Abstract
Two hundred and seventeen aortas obtained from the Territory of Papua and New Guinea were matched as nearly as practicable for age and sex with 205 from cases in Sydney.
The descending portion of the aorta was stained whole and planimetric measurements made of the various types of lesion. Results, expressed as the percentage of the total area, were recorded separately for fatty streaks, fibrous plaques, and complicated lesions. Cases were grouped into decades and the average of each group calculated.
Using Wilcoxon's test, comparisons were made between males and females in the two geographical groups and then between the results from Sydney and the Territory. The first showed that differences between the sexes was so slight as to allow the specimens to be treated as a whole without regard to sex. The second showed a statistical difference at the 5% level in the area of fatty streaking in the 3rd and 4th decades and in both fibrous plaques and complicated lesions in the 5th decade and later years. In all instances the Sydney aortas were more affected than those from the Territory.