title: Analysis of aortic size in subjects died due to cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular events: a necropsy study.
abstract: Aortic size is known to be a predictor for cardiovascular deaths. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether aortic diameters measured on tissue samples obtained during autopsy from subjects that died of cardiovascular disease were bigger when compared to those from subjects deceased from other cause than cardiovascular disease. The study included 91 deceased subjects (average age 56 ± 18.1 years), which underwent autopsy to determine cause of death. Morphological measurements were completed on 364 aortic specimens obtained from four different sites, namely ascending aorta, aortic arch, distal thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta. Aorta showed the tendency to decrease in diameter from ascending aorta to abdominal aorta, the latter presenting with the smallest diameter. All studied aortic diameters were found to be larger in the cardiovascular population (p<0.01).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania; pie1956@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Oana Cristina
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Mirea
authors.forename: Anca Adriana
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ancuţa
authors.forename: Mircea Sebastian
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Şerbănescu
authors.forename: Paraschiva
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Postolache
authors.forename: Constantin Daniel
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Uscatu
authors.forename: Cătălina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: Iancu Emil
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Pleşea
authors.forename: Luminiţa Cristina
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chiuţu
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D009929:Organ Size