Numerical simulation of haemodynamics of the descending aorta in the non-diabetic and diabetic rabbits

Yuanhang Zhou; Jianhua Tong; Xin Li; Xuanyu Li; Guixue Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.05.013

Numerical simulation of haemodynamics of the descending aorta in the non-diabetic and diabetic rabbits

J Biomech. 2019 Jun 25:91:140-150. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.05.013. Epub 2019 May 21.

Authors

Yuanhang Zhou¹, Jianhua Tong², Xin Li³, Xuanyu Li⁴, Guixue Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, PR China.
² Shanghai East Hospital, Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Nano Science, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China. Electronic address: tongjh@tongji.edu.cn.
³ Shanghai East Hospital, Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Nano Science, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.
⁴ Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Chiba University International Cooperative Research Center, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: wanggx@cqu.edu.cn.

PMID: 31151796
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.05.013

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a predisposing risk factor leading to macrovascular diseases. Changes in haemodynamics of the diabetic aortas remain largely unclear and relevant computational analyses are lacking in the literature. Ten adult rabbits (1.6-2.2 kg) were collected and the type I diabetic rabbit model was induced by injection of alloxan. A total of five control and five diabetic rabbit aortas were considered for subsequent numerical simulation. The CT scanning was performed to reconstruct three-dimensional model of the individual rabbit descending aorta. The flow velocity waveforms were measured by ultrasound machine and were set to be the inlet boundary conditions. The reconstructed aortas were then imported into ANSYS to perform mesh generation and computational analysis. Results showed that the distributions of haemodynamic indicators time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillating shear index (OSI) and transverse wall shear stress (transWSS) in the non-diabetic rabbit aortas were similar to those in the diabetic rabbit aortas. However, the mean values of TAWSS and transWSS in the non-diabetic rabbit aortas were significantly higher than those values in the diabetic rabbit aortas (TAWSS: p = 0.04; transWSS: p = 0.02). The back of right renal artery tended to have high OSI in both the non-diabetic and the diabetic rabbit aortas. Notably, the regions with high OSI tended to have intense disturbed flow and low TAWSS in the most diabetic rabbit aortas. The results suggest that diabetes leads to changes in haemodynamic parameters in the rabbit aortas. In particular, the lower TAWSS and the higher OSI within the diabetic aortas may further contribute to aortic wall remodeling.

Keywords: Descending aorta; Diabetes mellitus; Finite element method; Haemodynamics; Wall shear stress.

MeSH terms

Animals
Aorta, Thoracic / diagnostic imaging
Aorta, Thoracic / physiopathology*
Blood Flow Velocity
Diabetes Mellitus / diagnostic imaging
Diabetes Mellitus / physiopathology*
Hemodynamics*
Models, Cardiovascular*
Rabbits
Stress, Mechanical
Tomography, X-Ray Computed