Aspirin Reduces the Growth of Medial and Neointimal Thickenings in Balloon-Injured Rat Carotid Arteries

Volker, Wolfgang Dr. rer. nat.
Faber, Verona Diplombiologin

Institute for Arteriosclerosis Research at the University of Munster, Münster, FRG.

Address for correspondence: Dr. Wolfgang Volker, Institut ffir Arterioskleroseforschung an der Universitat Munster, Domagkstrasse 3, D-4400 Munster, FRG.

Supported by Bayer AG Wuppertal, FRG, and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Vo 399/1-2) to W.V.

Stroke 21(12):p IV-45, December 1990.

We analyzed the effect of Aspirin on the growth of experimentally induced vascular thickenings in rat carotid arteries. Vascular thickenings were induced by denudation of the endothelium in the left carotid artery with a balloon catheter. Administration of Aspirin-rich food (17.4 g/kg body wt/day) was started 1 week before and continued 2 weeks after injury. Nine rats were used. A control group of equal size received normal food. Sizes of the tunica media, the neointima, and the open vessel lumen were measured on cross sections of carotid segments with the aid of a videomorphometry system. The results show that in the Aspirin group, neointimal lesions are significantly smaller than in the control group (0.14 mm² versus 0.23 mm¹; p < 0.5). Thickenings of the tunica media are also reduced (0.11 mm² versus 0.12 mm²;p < 0.5). It is suggested that Aspirin reduces both medial hypertrophy and neointimal outgrowth in injury-induced atherosclerosis. (Stroke 1990;21(suppl IV): IV-44-IV-45)