[A quantitative analysis of pulmonary arterioles in 402 cases of cor pulmonale]

A quantitative analysis of pulmonary arterioles were made in 402 cases of cor pulmonale. The results showed that arteriole muscularization and medial hypertrophy, intimal fibrosis of pulmonary small arteries were important lesions. The authors found that right ventricular hypertrophy was bound to follow intimal fibrosis of pulmonary small arteries but was not along with medial hypertrophy and arteriole muscularization, and that the lesion of pulmonary arteries was not balanced with the course of disease. The authors considered that these results were related to vessel dilatation and medial atrophy because of intimal pressure in late stage of the disease.