Table 1. Background data of WHHLMI rabbits.

		All rabbits examined							Rabbits that died suddenly				Rabbits euthanized
		Female	Male		Sacrificed	Sadden death			Female	Male			Female	Male
Number of rabbits examined		113	74		107	80			64	16			49	58
Serum lipid levels (mmol/l) at 6 months old (187 rabbits)
	Total cholesterol	32.4 ± 0.4	31.8 ± 0.6	P=0.414	31.4 ± 0.4	33.3 ± 0.5	P=0.003		33.1 ± 0.5	34.2 ± 1.4	P=0.340		31.6 ± 0.6	31.2 ± 0.6	P=0.664
	Triglycerides	3.2 ± 0.1	2.9 ± 0.1	P=0.0918	3.1 ± 0.1	3.1 ± 0.1	P=0.943		3.2 ± 0.1	2.8 ± 0.2	P=0.131		3.3 ± 0.2	3.0 ± 0.2	P=0.246
Serum lipid levels (mmol/l) at 12 months old (156 rabbits)
	Total cholesterol	25.5 ± 0.5	21.2 ± 0.6	P<0.001	23.1± 0.7	24.8 ± 0.5	P=0.049		25.4 ± 0.5	22.2 ± 0.9	P=0.006		25.5 ± 0.9	20.8 ± 0.8	P<0.001
	Triglycerides	3.2 ± 0.1	3.1 ± 0.2	P=0.789	3.3 ± 0.2	3.1 ± 0.2	P=0.597		3.2 ± 0.2	2.9 ± 0.3	P=0.575		3.3 ± 0.2	3.2 ± 0.3	P=0.853
Serum lipid levels (mmol/l) at 24 months old (33 rabbits)
	Total cholesterol	19.2 ± 1.5	18.1 ± 1.5	P=0.688	20.9 ± 1.8	18.1 ± 1.5	P=0.246		17.7 ± 1.9	19.7 ± 2.0	P=0.5977		23.2 ± 1.8	15.4 ± 1.9	P=0.034
	Triglycerides	2.9 ± 0.2	2.5 ± 0.3	P=0.388	3.0 ± 0.5	2.7 ± 0.2	P=0.437		3.1 ± 0.2	2.8 ± 0.2	P=0.894		2.8 ± 0.5	2.0 ± 0.1	P=0.257
Aortic surface lesion area (%)*
	10–16 months old	86 ± 1.4	84 ± 2.4	P=0.579	83 ± 1.7	88 ± 1.6	P=0.060		89 ± 1.7	85			83 ± 2.0	83 ± 2.5	P=0.522
	17–22 months old	88 ± 1.3	86 ± 1.4	P=0.233	85 ± 1.4	89 ± 1.3	P=0.025		90 ± 1.5	88 ± 2.5	P=0.324		85 ± 2.1	85 ± 1.8	P=0.900
	23–29 months old	93 ± 0.8	90 ± 2.1	P=0.081	92 ± 2.0	93 ± 0.8	P=0.956		93 ± 1.0	92 ± 1.0	P=0.217		94 ± 0.6	88 ± 4.9	P=0.242

Data are presented as the mean ± standard error of the mean. *The aortic surface lesion area (%) was calculated by dividing the lesion area by the area of the lumen surface of the entire aorta. Statistical analyses were performed with the Mann-Whitney U-test.