[The age-related dynamics of the distribution of prelipid changes and lipoidosis in the human aortic intima]

The aortas of 22 practically healthy persons who died accidentally at the age of 20 to 60 years and 112 patients with atherosclerosis dying from the complications of the ischaemic heart disease (IHD) at the age of 30 to 80 years were studied by macroluminescent analysis. The incidence and distribution of prelipid changes (PC) in the intima were compared to those of lipidosis. PC of the type of a simple oedema, gelatinous plaque or muscular-elastic hyperplasia extinguish the primary fluorescence and macroscopically look as areas having the shades of a blue colour. The spread of PC in the aorta depends on the age and the degree of atherosclerosis. A significant increase of the PC surface in the aorta of persons dying from IHD as compared to the healthy persons indicate the exacerbation of the atherosclerotic process. The type and the gravity of the atherosclerosis in the human aorta are determined by the qualitative and quantitative correlations of PC and lipidosis.