CORRELATION OF NONINVASIVE ARTERIAL COMPLIANCE WITH ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC NONHUMAN-PRIMATES

Fifteen cynomolgus monkeys were fed a control (n = 3) or cholesterol-containing diet (n = 12) for 26 months. An impedance plethysmograph and a calibrated volume plethysmograph were used to determine femoral arterial volume change, ΔV, from femoral arteries. Abdominal aorta pulse pressure was measured directly. The ratio of ΔV to pulse pressure, Δ P, defined femoral artery compliance. At necropsy, sections of pressure fixed common iliac, external iliac, femoral and carotid arteries were obtained for measurements. The site of the largest atherosclerotic lesion was chosen for histologic measurement. The percentage intima in arterial tissue (PIAT) was determined at the site of the largest atherosclerotic lesions in iliac arteries and averaged. Peak compliance was inversely correlated with the PIAT (Pearson correlation -0.39, P < 0.10, n = 21) which improved to r = -0.52, P < 0.01 (n = 27) when the PIAT also included the carotid atherosclerosis. The correlation coefficients were comparable to those obtained for total plasma cholesterol concentration, and direct systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Peak compliance and α-cholesterol concentrations provided the best multiple linear regression fit for the prediction of PIAT. © 1990.