Morphological and biomechanical study of abdominal aorta of rats submitted to experimental chronic alcoholism.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the influence of experimental chronic alcoholism in the morphology and biomechanics of the aorta, in a rat model.


METHODS
Forty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups of 22 animals each: in the alcoholism group, the rats received water mixed to increasing concentrations of ethyl alcohol; and control group: the rats received pure water for 180 days. The animals were then killed by an overdose of pentobarbital and the abdominal aortas were excised for histological (hematoxylin-eosin, Masson, Calleja, and Picrosirius red stain), histomorphometrical, and biomechanical analysis.


RESULTS
Histology and histomorphometry did not show differences in aorta morphology of both groups. Biomechanical analysis showed a significantly greater yield point elongation in the alcoholic rat group (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic alcoholism did not cause morphological alterations in the aortic wall but increased elongation, without modifying any other mechanical properties.
Cerqueira
Nereide Freire
NF
Departamento de Cirurgia e Anestesiologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia de Botucatu, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, UNESP-São Paulo State University, Botucatu. nereide@fmvz.unesp.br
Yoshida
Winston Bonetti
WB
Müller
Sérgio Swain
SS
Sequeira
Júlio Lopes
JL
de Rodrigues
Antônio Castro
AC
Padovani
Carlos Roberto
CR
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats