RENOVASCULOPATHIES OF NEPHROSCLEROSIS IN RELATION TO ATHEROSCLEROSIS AT AGES 25 TO 54 YEARS

Renovasculopathies of hypertension include arteriolar hyalinization an d arterial intimal fibroplasia. Atherosclerotic features of coronary a rteries and aorta include fatty streaks and raised lesions. Data were obtained from a series of 573 autopsies of black and Caucasian males a nd females aged 25 to 54 years, who died of violent and natural causes unrelated to atherosclerosis. Analysis showed positive correlations o f coronary and aortic raised lesions with arteriolar hyalinization. Ar terial intimal fibroplasia correlated positively with raised lesions i n the aorta but only weakly and inconsistently in the coronary arterie s. The extent of fatty streaks in the coronaries, as in the aorta, did not correlate with either form of renovasculopathy. These results pro vide evidence that hyalinization of renal arterioles may be a marker f or young people who have the most advanced coronary atherosclerosis, a nd who therefore have an early start upon a course toward coronary hea rt disease later in life.