Background: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disorder that leads to impaired lumen patency through intimal hyperplasia and the build-up of plaques, mainly localized in areas of disturbed flow. Computational models can provide valuable insights in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and act as a predictive tool to optimize current interventional techniques. Our hypothesis is that a reliable predictive model must include the atherosclerosis development history. Accordingly, we developed a multiscale modeling framework of atherosclerosis that replicates the hemodynamic-driven arterial wall remodeling and plaque formation. Methods: The framework was based on the coupling of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations with an Agent-Based Model (ABM). The CFD simulation computed the hemodynamics in a 3D artery model, while 2D ABMs simulated cell, Extracellular Matrix (ECM) and lipid dynamics in multiple vessel cross-sections. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to evaluate the oscillation of the ABM output to variations in the inputs and to identify the most influencing ABM parameters. Results: Our multiscale model qualitatively replicated both the physiologic and pathologic arterial configuration, capturing histological-like features. The ABM outputs were mostly driven by cell and ECM dynamics, largely affecting the lumen area. A subset of parameters was found to affect the final lipid core size, without influencing cell/ECM or lumen area trends. Conclusion: The fully coupled CFD-ABM framework described atherosclerotic morphological and compositional changes triggered by a disturbed hemodynamics.
A fully coupled computational fluid dynamics – agent-based model of atherosclerotic plaque development: Multiscale modeling framework and parameter sensitivity analysis / Corti, Anna; Chiastra, Claudio; Colombo, Monika; Garbey, Marc; Migliavacca, Francesco; Casarin, Stefano. - In: COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE. - ISSN 0010-4825. - 118(2020), p. 103623. [10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.103623]
Titolo: | A fully coupled computational fluid dynamics – agent-based model of atherosclerotic plaque development: Multiscale modeling framework and parameter sensitivity analysis | |
Autori: | ||
Data di pubblicazione: | 2020 | |
Rivista: | ||
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.103623 | |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 1.1 Articolo in rivista |
File in questo prodotto:
File | Descrizione | Tipologia | Licenza | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CBM_Corti_post-print.pdf | 2. Post-print / Author's Accepted Manuscript | PUBBLICO - Tutti i diritti riservati | Visibile a tuttiVisualizza/Apri | |
2020 Corti - A fully coupled computational fluid dynamics - agent-based model of atherosclerotic plaque development.pdf | 2a Post-print versione editoriale / Version of Record | Non Pubblico - Accesso privato/ristretto | Administrator Richiedi una copia |
http://hdl.handle.net/11583/2786058