title: Analysis of arterial wall remodeling in hypertension based on lamellar modeling.
abstract: Arterial wall remodels its geometry and mechanical properties in response to hypertension to maintain functionality. The elevated pressure is sensed through cellular mechanotransduction pathways, and extra extracellular matrix is synthesized, leading to thickening and stiffening. The present study enquires the response of aortic lamellar structure to hypertensive blood pressure regarding unchanged circumferential stress "profile" across the media as remodeling criterion. We tested the hypothesis that alterations in the thickness of structural layers contributes to maintain stress profile with least deviation from normotensive conditions. To test this notion, finite element analysis was recruited to evaluate stress profile, considering wall residual stress, and lamellar structure was adjusted through an optimization algorithm. Our results indicated 47% increased thickness of the aortic media that originates from nonhomogenous thickening of the microstructural units. The thickening and stiffening responses of the wall tissue were coupled, and the optimized pattern of hypertension-induced remodeling was established.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taghizadeh
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Engineering Lab, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: tafazoli@aut.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tafazzoli-Shadpour
authors.affiliation: Tracheal Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Shadmehr
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066253:Vascular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Arterial wall remodeling; finite element method; lamellar structure of media; monotonic circumferential stress profile; residual stresses