Acknowledgements:
We are grateful to the patients for their participation in the study, to Susanne Hansen, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital for collecting patients’ informed consent, to Lars M. Rasmussen, Pia Søndergaard Jensen, Ingelise Ernholt, and Christian Enggaard, Odense Artery Biobank for collection and handling of patients’ samples and clinical information.