Table.
Mortality and aneurysm development rate in mice following periaortic application of CaCl2 (0.5 mol.L−1 or NaCl (0.15 mol.L−1)
| Genotype | Overall operative mortality (%) | Causes of death (% of deaths within group) | Aneurysm prevalence at 6 -weeks after injury | Aneurysm prevalence at 24 weeks after injury | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C57Bl/6J | NaCl | 9.4a | - | - | |
| CaCl2 | 17/28 (60.7%) | 10/19 (52.6%) | |||
| Tgm2–/– | NaCl | 3.4 | - | - | |
| CaCl2 | 20/27 (74.1%) | 17/17 (94.1%) | |||
| F13a1–/– | NaCl | 37.3 | Bleeding 11% Cardiac +/- thrombotic 37% |
- | - |
| CaCl2 | 16/26 (61.5%) | - | |||
| Tgm2–/–/F13a1–/– | NaCl | 62.0 | Bleeding 27% Cardiac +/- thrombotic 27% |
- | - |
| CaCl2 | 7/19 (36.8%) | - |
Values are number/total number (%) unless otherwise indicated.
Aneurysm prevalence (absolute numbers and percentage) of mice developing an aneurysm (defined as aortic dilatation >50%) in each genotype group. Vessel dilatation was defined at the time of harvest at either 6 or 24 weeks after CaCl2 injury.
The mortality of wild-type mice undergoing CaCl2 injury or NaCl sham procedure includes the first mice operated upon during familiarization with the method. The mortality rate among Tgm2–/– mice (3.4%) more accurately reflects the incidental death rate among wild-type mice post-familiarization. Deaths post-familiarization were very high in F13a1–/– mice and Tgm2–/–/F13a1–/– mice. Other causes of death include fighting post-operation, bowel ischemia and wound complications. A large renal mass was detected in one Tgm2–/–/F13a1–/– mouse. In some cases, the cause of death was unknown.