title: [Marked decrease of intracranial atherosclerosis in contrast with unchanged coronary artery stenosis in Japan].
abstract: We conducted comparative studies on intracranial atherosclerosis and coronary artery stenosis over the past 28 years. Two-year consecutive autopsy case studies from an urban geriatric hospital between 1974-1975 (Group I. 484 cases). 1986-1987 (Group II, 504 cases) and 2000-2001 (Group III, 273 cases) were employed. Atherosclerotic changes of the bilateral middle cerebral arteries and basilar artery were semiquantitatively evaluated as none (0), mild (1), moderate (2) and severe (3) and values of the 3 arteries were totalled to give a value of 0-9 which was taken as the intracranial atherosclerotic index (ICAI). The coronary stenotic index was calculated as previously reported (Sugiura et al 1969). ICAI and CSI were directly compared with each other, together with risk factors for each, including mean blood pressure (BP), serum level of total cholesterol (Tch) and the history of diabetes mellitus (DM+). Chronologically ICAI decreased dramatically but CSI did not change at all. There was continuous lowering of BP, elevation of Tch and increased incidence of DM+. There was a significant positive correlation in BP in relation to both ICAI and CSI (p < 0.01). DM+ vs. CSI (p < 0.01) and ICAI (p < 0.05), and Tch vs. CSI (p < 0.01) but not ICAI. Regression analysis highlighted age and BP as major risk factors for ICAI. Our study provides the first morphological confirmation of marked decrease of the intracranial atherosclerosis in the recent 28 years, in contrast with unchanged coronary stenosis in Japanese elderly subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology.
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamanouchi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagura
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chida
authors.forename: Tomio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Motoji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawabe
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takasaki
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murayama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors