The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 31, 290-293, Copyright © 1981 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
The role of lymphstasis in atherogenesis
GM Lemole
The cardiac lymphatics are responsible for the transport of all the
lipoproteins and cholesterol from the extravascular myocardial tissue,
although little is known about the filtration and lymphatic clearance of
the coronary artery wall. It is postulated that a critical factor in the
genesis of arteriosclerosis is lymphstasis, which adequately explains the
positive correlation with the known risk factors for coronary artery
disease and the negative correlation with high-density lipoproteins.
Further research is necessary in this little-known area to better
understand the etiology of atherosclerosis.