The frequency and role of thrombin in human aortas

Abstract

The role of thrombosis on the genesis and progress of human aortic atherosclerosis were discussed.
Fourty-four human aortas were dissected res pectively into about 30-50 step sections and were studied morphologically on the existence of thrombi and the relation to intimal lesion.
Thrombosis on human aorta were frequent and more frequent in advancing age. In the aortic sections without atherosclerotic lesion “non-pathologic” the frequency of thrombosis was 7.3% and all of them were microthrombi.
The areas with “cloudy thickening” (early atherosclerotic lession) revealed thrombi in 16.8% cases and 23% of thrombi were membranous-fibrin thrombi or organized thrombi. The frequency of thrombus formation on atherosclerotic plaque was 61% and 36% of them were membranous-fibrin or organized thrombi.
From these results, it is concluded that some of the microthrombi developed on the “non-pathologic” area (no lesion) could play a role in atherogenesis by incorporation into aortic intima and some of them might disappear. The moderate sized membranous-fibrin or organized thrombi would play an important roles for the development of aortic atherosclerosis.