Sub-classification of non-inflammatory and inflammatory surgical aortic aneurysms and the association of histological characteristics with potential risk factors

The present study aimed to analyze the histological characteristics of surgical thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) specimens on the basis of the most recent consensus documents on non-inflammatory and inflammatory lesions. The current study also aimed to establish an association with various risk factors. Aortic wall specimens were collected from 52 patients (38 men and 14 women; age, 19–80 years) undergoing surgery for aortic dilatation at The Cardiovascular Disease Institute (Iasi, Romania). For histological evaluation, the aortic specimens (39 TAAs and 13 AAAs) were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Van Giessen, alcian blue and Movat pentachrome. The specimens were evaluated and graded according to the severity of histopathological conditions: Fragmentation of elastic fibers, medial mucoid accumulation, smooth muscle cell loss and medial fibrosis. The severity of atherosclerotic lesions in surgically resected segments of the aorta were graded as follows: i) mild=1; ii) moderate=2; and iii) severe=3. The risk factors associated with TAA were the male sex (80%), smoking (56%), hypertension (33%) and bicuspid aortic valve (13%). Advanced age (70 years), male sex (69%) and smoking (54%) were determined to be the risk factors of AAA. The histopathological abnormalities included medial degeneration (MD) (82%), atherosclerosis (ATS) (42%) and aortitis (10%). MD was the leading histopathological diagnosis in TAA and the severity of lesions were graded as follows: Mild (8% of cases), moderate (44% of cases) and severe (31% of cases). Severe atherosclerotic lesions were identified in AAA (100% of cases). In the present study, medial degenerative aortic lesions (1, mild; 2, moderate; and 3, severe) significantly correlated with advanced age (>65 years; r=−0.39; P<0.01) and male sex (r=0.27; P<0.05). Significant correlations were also identified between atherosclerotic aortic lesions (1, mild; 2, moderate; and 3, severe) and advanced age (>65 years) (r=−0.40, P<0.01) or smoking (r=−0.29; P<0.05). Advanced age, male sex and smoking were determined to be the main risk factors for the development of degenerative aortic aneurysms.