Inflammatory cell infiltrates in vessels with different susceptibility to atherosclerosis in rheumatic and non-rheumatic patients: a controlled study of biopsy specimens obtained at coronary artery surgery.
BACKGROUND
The main aim of the present study was to compare the occurrence of inflammatory cell infiltrates in the aorta, a vessel with a high occurrence of atherosclerosis, with that in the saphenous vein (SV) and internal mammary artery (IMA), which are protected from atherosclerosis.


RESULTS
Samples from the aorta, SV, and IMA of 65 patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) and from 51 control patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery were examined for the presence and location of inflammatory cell infiltrates and atherosclerotic lesions. Mononuclear cell infiltrates (MCIs) in the media or adventitia were observed in 2% IMAs, 17% SVs, and 35% aortic specimens (SV vs IMA: p=0.006; SV vs aorta: p=0.001). Atherosclerotic lesions were present in none IMA, 3% SVs and 18% aortic specimens. IRD and smoking increased the odds of MCI in the aorta (odds ratio (OR)=3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6-8.5 and OR=4.0, 95% CI: 1.5-10.9), but not in the SV or IMA.


CONCLUSIONS
The occurrence of medial and adventitial MCI in the aorta, SV, and IMA paralleled each vessel's susceptibility to atherosclerosis: it was highest in the aorta and lowest in IMA. Local vascular inflammation may be involved in atherogenesis, and influence the patency of vascular grafts.
Hollan
Ivana
I
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Feiring Heart Clinic, Feiring, Norway. i-hollan@online.no
Prayson
Richard
R
Saatvedt
Kjell
K
Almdahl
Sven M
SM
Nossent
Hans C
HC
Mikkelsen
Knut
K
Liang
Matthew H
MH
Kvelstad
Ingjerd Lien
IL
Aamodt
Geir
G
Førre
Oystein T
OT
D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008323:Mammary Arteries / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000276:immunology