Histopathophysiological comparison of male and female heart tissue following sustained release of supraphysiological levels of corticosteroid - biomed 2009.

Chronic stress results in elevated cortisol levels, which is associated with known physiological abnormalities such as hypertension, insulin resistance, and higher incidence of cardiovascular events. The onset of adverse cardiovascular events differs between males and females, and it is generally reported that stress and hormone status are responsible for these differences. The aim of this study was to investigate the heart tissue of adult male and female animals following 28-days of sustained supraphysiological corticosterone levels. Thirty two animals were divided into four equal groups. Male animals in group I and female animals in group III served as control. Male animals in group II and female animals in group IV were surgically implanted with a TCP delivery device containing 50 mg corticosteroid. Twenty-eight days post surgery; the hearts were collected, weighed, and processed for histological evaluations. Histomorphometric measurements including total area, bundle lengths within the ventricles, and the length of the apex were recorded. The length of the apex increased following exposure to corticosterone in both male and female animals. The results also indicate an increase in the length of the ventricular bundles on the left side of the heart in the male animals exposed to corticosterone when compared to the male control heart tissues. No differences were seen in the female animals in the ventricular bundle lengths when compared with female control animals. The data suggests the possibility of structural differences in the heart that are gender related suggestive of hypertrophy or cardiomyopathic changes.