[Effects of the lipid-lowering drugs on endothelial hyperplasia in inferior vena cava grafts in dogs].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the lipid-lowering drugs in alleviating endothelial hyperplasia in the inferior vena cava (IVC) grafts in dogs. METHODS: The Dacron grafts seeded with autologous venous fragments were implanted into the IVC of 20 dogs, including 12 dogs receiving oral lipid-lowering drugs serving as the treatment group and the other 8 without medication as the control group. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-ch) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-ch) in the serum were measured regularly, and all the grafts harvested to measure the thickness of the endothelium. RESULTS: The total patency rate of the IVC were higher in the treatment group (75%) than in the control group (37.5%), and new endothelial lining was formed two weeks after the operation. Compared with the control group, the endothelial thickness of the grafts at the proximal (P<0.01), middle (P<0.05) and distal segments (P<0.05) of the IVC were all smaller in the treatment group, which also had lower serum LDL-ch and TC levels (both P<0.05) but with comparable HDL-ch levels (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Administration of lipid-lowering drugs may reduce the level of serum LDL-ch and TC and the endothelial thickness of the grafts to improve the patency rate of the vessels.