Table 1.
Animal Characteristics
| Parameter | Controls | M 7 | M+F 8 | M+F 14 | M+F 30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemodynamics | |||||
| Mean RAP, mmHg | 3 ± 1 | 3 ± 1 | 3 ± 1 | 3 ± 1 | 9 ± 2⁎ |
| sRVP, mmHg | 25 ± 4 | 23 ± 2 | 23 ± 4 | 33 ± 3⁎ | 64 ± 12⁎ |
| sPAP, mmHg | 25 ± 4 | 22 ± 5 | 22 ± 3 | 32 ± 3⁎ | 60 ± 10⁎ |
| dPAP, mmHg | 11 ± 4 | 12 ± 4 | 14 ± 5 | 17 ± 4⁎ | 29 ± 7⁎ |
| mPAP, mmHg | 18 ± 3 | 17 ± 3 | 18 ± 2 | 25 ± 2⁎ | 42 ± 6⁎ |
| Heart rate/min | 343 ± 60 | 317 ± 40 | 341 ± 46 | 351 ± 20 | 246 ± 35⁎ |
| Pathology | |||||
| Body weight at day 1, g | 346 ± 20 | 382 ± 10 | 336 ± 13 | 332 ± 12 | 330 ± 16 |
| Body weight at sacrifice, g | 373 ± 24 | 379 ± 7 | 338 ± 14 | 327 ± 35 | 380 ± 35 |
| RV weight, g | 0.22 ± 0.03 | 0.21 ± 0.03 | 0.22 ± 0.03 | 0.26 ± 0.09 | 0.48 ± 0.04⁎ |
| Fulton index [RV/(IVS/LV)] | 0.29 ± 0.04 | 0.26 ± 0.04 | 0.3 ± 0.02 | 0.33 ± 0.02 | 0.57 ± 0.08⁎ |
| Liver wet/dry weight ratio | 2.8 ± 0.3 | 3.0 ± 0.2 | 3.1 ± 0.1 | 3.0 ± 0.2 | 3.4 ± 0.1⁎ |
| Pulmonary vascular remodeling | |||||
| Intra-acinar vessels (<50 μm) | |||||
| Wall thickness, μm | 0.1 ± 0.1 | 0.5 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 2.6 ± 1.0 | 9.3 ± 2.1⁎ |
| Wall/lumen ratio | 0.003 ± 0.002 | 0.022 ± 0.010 | 0.030 ± 0.015 | 0.112 ± 0.067 | 1.806 ± 1.562⁎ |
| Muscularization | |||||
| Nonmuscularized, % of vessels | 91.8 ± 5.9 | 65.5 ± 5.9⁎ | 44.7 ± 10.3⁎ | 22.8 ± 11.1⁎ | 0.0 ± 0.0⁎ |
| Partially muscularized, % of vessels | 7.4 ± 5.2 | 23.7 ± 6.5 | 32.9 ± 9.0⁎ | 27.4 ± 3.5⁎ | 2.5 ± 4.3 |
| Totally muscularized, % of vessels | 0.8 ± 1.1 | 6.9 ± 2.8 | 18.0 ± 7.0 | 43.0 ± 5.5⁎ | 22.4 ± 9.9⁎ |
| Neointima, % of vessels | 0.0 ± 0.0 | 0.5 ± 1.1 | 0.5 ± 1.1 | 4.7 ± 4.3 | 75.1 ± 11.0⁎ |
| Preacinar vessels (>50 μm) | |||||
| Wall thickness, μm | 7.1 ± 2.4 | 11.1 ± 2.6 | 10.3 ± 1.5 | 11.0 ± 3.2 | 19.6 ± 11.5 |
| Wall/lumen ratio | 0.07 ± 0.02 | 0.14 ± 0.03 | 0.11 ± 0.05 | 0.13 ± 0.06 | 0.19 ± 0.08⁎ |
Muscularization per experimental group is presented as the percentage of intra-acinar vessels per degree of muscularization (including neointimal lesions). Data are presented as mean ± SD from 5 to 10 rats per group.
dPAP, diastolic pulmonary arterial pressure; IVS, intraventricular septum; LV, left ventricle; mPAP, mean pulmonary arterial pressure; RAP, right atrial pressure; RV, right ventricle; sPAP, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure; sRVP, systolic right ventricular pressure.
⁎
P < 0.05 versus controls.