A comparison between local wave speed in the carotid and femoral arteries in healthy humans: application of a new method

The wave speed (c) and the arrival time of reflected wave (Trw) in the common left carotid artery and common left femoral artery have been evaluated in 70 healthy subjects, aged 35-55 years with a non-invasive method. Wave speed and the arrival time of reflected waves were determined with InDU-loop and non-invasive wave intensity analysis (ndl) techniques, respectively. Diameter (D) was measured with ultrasound echo wall tracking and velocity (U) was obtained by ultrasonography. A statistical analysis has been carried out in order to establish a potential relation of c and Trw with gender and age in the study population. Subjects have been divided in two classes of age, one from 35 to 45 years and the other from 45 to 55 years. Results show that c and Trw in the femoral artery are higher than those in carotid, in both men and women (P < 0.001). Also, the distance of the reflection (L) site from the point of measurement is higher in the femoral than in the carotid artery. We did not find statistically significant differences between c, age or gender in femoral artery. However, c in the carotid artery increases with age (P < 0.05), but did not change between men and women. In this paper InDU-loop has been used for the first time to determine c and Trw in carotid and femoral arteries in a large population of healthy subjects.