Systemic Arterial Disease with Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

This report deals with two cases of infants who died of myocardial infarction. Autopsy revealed an occlusive, diffuse, generalized lesion in medium and small-sized arteries, with particular involvement of the heart, skin, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, pancreas, and liver. It showed a fibrous thickening of the intima; the internal lamina elastica, the media, and the adventitia remained unchanged. A pathogenic interpretation of the vascular lesions is attempted, and their asynchronism in the most seriously involved organs is pointed out. The vascular lesions have a great resemblance to those seen in progressive arterial occlusive disease. Despite the antecedent of chronic arsenic poisoning through drinking water, no demonstrable etiologic evidence was found in the vascular lesions; nevertheless, its connection with arsenic, as in blackfoot disease, should be considered.