R. Krams1*; C. Cheng1; F. Helderman1; S. Verheye2; L.C.A. van Damme1; B. Mousavi Gourabi1; D. Tempel1; D. Segers1; P. de Feyter1; G. Pasterkamp3; D. De Klein3; R. de Crom4; A.F.W. van der Steen1; P.W. Serruys1
1. Thorax center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 2. Middelheim, Antwerp, Belgium; 3. Department Experimental Cardiology Utrecht The Netherlands; 4. Department of Vascular Surgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Background: Vulnerable plaque has been associated with local macrophage accumulation and local high matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 activity. Since shear stress is a known local modulator of plaque l