When homo- or isograft was used as a right ventricle-pulmonary artery bypass in the Rastellitype procedure for congenital heart disease, reoperation was mandatory due to calcification and conduit stenosis after several years. However, the survival period of intimal cells or smooth muscle cells has not been clarified, nor has the question of whether the calcification is due to an immunoreaction or not. Thus, to observe the geometrical or pathological changes of the grafts, an experimental model of homograft transplantation was established using rats' aorta, where cyclosporine A (CsA) was given after the transplantation. The rats used were 8 or 9 weeks old. Male King rats were the donors, and female Lewis rats were the recipients. The descending thoracic aorta was transplanted to the infra-renal abdominal aorta. There were 2 experimental groups; one in which CsA was not given (n=35), and the other in which CsA was given (n=44). The animals were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks after the transplantation, and were examined by an optical microscope after slicing longitudinally. The area of the cross-section, intima and the media of the vessel were calculated by 2 ways; manually, and by computer. These data were used to calculate and analyze the percentage of intima-media area, the ratio of the intima/media area, and the percentage of intima area and media area. The effect of suppression of the percentage of intima-media area and the percentage of the intima area were revealed to be significant at an acute stage after brief high dose CsA administration. From this result, we suggest that there is a possibility of a rejective reaction participating in the intimal hyperplasia in the acute phase after homograft transplantation.

Purpose: Although patients with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) often experience lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), LUTS are not generally included in LOH symptoms. No study has examined the direct relation of the Aging Males Symptoms rating scale (AMS) and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) with the quality of life (QOL) index. We analyzed the relation between the IPSS and QOL index and various factors including the AMS in patients with LOH syndromes. Materials and Methods: This study comprised 1,688 men with LOH symptoms who visited our hospital or affiliated clinic. Factors associated with the IPSS were assessed in terms of age, scores of several questionnaires including the AMS, endocrinological variables, and serum concentration of PSA. Among these same factors, those associated with the QOL index were also evaluated. Finally, the same analyses were repeated in 187 patients with low serum testosterone concentration (<3.0 ng/ mL). Results: In a multivariate analysis using the significant items from the univariate analysis, AMS, age, and Erection Hardness Score correlated significantly with the IPSS. A trend analysis using items other than the AMS as adjustment factors also confirmed the relationship between an increase in QOL index and an increase in AMS. Similar results were obtained in the analysis of patients with low serum testosterone concentration. Conclusions We revealed that the relation of IPSS with the QOL index for LUTS is closely associated with the AMS for LOH, regardless of testosterone level. When patients complain of LOH symptoms, a careful, detailed inquiry into LUTS is required.