[Possibilities of regression in arteriosclerosis]

We studied the hypercholesterolemic rabbit model in order to evaluate potentials of regression of arteriosclerosis by measuring various blood and plaque parameters. After induction of arteriosclerosis by feeding a 2% cholesterol-enriched diet (CHF) for 6 weeks, the highly increased blood lipid levels decreased significantly under normal diet, while the cholesterol concentration, the lumen stenosis, and the number of smooth muscle cells in the plaques of the thoracic aorta still significantly increased. Sixty-eight weeks after reaching normal blood lipid levels, cellular density and number of macrophages significantly diminished; cholesterol concentration and lumen stenosis did not change significantly, whereas the smooth muscle cells further increased. Arteriosclerotic arteries of elderly people demonstrated a similar structure as seen after long-term regression in our experiments.