A reduced production of type III collagen has been reported in
previous studies to be associated with intracranial aneurysms.
The purpose of this prospective case-control study was to assess the
possible role of a reduced type III collagen production as a
risk factor for having an intracranial aneurysm. The study
group consisted of 41 consecutively admitted patients with intracranial
aneurysms. Intracranial aneurysms were demonstrated by
intraarterial digital subtraction cerebral angiography or
during operation. The control group consisted of 41 healthy volunteers
matched for age and sex. Fibroblasts were cultured from skin biopsies
from patients and control subjects, and the type III/type I collagen
ratios were determined. The type III/type I collagen ratios in the
controls ranged from 5.5 to 19.8%, with a median ratio of 10%, and
none had a ratio below 5.5%. The type III/type I collagen ratios in
patients ranged from 1.1 to 25.1%, with a median ratio of 10.5%, and
eight patients (19.5%) had a low (<5.5%) ratio (p=0.005,
Fisher's exact test). Our findings support the hypothesis that a
reduced production of type III collagen may contribute to the
formation of intracranial aneurysms in some patients.
Key Words: aneurysm, collagen
AB-14041-98
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.
Abstracts of Literature
Abstracts of Literature
Cerebral Aneurysms
AB-14040-98
Some Patients With Intracranial Aneurysms Have
a Reduced Type III/Type I Collagen Ratio: A Case-Control
Study—van den Berg JSP, Limburg M (Dept of Neurology, Academic
Medical Center, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, Netherlands), Pals G,
Arwert F, Westerveld A, Hennekam RCM, Albrecht
KW—Neurology. 1997;49:1546–1551.
Intracranial Aneurysm: Anatomic Factors That Predict the
Usefulness of