Atherosclerosis in diabetes and hypertension. A comparative morphometric study of their progression using an atherometric system.
The three major epicardial coronary arteries of a set of 472 autopsy cases divided into four groups: a) non-diabetics and non-hypertensive, 322 subjects; b) hypertensive, 75 subjects; c) diabetics, 57 subjects and d) hypertensive and diabetic, 17 subjects, were studied. Classical pathomorphological procedures and an atherometric system (AS), suitable to characterize the atherosclerotic lesions, was used searching for differences between the level of atherosclerosis into these four groups and its eventual progression according to the time of evolution of these diseases. Raw data processing was full automated and some univariate and multivariate statistical procedures (means, standard deviations, ANOVA, MANOVA and principal components analysis) were performed using two commercial statistical packages: "NCSS" and "SYSTAT". The most remarkable findings were the following: Diabetes and hypertension have both strong impact upon the rate at which the atherosclerotic process takes place in subjects affected by these diseases. The time of evolution of both diseases correlates positively and independently of age with the velocity of the atherosclerotic process at the three coronary arteries. The impact of diabetes seems to be stronger and is particularly expressed by the severe plaques (Z) while the effect of hypertension is specially observable at the fibrous plaques (Y). There seems to be no significant interaction (synergism) between the two risk factors upon the measurement of the atherosclerotic lesions, that is, they have an additive effect. Two simple underlying factors can be used to account for interindividual differences. These two factors are "dominated", respectively, by fibrous (Y) and severe plaques (Z).
Fernández-Britto
J E
JE
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Finlay-Albarran, Hospital Dr. C. J. Finlay, Havana, Cuba.
Bacallao
J
J
Castillo
J A
JA
Campos
R
R
Wong
R
R
Guski
H
H
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors