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Biomedical subjects

J P Strong

Publications and source records attributed to J P Strong.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Histologic features of atherosclerosis and hypertension from autopsies of young individuals in a defined geographic population: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Histologic features of arterial intima have been quantified at autopsy by morphometric methods in 66 individuals aged 6-30 years, in whom cardiovascular risk factors had been measured prospectively prior to death. Measures of serum cholesterol were found to correlate significantly with the extent of foam cell infiltration seen in paraffin sections and the intensity of lipid staining in frozen sections of the abdominal and thoracic segments of the aorta. A similar correlation in the coronary arteries was weak and inconsistent. Blood pressure was significantly correlated with foam cells and stainable lipid in the abdominal but not the thoracic segment of the aorta. A similar correlation in the coronary arteries was significant, but only in males, and most consistently in the black males. Intimal thickness of the coronary arteries showed sporadic and weak correlations with blood pressure and lipids; however, a strong and consistent correlation was seen between coronary intimal thickness and hyalinization of renal arterioles. With many statistical tests carried out on a limited data set, some particular details are, no doubt, spuriously significant; however, some persistent patterns are beginning to emerge. The reproducible findings support the concept that prospective measurements of blood pressure and serum lipids are associated with a degree of structural characteristics present in children and young adults. Moreover, the observed structural characteristics, specifically the deposition of lipids in the intima of coronary arteries and aorta, are likely to reflect variations in the rates of progression of atherosclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Environmental and genetic risk factors in early human atherogenesis: lessons from the PDAY study. Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth.

A multi-institutional study 'Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth' (PDAY) was initiated to document the natural history of atherosclerosis, its relationship to risk factors, and pathobiology of lesion development in young subjects. Pathology laboratories in nine centers collected arteries and tissues from over 2000 persons from 15 through 34 years of age whose deaths were attributed to homicides, accidents, or suicides. Arteries were evaluated for lesions, and risk factors were analyzed in a central laboratory. Post-mortem risk factors included serum lipoproteins, serum thiocyanate (smoking), glycohemoglobin (diabetes), thickness of panniculus adiposus (obesity), small renal artery changes (hypertension) and apoprotein isoforms. This study documents the development of atherosclerosis at an early age. It also shows that the recognized risk factors for coronary heart disease are associated with lesion development in the arteries of these young subjects. The PDAY study has a counterpart in Japan where the development of atherosclerosis has been studied in young subjects. This Japanese study, in a population in which coronary heart disease has not yet become a major epidemic, has findings quite similar to the findings from the PDAY study. Studies of atherosclerosis in both Japan and the USA provide strong justification for reducing risk factors in young persons.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMed1995

Relation of a postmortem renal index of hypertension to atherosclerosis in youth. The Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) Research Group.

In a cooperative multicenter study, Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth, of 1164 young men 15 through 34 years of age who died of external causes and were autopsied in forensic laboratories, we measured atherosclerosis of the aorta and the right coronary artery. Using the ratio of intimal thickness to outer diameter of the small renal arteries to predict mean arterial pressure (MAP) during life, we classified the cases as either normotensive (MAP < 110 mm Hg) or hypertensive (MAP > or = 110 mm Hg). By this criterion, the prevalence of hypertension in blacks was 16%; in whites, 12%. Hypertension was associated directly with blood level of glycohemoglobin (an indicator of blood glucose concentration) and with body mass index (BMI) but inversely with thickness of the panniculus adiposus. Among hypertensive compared with normotensive cases, the extent of raised lesions (mainly fibrous plaques) was greater in the aortas of 30- to 34-year-old men and in the right coronary arteries of 25- to 34-year-old men. The prevalence of raised lesions involving 5% or more of the intimal surface was twofold greater in the aortas and right coronary arteries of hypertensive men throughout the 15-to-34-year age span of the study cases. The association of hypertension with raised lesions was not accounted for by adjusting for glycohemoglobin level, BMI, or thickness of the panniculus adiposus. Hypertension is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis in youth.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Relation of glycohemoglobin and adiposity to atherosclerosis in youth. Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) Research Group.

In a cooperative multicenter study (Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth, PDAY) of 1532 young persons 15 through 34 years of age who died of external causes and were autopsied in medical examiners' laboratories, we quantified atherosclerosis of the aorta and the right coronary artery. We analyzed postmortem blood cells for glycohemoglobin and postmortem serum for lipoprotein cholesterol and thiocyanate (as an indicator for smoking). We measured the thickness of the panniculus adiposus and the body mass index (weight per height squared) as indicators of adiposity. Glycohemoglobin levels exceeding 8% were associated with substantially more extensive fatty streaks and raised lesions in the right coronary artery in persons more than 25 years of age and with more extensive raised lesions in the aorta in persons more than 30 years of age. Both thickness of the panniculus adiposus and body mass index were associated with more extensive fatty streaks and raised lesions in the right coronary artery. The associations of atherosclerotic lesions with glycohemoglobin and adiposity were not explained by a less favorable lipoprotein profile or smoking. The results show that atherosclerosis in young adults is associated with the prediabetic or early diabetic state, as indicated by elevated glycohemoglobin levels, and with obesity.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Natural history and risk factors for early human atherogenesis. Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) Research Group.

