Abstract

STUDY OF MAST CELL PROFILE IN ATHEROSCLEROTIC LESION OF AORTA: AN AUTOPSY STUDY

Sulagna Manna* and Harendra Kumar M. L.

ABSTRACT

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease which progresses over years. Mast cell plays an important role in its progression. Autopsy based studies are of great value for studies of atherosclerosis in aorta. Previously no other study in autopsy is done on mast cells profile and its correlation with atherosclerosis in large vessels like aorta. Mast cell count is important to analyse the atherosclerotic lesion progression. Objective: To compare the results of mast cell count in atherosclerotic lesion with non-atherosclerotic part of the same aorta and to correlate the results of mast cell count in atherosclerotic lesion with thegrading/type of atherosclerosis. Result: Mean mast cell count in non-atherosclerotic part of aorta was (3.4 +-2.4) cells/10hpf. Mean mast cell count in atherosclerotic part of thoracic aorta in Type I,II,III,IV and Type V was (3.4+-2.4), (7.8+-3.4), (12.7+-5.1), (19.1+-2.6) and (28.2+-1.09) cells/10hpf respectively. Mean mast cell count in atherosclerotic part of abdominal aorta in Type I,II,III,IV and V was (3.4+-2.4), (8.7+-3.4), (13.3+-5.3), (18.6+-1.03) and (19.1+-6.7) cells/10hpf respectively. The results are statistically significant (p value < 0.001). Conclusion: From the present study we conclude that as there is a progression in the Type/Grade of the atherosclerotic lesion, the mast cell count also increases.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, Aorta, Mast cell, Inflammatory, Autopsy.