J Korean Soc Echocardiogr.  1994 Dec;2(2):155-163. 10.4250/jkse.1994.2.2.155.

The Parameters for the Evaluation of the Conduit Arterial Function Using Pulsed Doppler Echocardiography

• Park OK
• Hong SO
• Oh KA
• Yoo NJ
• Park JC
• Jeong JW
• Park YK

• KMID: 2410443
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4250/jkse.1994.2.2.155

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Arterial change caused by of atherosclerosis in hypertensive or diabetic patients has been known to precede the symptoms resulting from occlusive disease of vital organs, such as heart, brain and kidney etc. The pulse-wave velocity of the pressure and flow waves produced during ventircular ejection has been shown to be a sensitive indicator of the physical properties of the arterial wall. Hence, measurements of pulse-wave velocith may be used to evaluate the arterial function.
OBJECTIVES
We performed this study to compare the pulse-wave velocity(PWV) measured by polygraph with that by the pulsed Doppler echocardiograph and to evaluate the correlation between Doppler echocardiographic pulsed-wave velocity, pulsatility index(PI) and resistive index(RI) and the age. METHOD: 26 normal subjects were screened for participation in this study to rule out any evidence of heart disease or peripheral vascular disease. PWV was measured in 16 subjects by polygraph(Honeywell VR6) and in all by pulse Doppler echocardiograph(ATL ultramark 9) at right common carotid artery, brachial artery and femoral artery with simultaneous recording of ECG(standard lead II). PI and RI were calculated by installed computer analyzer. RESULT: 1) There was no definite difference between PWV measured by polygraph and by pulse Doppler echocardiograph(74±1.6m/sec in upper and 10.6±2.0m/sec in lower extremity versus 7.6±1.6m/sec in upper extremity and 11.4+1.5m/sec in lower extremity). 2) PWV in both upper and lower extremities were influenced by the age of subjects(r=0.88, p < 0.01 and r=0.75, p < 0.01) and they were correlated significantly with each other(r=0.74, p < 0.01). 3) Both PI and Ri of right common carotid artery, brachial artery and femoral artery were correlated negatively with the age of subjects(r=−0.8, p < 0.01, r=−0.67, p < 0.01 and r=−0.84, p < 0.01 in PI and r=−0.66, p < 0.01, r=−0.58, p < 0.01 and r=−0.61, p < 0.01 in RI). 4) Significant negative correlations were also observed both between PWV or upper extremity and PI or RI in right common carotid artery and brachial artery(r=−0.71, p < 0.01 and r=−0.46, p < 0.05 in PI and r=−0.59, p < 0.01 and r=−0.56, p < 0.05 in RI) and between PWV of lower extremity and PI or RI in right common carotid artey and femoral artery(r=−0.65, p < 0.01 and r=0.53, p < 0.01 in PI and r=−0.54, p < 0.01 and r=−0.41, p < 0.05 in RI).
CONCLUSION
We conclude that PWV, PI and RI measured by pulsed Doppler echocardiograph is very useful in the evaluation of the function of conduit arteries.

Keyword

Pulsed wave velocity; Pulsatility index; Resistive index

MeSH Terms

Arteries
Atherosclerosis
Brachial Artery
Brain
Carotid Artery, Common
Echocardiography
Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed*
Femoral Artery
Heart
Heart Diseases
Humans
Kidney
Lower Extremity
Methods
Peripheral Vascular Diseases
Upper Extremity

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Simultaneous recordings of ECG(lead II), right internal carotid arterial pulse tracing(CAT), right brachial arterial pulse tracing(BAT) and right femoral arterial pulse tracing(FAT).

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  Fig. 2. Records of the Doppler flow velocity signals from the right internal carotid artery(left panel), right brachial artery(central panel) and right femoral artery(right panel). PSV: peak systolic velocity. PDV: peak diastolic velocity. MV: meal velocity PI: pulsatility index, RI: resistive index, Tb: ime of brachial artery, Tf: time of femoral artery.

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  Fig. 3. Relationship between the pulse wave velocity measured by the polygraph(PWVp) and pulsed Doppler echocardiography(PWVe) in the upper limbs(PWVb) and the lower limbs(PWVf).

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  Fig. 4. Relationship between the pulse wave velocity measured by the pulsed Doppler echocariography in the upper limbs(PWVeb) and the lower limbs(PWVef).

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  Fig. 5. Relationship between age and the pulse wave velocity in the upper limbs(PWVeb) and lower limbs(PVWef) measured by the pulsed Doppler echocariography.

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  Fig. 6. Relationship between age and the pulsatility index of the carotid artery(Plc), the brachial artery (PIb) and the femoral artery(PIf).

Reference

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