These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed


  • Title: Time dependent changes of arterial distensibility induced by cholesterol and balloon injury in rabbits: an in vivo intravascular ultrasound study.
    Author: Ribbing M, Dorszewski A, Reinecke H, Breithardt G, Kerber S.
    Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging; 2002 Dec; 18(6):405-13. PubMed ID: 12537407.
    Abstract:
    The aim of this study was to validate in vivo measurement of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for the analysis of structural and functional vessel wall alterations in a chronic animal model. Furthermore, the relation between functional and structural alteration of the vessel wall should be investigated. Fifteen cholesterol-fed rabbits (1%) and 15 control rabbits underwent balloon injury of the abdominal aorta. Immediately before and after balloon traumatization as well as 2 and 6 weeks later IVUS depiction of 10 aortal vessel segments was performed (n = 1,100 measurements). In vivo IVUS measurements and morphometric analysis of the neointimal area of same aortal segments showed a high correlation (n = 148, r = 0.844, p < 0.001). Plaque area determined by morphometry revealed larger areas than the evaluation by IVUS (0.162 +/- 0.138 vs. 0.130 +/- 0.126 mm2, p < 0.001). Before balloon traumatization, pulsatility of the aortal vessel segments was less in cholesterol-fed rabbits (0.067 vs. 0.090, p < 0.01) and neointimal index higher (0.003 vs. 0). Investigation using IVUS 2 and 6 weeks after balloon traumatization demonstrated a continuous loss of arterial distensibility and an increase of neointimal index, being more pronounced in the cholesterol-fed group. As demonstrated by IVUS the loss of distensibility preceded the atherosclerotic alterations. Our investigation suggests using IVUS in this animal model is a reliable setting for long-term investigation of characteristics of the vessel wall. We could demonstrate that altered function of the vessel wall precedes the structural atherosclerotic vessel wall alterations.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]