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In view of current interest in the so-called "risk factors" of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and the usefulness of preventive dietary measures, a review is given of the published data from long-term prospective studies. Opinions concerning the importance of the various lipoprotein classes as risk factors and reports of a decrease in the concentration of the allegedly "protective" high-density lipoproteins by consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids are discussed. An up-to-date summary of current scientific developments relative to this problem is presented.

The sudanophilic lesions around the aortic ostia of 10 fetus, 10 newborns and 10 children aged up to 1 year were studied using a polar coordinate mapping method. The periorificial sudanophilic lesions develop initially distal to the orifices and show a continuous increase with age in percentage and extent. In children the lesions nearly completely surround all the ostia with a significant distal peak. There was no sex difference; the involvement of the right and left side was comparable. The comparison of the morphological data from the parents and children with anamnestics showed no relationship.

Activated smooth muscle cells exhibit a statistically significant (p less than 0.025) higher prostacyclin production than the contractiles. It is concluded, that the proliferation of the metabolically activated cells, which is an early event in atherogenesis, could be due to prostacyclin regulation.

In a strain of genetically hypercholesterolemic rats (RICO), developed from an albino mutant of Rattus norvegicus (Sprague-Dawley, Tif: RAIf, SPF) by selective breeding, the intimal plasminogen activator activity (PAA) at the nonbranching regions of the aorta was markedly lower than at the nonbranching regions of the aorta in the control strain (Sprague-Dawley). At the branching regions of the aorta the intimal PAA showed no difference between the two strains of rats. In another strain of rats (HBC; hyper-beta-cholesterolemic) with a slightly elevated level of total cholesterol in the blood, a high concentration of LDL-cholesterol and a low concentration of triglycerides, the intimal PAA showed no difference from that in the control strain (Sprague-Dawley) at the branching and nonbranching regions of the aorta. 6 weeks after a single injection of streptozotocin at a diabetogenic dose (45 mg/kg) into RICO rats and the control strain, the intimal PAA was found to be increased by 280% in RICO rats, but only by 140% in controls, compared to that in the corresponding nontreated rats.