A multi-institutional study, Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY), was initiated to document the natural history of atherosclerosis, its relationship to risk factors, and the pathobiology of lesion development in young subjects. Pathology laboratories in nine centers collected arteries and tissues from > 2000 persons, ages 15-34 years, whose deaths were attributed to homicides, accidents, or suicides. Arteries were evaluated for lesions, and risk factors were analyzed in a central laboratory. Postmortem risk factors include serum lipoproteins, serum thiocyanate (smoking), glycohemoglobin (diabetes), thickness of panniculus adiposus (obesity), changes in small renal arteries (hypertension), and apoprotein isoforms. This PDAY study documents the development of atherosclerosis at an early age and shows that the recognized risk factors for coronary heart disease are associated with lesion development in the arteries of these young subjects. The findings provide a strong justification for reducing risk factors in young persons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Long-term induction and regression of diet-induced atherosclerotic lesions in rhesus monkeys. II. Morphometric evaluation of lesions by light microscopy in coronary and carotid arteries.

Atherosclerotic lesions were induced in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) by feeding them a high-saturated fatty acid and high-cholesterol diet. After 5.4 years the extent of lesions in three major coronary arteries and the right carotid artery was evaluated morphometrically by light microscopy in one group of animals (group P). The remaining animals were switched to a low-cholesterol diet that remained high in saturated fatty acids and provided the same percentage of total calories as did the atherogenic diet. Lesion regression was then evaluated in one group of monkeys 1.9 years (group R4) and in another group of monkeys 3.7 years (group R5) after withdrawal of cholesterol alone from the diet. In group P, the mean intimal thickness varied between 26 and 47 microns, maximum intimal thickness between 70 and 92 microns, and luminal reduction between 9% and 12% in the three major coronary arteries. Luminal reduction varied between 1% and 11% in right carotid artery segments. After 1.9 years of consuming the basal diet, group R4 animals were no different from group P animals with respect to morphometric measures. Total intimal and medial areas of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in groups P and R4 were also similar. In contrast, after 3.7 years of consuming the basal diet, group R5 animals showed consistently although not statistically significantly lower values than those in group P for the morphometric measures in coronary arteries and total intimal area in the LAD. Similar results were obtained for the common carotid and external carotid arteries. Thus, our study shows that long-term diet-induced lesions in coronary arteries and in common and external segments of the right carotid artery regressed only when the animals were fed the basal diet for 3.7 years. We conclude that atherosclerotic lesions induced in coronary and carotid arteries can regress toward normal to a certain extent, but they require a longer time for regression than do other arterial segments. These findings support the results of clinical trials in human subjects.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Atherosclerosis of the aorta and coronary arteries and cardiovascular risk factors in persons aged 6 to 30 years and studied at necropsy (The Bogalusa Heart Study).

Race and sex differences in aorta and coronary atherosclerotic lesions were studied in 150 persons aged 6 to 30 years. The intimal surface involvement with aorta fatty streaks was extensive, 0 to 71%, and greater in blacks than in whites (32 vs 20%, p less than 0.001). Coronary artery fatty streaks were more extensive in male than in female subjects (range 0 to 22%). Fibrous plaque lesions were present but not extensive in either the aorta (0 to 12%) or the coronary artery (0 to 24%) specimens. Lesions were more prevalent in male than in female persons, particularly white male subjects. The relation of fatty streaks to fibrous plaques was greater in the coronary vessels than in the aorta. In male subjects, aorta fatty streaks were strongly related to antemortem levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and ponderal index in white male subjects. Coronary artery fatty streaks in white male persons were significantly associated with serum triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and ponderal index. These results link antemortem risk factors to the development of atherosclerotic lesions and emphasize the need for preventive cardiology in early life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Early lesions of atherosclerosis in childhood and youth: natural history and risk factors.

