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Relation between the elastic properties and intima‐media thickness of the common carotid artery
Author(s) -
Jogestrand T.,
Eiken O.,
Nowak J.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
clinical physiology and functional imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.608
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-097X
pISSN - 1475-0961
DOI - 10.1046/j.1475-097x.2003.00475.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intima media thickness , common carotid artery , carotid arteries , elastic modulus , elasticity (physics) , stiffness , ultrasonography , cardiology , arterial wall , artery , arterial stiffness , blood pressure , radiology , composite material , materials science
Summary The purpose of the study was to describe the relation between wall elasticity and intima‐media thickness in the human carotid artery prior to the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Fifty‐eight apparently healthy men, aged 42–65 years (mean 55 years), without symptoms of cardiovascular disease were studied. Thickness and elastic properties of the common carotid artery wall were assessed using ultrasonography and non‐invasive arterial pressure measurements. The relation between the calculated intima‐media area and the pressure strain elastic modulus was positive and statistically significant on the right but not on the left side. No statistically significant relations were found between the calculated intima‐media area and the stiffness or between the intima‐media thickness and the elastic modulus or stiffness on either side. Thus, the relations between the common carotid artery intima‐media thickness/calculated intima‐media area and the common carotid artery elastic modulus/stiffness are weak. In regions without atherosclerotic plaques, the elastic properties of the human carotid artery wall do not seem to be influenced by the wall thickness in an important way.