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. 2022 Jan-Mar;63(1):71-82.
doi: 10.47162/RJME.63.1.07.

Remodeling of the aortic wall layers with ageing

Mirela Albu  1 , Doru Adrian Şeicaru, Răzvan Mihail Pleşea, Oana Cristina Mirea, Florentina Gherghiceanu, Valentin Titus Grigorean, Mircea Sebastian Şerbănescu, Iancu Emil Pleşea, Mircea Liţescu
Affiliations

Remodeling of the aortic wall layers with ageing

Mirela Albu et al. Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2022 Jan-Mar.

Abstract

Aim: The authors aimed to evaluate the correlations between the variation of two of the main morphological parameters of the aortic wall (intima and media thicknesses) and ageing.

Materials and methods: Aortic cross sections (base region, cross region, thoracic region, and abdominal region) were collected from 90 cases of all ages died and autopsied in the hospital. Tissue samples were processed using the classical histopathological technique (formalin fixation and paraffin embedding) and stained with Orcein and Goldner's trichrome. The obtained histological slides were transformed into virtual slides. Intima and media thicknesses were determined on virtual slides using a custom-made software, developed in MATLAB (MathWorks, USA).

Results and discussions: The intima layer underwent an obvious and continuous process of thickening both from the aortic base region to its terminal (abdominal) region and from young ages to old age. The processes were similar in men and women but almost always more pronounced in men than in women. The media layer underwent a thickness reduction process from the aortic base to the terminal (abdominal) region whereas with age, the thickness of the layer increased. This divergent profile of evolution was similar in both men and women but with some variations depending on either topography or ageing.

Conclusions: Each of the main layers of the aortic wall revealed dynamic individual evolutionary profiles related to age, gender and topography along the aortic path. Studies must be continued in a more detailed, standardized and integrated way.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sites of sampling. Modified after [15, 18]
Figure 2
Figure 2
Intima and media measurements. Windows of Aperio ImageScope program. Orcein staining: (a) Overview with the four random measurements, ×0.8; (b) Detail with the up-right measurement, ×6.4
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparative diagram of the intima (IN) tunic thickness evolution along the aorta in each of the four periods of life. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta; AP: Age period
Figure 4
Figure 4
Results of t test and evolution diagram of t (observed value) between aortic regions for each age period (AP). 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta
Figure 5
Figure 5
Comparative diagram of the intima (IN) tunic thickness evolution during life in each of the four aortic regions. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta; AP: Age period
Figure 6
Figure 6
Results of t test and evolution diagram of t (observed value) between age periods (AP) for each aortic region. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta
Figure 7
Figure 7
Comparative diagram of the intima (IN) tunic thickness evolution between the two genders (a) along the aorta length (b) during life. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta; AP: Age period; F: Female; M: Male
Figure 8
Figure 8
Comparative diagram of the media (MED) tunic thickness evolution along the aorta in each of the four periods of life. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta; AP: Age period
Figure 9
Figure 9
Results of t test and evolution diagram of t (observed value) between aortic regions for each age period (AP). 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta
Figure 10
Figure 10
Comparative diagram of the media (MED) tunic thickness evolution during life in each of the four aortic regions. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta; AP: Age period
Figure 11
Figure 11
Results of t test and evolution diagram of t (observed value) between age period (AP) for each aortic region. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta
Figure 12
Figure 12
Comparative diagram of the media (MED) tunic thickness evolution between the two genders (a) along the aorta length (b) during life. 1_B: Aortic base; 2_C: Aortic arch; 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta; AP: Age period; F: Female; M: Male
Figure 13
Figure 13
Comparative diagram of the media layer thicknesses with other studies. 3_T: Thoracic aorta; 4_Ab: Abdominal aorta; [9]: Tsamis et al. (2013); [21]: Schriefl et al. (2012); [22]: Bulut et al. (2019); [23]: Koc & Sumbul (2018); IN_MED: Intima + media; OS: Our study
Figure 14
Figure 14
Comparative diagram of the aortic wall layers thicknesses with other studies. [9]: Tsamis et al. (2013); AA: Ascending aorta; AbA: Abdominal aorta; INTh: Intima thickness; MEDTh: Media thickness; OS: Our study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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