title: Changes in wall viscosity and filtering as determinant of carotid and femoral atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability: theoretical analysis.
abstract: Atherosclerotic plaque complication is a major cause of vascular accidents. Although a variety of factors have been proposed as key factors in these process, the mechanism that contribute to this problem remain to be characterized. Previously we demonstrated that changes in arterial wall viscous and elastic properties and/or in the filtering function (FF) could be part of the arterial wall alterations basis. If these properties are altered in arteries with atherosclerotic plaques remains to be analyzed. Our aims were 1) to analyze the arterial wall visco-elasticity and FF of carotid and femoral segments with atherosclerotic plaques, 2) to compare them with the mechanical behavior of segments without plaques (from the same artery) and of healthy arteries studied non-invasively. To this end, in each arterial segment, pressure and diameter signals were obtained, in vitro (circulation mock) and in vivo (non-invasive recordings). In atherosclerotic arteries recordings were performed on plaques and near regions without plaques. In each segment, the elasticity, the viscosity, and the wall FF were quantified. Atherosclerotic vessels, and particularly plaque regions, showed a reduced viscosity and FF. At the light of our results, hypothetical links between plaque events and changes in visco-elasticity and FF were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Department, School of Medicine, Universidad de la República (CUiiDARTE), General Flores 2125, PC:11800, Montevideo, Uruguay. dbia@fmed.edu.uy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brum
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pessana
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zócalo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balay
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Negreira
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Armentano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology*; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D015233:Models, Statistical; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000473:pathology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014783:Viscosity