Table 2.
General characteristics of structure and function of the aorta of rats
| Rat group | The adult rats (n = 20) | The ageing rats (n = 20) | The valsartan rats (n = 20) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month (M) | 3 | 18 | 18 |
| Weight (W) | 321.4 ± 31.1 | 624.9 ± 25.4* | 685.7 ± 23.2* |
| Systolic blood pressure (SBP) | 139.1 ± 6.4 | 158.6 ± 5.5* | 149.0 ± 4.3* |
| T (μm) | 53.8 ± 6.2 | 92.0 ± 15.1* | 75.0 ± 10.8*Δ |
| D (mm) | 1.29 ± 0.18 | 1.65 ± 0.23* | 1.51 ± 0.15*Δ |
| T/D | 0.042 ± 0.001 | 0.056 ± 0.002* | 0.050 ± 0.005*Δ |
| SM (Aa%) | 22.5 ± 4.7 | 32.9 ± 3.4* | 23.6 ± 3.0*Δ |
| CF (Aa%) | 21.9 ± 2.6 | 30.7 ± 3.2* | 24.7 ± 2.6**Δ |
| HC (μg/mg) | 12.8 ± 1.4 | 38.2 ± 15.57* | 22.2 ± 6.6**Δ |
T: intima-media thickness
D: internal diameter
T/D: intima-media thickness/internal diameter
SM (Aa%): relative content of smooth muscle
CF (Aa%): relative content of collagen fibre
HC: Hydroxyproline.
Mean ± SD, n: number of rat per group,
*
P < 0.05,
**
P < 0.01 compare with adult group;
Δ
P < 0.05 compare with ageing group.