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Dysglycemia and the Density of the Coronary Vasa Vasorum

Hertzel C Gerstein1,2, Vidhya Nair3,4,5, Ruchi Chaube6

  • 1Department of Medicine, McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Canada gerstein@mcmaster.ca.

Diabetes Care
|March 14, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Individuals with diabetes show reduced coronary artery vasa vasorum density, linked to higher HbA1c levels. This suggests dysglycemia may damage these vital vessels, potentially contributing to ischemic heart disease.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Pathology
  • Diabetology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
  • Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for CAD.
  • The role of vasa vasorum in the pathogenesis of CAD in diabetic patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between dysglycemia and the density of the coronary artery vasa vasorum.
  • To determine if impaired glucose metabolism affects the microvasculature of the coronary arteries.

Main Methods:

  • Autopsy-obtained left anterior descending coronary arteries from 57 individuals were analyzed.
  • Vasa vasorum density was assessed using fluorescent immunohistochemical staining.
  • Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were measured in postmortem blood samples.

Main Results:

  • Individuals with diabetes exhibited significantly lower coronary vasa vasorum density compared to non-diabetic individuals.
  • A negative correlation was observed between HbA1c levels and vasa vasorum density in the adventitia and the entire vessel wall.
  • Higher HbA1c levels were associated with reduced microvessel density in the coronary arteries.

Conclusions:

  • Dysglycemia is associated with reduced coronary artery vasa vasorum density.
  • Damage to the vasa vasorum by dysglycemia may contribute to the development of ischemic heart disease in diabetic individuals.
  • These findings highlight a potential mechanism linking diabetes to cardiovascular complications.
Abstract

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