiovascular Hospital, 1-25-1 Hyoue, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0918, Japan
2
Department of Radiology, Minamino Cardiovascular Hospital, 1-25-1 Hyoue, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0918, Japan
3
Division of Basic and Clinical Medicine, Nagano College of Nursing, 1694 Akaho, Komagane, Nagano 399-4117, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diagnostics 2026, 16(18), 3009; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16183009
Submission received: 6 July 2026 / Revised: 12 September 2026 / Accepted: 13 September 2026 / Published: 17 September 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostics)

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Inclisiran provides durable low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering, but serial coronary plaque composition after treatment initiation remains incompletely characterized. This study evaluated temporal plaque changes using automated coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Methods: In this uncontrolled, retrospective, observational pilot study, consecutive patients who initiated inclisiran between 1 January 2024 and 29 April 2026 were screened. A random-intercept mixed-effects model included every eligible quantitative plaque observation obtained by the prespecified data cutoff. Results: Of the 230 screened patients, 215 contributed 468 plaque observations (baseline, n = 186; 3 months, n = 196; 15 months, n = 86); 74 had all three examinations. The LDL-C levels decreased from 117.4 mg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI], 113.3–121.6) to 45.9 mg/dL (39.5–52.3) at 15 months. No significant time effect was detected for the total plaque volume (p = 0.713). Low-density non-calcified plaque (LDNC) decreased from 27.3 mm3 (23.1–31.6) to 22.7 mm3 (18.0–27.4; overall p = 0.0035), whereas calcified plaque increased from 56.5 mm3 (45.6–67.3) to 67.1 mm3 (55.9–78.2; p < 0.0001). The adjusted baseline-to-15-month differences were −4.64 mm3 for LDNC (95% CI, −7.54 to −1.74; Bonferroni-adjusted p = 0.0052) and +10.60 mm3 for calcified plaque (6.60–14.60; adjusted p < 0.0001). In the tube voltage-adjusted sensitivity analysis of 107 patients and 278 observations, these findings were maintained. Conclusions: Patients initiating inclisiran showed temporal changes in attenuation-defined plaque composition. The uncontrolled design, incomplete acquisition data in the expanded cohort, and technical variability preclude causal or histologic interpretation.
Keywords: inclisiran; coronary computed tomography angiography; CCTA; artificial intelligence; coronary plaque; low-density non-calcified plaque; plaque remodeling; LDL cholesterol inclisiran; coronary computed tomography angiography; CCTA; artificial intelligence; coronary plaque; low-density non-calcified plaque; plaque remodeling; LDL cholesterol

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kawada, K.; Suzuki, M.; Mochizuki, J.; Matsumi, H.; Miura, D.; Hata, Y. Serial Coronary Plaque Composition After Inclisiran Initiation Assessed by Automated CCTA: A Retrospective Pilot Study. Diagnostics 2026, 16, 3009. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16183009

AMA Style

Kawada K, Suzuki M, Mochizuki J, Matsumi H, Miura D, Hata Y. Serial Coronary Plaque Composition After Inclisiran Initiation Assessed by Automated CCTA: A Retrospective Pilot Study. Diagnostics. 2026; 16(18):3009. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16183009

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kawada, Kentaro, Masafumi Suzuki, Junji Mochizuki, Hiroaki Matsumi, Daiji Miura, and Yoshiki Hata. 2026. "Serial Coronary Plaque Composition After Inclisiran Initiation Assessed by Automated CCTA: A Retrospective Pilot Study" Diagnostics 16, no. 18: 3009. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16183009

APA Style

Kawada, K., Suzuki, M., Mochizuki, J., Matsumi, H., Miura, D., & Hata, Y. (2026). Serial Coronary Plaque Composition After Inclisiran Initiation Assessed by Automated CCTA: A Retrospective Pilot Study. Diagnostics, 16(18), 3009. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16183009

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