Impact of MEditerranean Diet, Inflammation and Microbiome After an Acute Coronary Syndrome

Overview

In the MEDIMACS project, the investigators will use a randomized clinical-trial design to address the effects of mediterranean diet on atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability and coronary endothelial function in order to decipher complex interplays between diet, microbiome, immunological and metabolic responses and coronary atherosclerosis. The investigators will focus on patients after an episode of acute coronary syndrome and use state-of-the-art techniques to address atherosclerotic plaque composition and coronary endothelial function. A number of different -omic approaches will be used to address effector pathways. The insights provided by this study will allow identifying potential new dietary, microbiota and/or metabolic targets for the treatment of atherosclerosis

Coronary atherosclerosis is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Continuous efforts are needed to improve secondary prevention and understand the mechanism underlying disease progression. Based on primary prevention trials, a potential benefit of the Mediterranean diet after an acute coronary syndrome can be anticipated. The integrated microbiome-mediated/ immunologic and metabolic pathways by which the Mediterranean diet modifies cardiovascular risk remain mostly unknown. Intestinal and oral dysbiosis is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and microbiome dynamics may account for some of the observed benefits of Mediterranean diet. The first objective of the trial is to evaluate the effects of a well-controlled Mediterranean diet intervention on atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability and coronary endothelial dysfunction after an episode of acute coronary syndrome. The second objective is to decipher the interplays among diet, microbiota, immunity and metabolism responsible for the observed effects. The investigators propose a randomized mechanistic clinical trial, using state-of-the-art efficacy read-outs. The multidisciplinary consortium includes highly experienced cardiologists, nutritionists and experts in translational research in immunology, microbiomics, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and metagenomics. This study will provide valuable insights to identify potential microbiome therapeutic targets for coronary artery disease.