This paper traces the development of knowledge concerning early lesions of atherosclerosis and the relationship to risk factors in children, youth, and young adults. Autopsy studies have shown that atherosclerosis begins in childhood with the appearance of aortic fatty streaks. Aortic fatty streaks of some degree are present in practically all individuals from every human population. Coronary fatty streaks begin to form in adolescence. Most persons 20-29 years of age have coronary fatty streaks of some degree, regardless of sex, race, or national origin. While fatty streaking is clinically harmless and potentially reversible, progression to fibrous plaques and more advanced lesions often leads to a critical stage of atherosclerosis in which clinical disease develops. Development of fibrous plaques begins in the 20s. The most recent studies of atherosclerosis in youth and young adults provide additional details to establish the relationship of these lesions to serum lipids and lipoproteins and other identified risk factors for atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease in adults. One report shows that microscopic counterparts of fatty streaks occur in the left anterior descending coronary artery in the majority of children 10-14 years of age. Over 5% have more advanced microscopic lesions at this age. Autopsy studies of youth have shown that serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are strongly related to aortic fatty streaks and the very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are positively correlated to coronary artery fatty streaks. Finally, a definitive report indicates that serum lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and smoking are important determinants of the early stages of atherosclerosis in adolescents and young adults.

Aging↗
PubMed1992

Serum total bile acid concentration in rhesus monkeys: effects of feeding cholesterol and inhibiting cholesterol absorption and synthesis.

The serum total bile acid concentration was measured in rhesus monkeys fed diets practically free of cholesterol and with added cholesterol at two levels. Also, the effects of inhibiting cholesterol absorption by feeding plant sterols and inhibiting cholesterol synthesis by feeding triparanol upon the serum total bile acid levels were studied. Cholesterol feeding significantly increased the serum bile acid concentration. The serum bile acid level was decreased in the high responders fed plant sterols but only when the diet contained the highest level of cholesterol. In both groups serum bile acid levels were not altered when cholesterol biosynthesis was inhibited by feeding triparanol. It is suggested that cholesterol feeding increases the serum bile acid level probably due to an increase in the intestinal pool of bile acids as a result of increased production of bile acids in the liver and their excretion into the bile.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Apo B insertion/deletion polymorphisms are associated with atherosclerosis in young black but not young white males. Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) Research Group.

Investigators in eight communities collected aortas, right coronary arteries, blood and liver samples, and associated information from 872 young males, aged 15-34 years, who died of external causes. Pathologists graded the arteries for atherosclerotic lesions, and a central laboratory measured lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Apolipoprotein (apo) B sequences were amplified in hepatic DNA samples to determine genotypes for length polymorphisms in the signal peptide of apo B. In addition to the insertion (ins) allele (27-amino acid signal peptide) and the deletion (del) allele (24 amino acids), we detected a rare allele (ins*) in whites with an in-frame insertion of two Leu codons in a region that normally contains six Leu codons. The frequency for the apo B del allele was lower in blacks than in whites (p less than 0.0001). In blacks, homozygotes for the ins allele had the lowest levels of serum cholesterol and very low plus low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL + LDL-C), homozygotes for the del allele had the highest levels, and heterozygotes had intermediate levels (p = 0.0509 for cholesterol, p = 0.0530 for VLDL + LDL-C), but no differences were found in whites. In blacks, homozygotes for the ins allele had the least involvement of the thoracic and the abdominal aorta with lesions, homozygotes for the del allele had the greatest involvement, and heterozygotes had intermediate involvement (p = 0.0328 for thoracic aorta, p = 0.0104 for abdominal aorta), but no differences were found in whites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Atherosclerotic lesions. Natural history, risk factors, and topography.

This article describes the development of human atherosclerosis as a framework on which to integrate and incorporate the research on thrombosis and hemostasis of participants in the 1992 College of American Pathologists Conference XXII on Hemostasis and Atherosclerotic Disease. Included are the early classic studies of the morphological features of atherosclerosis, atherosclerosis in different populations, the distribution of atherosclerotic lesions among arterial segments, the topography of atherosclerotic lesions within arterial segments, and the relationship of risk factors for coronary heart disease to the arterial lesions of atherosclerosis. Special attention is given to the development of atherosclerosis in young people, including findings from the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth study. The data in this review provide confirmation of the development of atherosclerosis at an early age and relate atherosclerotic lesions to certain coronary heart disease risk factors. Any role of thrombosis or hemostasis in atherosclerosis must be integrated into this framework.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Changes in plasma lipoprotein concentrations and compositions upon feeding cholesterol in high- and low-responding rhesus monkeys.

