Abstract
We studied histometrically the degeneration with aging of the submandibular glands removed from 103 autopsied cadavers (0 ∼ 102 years old). To evaluate arteriosclerosis of the mediumand small-sized arteries and the arterioles in the glands, we determined the stenotic index (SI). We assessed the correlations between SI and degeneration in the glands, age, general physical conditions and underlying diseases. SI of the medium- and small-sized arteries and the arterioles correlated with age (p < 0.001). Whereas, the medium- and small-sized arteries had intimal fibro-elastosis, the arterioles had hyaline arteriosclerosis in young cases and, in addition, intimal fibro-elastosis in elderly cases. As for degeneration, SI correlated with the grade of fatty infiltration and fibrosis but not with lymphoplasmacytic cell infiltration. The findings suggest that arteriosclerosis of the arteries in the glands is one of the causes of atrophy of the glands. SI correlated strongly with the atherosclerotic grade of the aorta and moderately with the atherosclerotic grade of the coronary artery. SI correlated weakly with heart weight ? body weight ratio but not with BMI.
