P69 | MICROPLASTICS AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS: EVIDENCE OF MICROPLASTICS IN CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUES

R. Sciarrillo¹, V. Gallicchio¹, A. Lallo¹, F. Carrella¹, D. Barbarisi², A. Falzarano¹, M. De Falco³, F. Flora², A. Peluso², S. Piccolo², L. Flora² | ¹Department of Science and Technologies, University of Sannio, Italy; ²Vascular Surgery, Hospital of National Importance San Giuseppe Moscati, Italy; ³Department of Biology, University of Naples, Italy

A very recent study reported for the first time the presence of four types of microplastics in human arteries, including coronary, carotid and aortic arteries. The coronary and carotid arteries with atherosclerotic plaques had significantly higher concentrations than aortic arteries without atherosclerotic plaques, which could imply a link between microplastics and atherosclerosis¹. We analysed 27 atherosclerotic plaques taken from patients with carotid atherosclerosis who had undergone carotid endarterectomy in order to determine the distribution of microplastics within the plaques. Microplastics were detected by pyrolysi-gass chromatography/mass spectrometry an average concentration of 13.99±3.00 μg/mg of plaque. Four types of microplastics were detected: PET (36.5%), PA-66 (38.6%), PVC (15.5%), and PE (9.22%). Secondary endpoint included levels of tissue biomarkers CD68 and CD3 measured by immunohistochemistry in plaques where at least one type of microplastic was identified versus those without. Scanning electron microscopy images showed small particles of low-reflection material surrounded by a thin line of high-reflection material identified outside in the amorphous material of the plaque. These findings are consistent with a multicenter observational study conducted in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease², suggesting that microplastics may be associated with human cardiovascular health.