When fed cholesterol, the high-responding rhesus monkeys develop severe hypercholesterolemia, whereas low-responding rhesus monkeys show only slight increases in plasma cholesterol levels. We report changes in plasma lipoprotein concentrations and compositions along with changes in plasma lipid concentrations in high- and low-responding rhesus monkeys fed a high-cholesterol diet. On low-cholesterol diet, the concentrations and compositions of plasma lipoprotein fractions were similar in the two groups. Upon feeding cholesterol, plasma very-low-density (VLDL), intermediate-density (IDL) and low-density (LDL)-lipoprotein concentrations increased in both groups, but the increases were significantly (p less than 0.01) higher in high-responders than in low-responders. Plasma HDL concentration decreased significantly (p less than 0.01) in high responders but not in low responders. In high responders, percent cholesterol increased in both VLDL and IDL fractions but in low responders, it decreased in VLDL and increased in IDL. Percent triglycerides decreased in VLDL, IDL and LDL fractions in high responders, while in low responders it tended to increase in VLDL, remained unchanged in IDL and decreased in LDL. The composition of HDL did not change in the two groups upon feeding cholesterol. Thus, when fed cholesterol, the high- and the low-responding monkeys respond distinctly differently in plasma lipoprotein concentrations and compositions. The responses occurred simultaneously, suggesting metabolic interrelationships between various lipoproteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Variations with age and serum cholesterol level in the topographic distribution of macroscopic aortic atherosclerotic lesions as assessed by image analysis methods.

The topographic distribution of macroscopic atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta was studied by image analysis of aortas taken at autopsy from 155 males aged 10 to 54 yr. In both the thoracic and abdominal aorta, fatty streaks (FS) appear before raised lesions (RL) affecting preferential areas located longitudinally along the intercostal ostia, at the aorta bifurcation, and surrounding the points of origin of branches of the abdominal aorta. Later RL appear in the same areas of the aortic intima affected by FS at younger ages. As for the effect of serum total cholesterol (TC) in the progression of atherosclerosis, the prevalent involvement areas by FS and RL were similarly distributed as indicated by our analyses. However, areas showing frequent occurrence of FS and RL in each aortic segment were distributed more extensively at identical areas in the higher serum TC groups than in the lower TC level group. Thus, it can be concluded that FS are the precursor lesions of RL in the aorta and that the serum TC promotes the progression of atherosclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Differences in fecal excretion of cholesterol and bacterial degradation products in high- and low-responding rhesus monkeys: implications in colon cancer.

This paper reports the differences in the fecal excretion of cholesterol and its degradation products in high- and low-responding rhesus monkeys fed diets with and without extra cholesterol. The high-responding monkeys had a great increase in plasma cholesterol concentration when fed a high-cholesterol diet, whereas the low-responders had a small increase when fed the same diet. The results show that low-responding monkeys, when fed high-cholesterol diets, excrete nearly two to three times the amount of cholesterol and its bacterial degradation products in the feces than the high-responding monkeys. We suggest that these two select groups of monkeys may be useful models for the study of the role cholesterol and its bacterial degradation products play in colon cancer.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue in humans: differences between subcutaneous sites.

We compared the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue from three different sites, one deep-seated site (perirenal) and two subcutaneous sites (abdominal and buttock), in 143 autopsied adult humans aged 24-61 y. The proportion of saturated fatty acids was highest in the perirenal adipose tissue and lowest in buttock adipose tissue. The proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids in the three sites were in the reverse order. Linoleic and linolenic acids were similar in the three adipose-tissue sites, an important finding for those concerned about the essential fatty acids, which are solely derived from the diet. The results clearly show that the fatty acid composition of the two subcutaneous fat depots differ significantly. We conclude that abdominal fat is more saturated than buttock fat.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1989

Is atherosclerosis increasing in Mexico City?

This report compares quantitative measures of atherosclerosis in aortas and coronaries from autopsies of deceased men from Mexico City collected during 1960 to 1964 and 1986 to 1987. The comparison of lesions in two different time periods provides an opportunity for determining whether the extent of atherosclerosis has changed over time in Mexico City. Three pathologists independently evaluated the extent of fatty streaks (FS), fibrous plaques (FP), calcified plaques (CA), and complicated lesions (CO) in 165 aortas and 120 sets of coronary arteries collected during 1986 to 1987 for comparison with similar gradings of 128 aortas and coronary arteries from the International Atherosclerosis Project in 1960 to 1964. Neither FS nor more advanced lesions differed significantly in either the descending thoracic or abdominal aorta between the two collection periods. In contrast, there were more extensive FP and raised atherosclerotic lesions (RL = FP + CA + CO) in the coronary artery segments evaluated in the younger age groups in 1986 to 1987 versus 1960 to 1964. Additional analyses, based on 75 pairs of aortas and 32 pairs of coronary arteries from age-matched cases, all regraded by the team of pathologists after blind coding, showed more FS in both aortic segments and more extensive involvement with RL in the three main branches of the coronary arteries in the more recent study. An overview of our findings suggests that atherosclerosis, particularly in the coronary arteries, is increasing in Mexico City. This hypothesis merits careful testing in parallel with consideration of possible changes in the risk factors that could be responsible for changes in extent of lesions.

Adolescent↗