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Numerical investigation and prediction of atherogenic sites in branching arteries
M Lei1, C Kleinstreuer, G A Truskey
1Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7910, USA.
Insights
The wall shear stress gradient (WSSG) is the best indicator of disturbed blood flow patterns that lead to atherosclerosis. This finding helps predict where arterial narrowing may develop.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Hemodynamics
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death globally, affecting large and medium arteries.
- The disease's focal distribution at arterial branches suggests a link to abnormal blood flow patterns, termed "disturbed flows."
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the most reliable hemodynamic indicator of sites susceptible to atherogenesis.
- To develop a predictive parameter for atherosclerotic development in branching vessels.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the rabbit aorto-celiac junction as an in vivo model for studying atherosclerosis.
- Analyzed transient velocity vector fields and wall shear stress gradient (WSSG) distributions.
- Developed a novel dimensionless parameter to predict stenotic development sites.
Main Results:
- The local wall shear stress gradient (WSSG) emerged as the superior indicator of nonuniform flow fields.
- Transient velocity fields and WSSG distributions were analyzed in the model.
- A new dimensionless parameter was proposed for predicting susceptible sites for stenosis.
Conclusions:
- Wall shear stress gradient (WSSG) is the most effective predictor of atherogenesis-prone sites in branching arteries.
- The findings offer insights into the biomechanical factors driving atherosclerosis.
- The developed parameter aids in predicting the location of potential arterial narrowing.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis, a disease of large- and medium-size arteries, is the chief cause of death in the US and most of the western world. It is widely accepted that the focal nature of the disease in arterial bends, junctions, and bifurcations is directly related to locally abnormal hemodynamics, often labeled "disturbed flows." Employing the aorto-celiac junction of rabbits as a representative atherosclerotic model and considering other branching blood vessels with their distinctive input wave forms, it is suggested that the local wall shear stress gradient (WSSG) is the single best indicator of nonuniform flow fields leading to atherogenesis. Alternative predictors of susceptible sites are briefly evaluated. The results discussed include transient velocity vector fields, wall shear stress gradient distributions, and a new dimensionless parameter for the prediction of the probable sites of stenotic developments in branching blood vessels. Some of the possible underlying biological aspects of atherogenesis due to locally significant /WSSG/-magnitudes are briefly discussed.