Open AccessPulmonary vasculature in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: A morphometric study
Author(s) -
Lijima Tatsuo,
Doi Mikio,
Kamma Hiroshi,
Horiguchi Hisashi,
Yazawa Takuya,
Ogata Takesaburo
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
acta patholigica japonica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 0001-6632
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1827.1993.tb02911.x
Subject(s) - medicine , muscle hypertrophy , cardiology , pulmonary hypertension , right ventricular hypertrophy , dilated cardiomyopathy , heart failure
The pulmonary vascular alterations of seven patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) were morphometri‐cally examined, and the relation between the vascular alterations and morphological status of the hearts was studied. Most patients with IDC showed not only fibrous thickening of small pulmonary veins but also intimal circumferential fibrosis and medial hypertrophy of small pulmonary muscular arteries to various degrees. The histo‐logical features of the pulmonary vessels were compatible with hypertensive vascular changes observed in patients with mitral stenosis. There was a significant correlation between medial hypertrophy of the pulmonary muscular arteries and right ventricular hypertrophy. The pulmonary vascular changes in IDC were always associated with left atrioventricular dilatation, but were only found in patients with prominent hypertrophy of the left ventricles. Medial hypertrophy of the pulmonary muscular arteries was related more to left ventricular hypertrophy than to left ventricular dilatation. These findings suggest that the pulmonary vascular changes in IDC are caused by venous pulmonary hypertension, which may be developed at the late stage when left ventricular hypertrophy predominates.