Bilateral difference of superficial and deep femoral artery haemodynamic and anatomical parameters

Clinically revealed, non-uniform distribution of peripheral vascular diseases throughout the arterial tree suggests that haemodynamic forces can modulate the endothelial dysfunction. In the present study the bilateral differences of deep (DFA) and superficial (SFA) femoral artery blood velocity waveform parameters were examined in relation to artery ramification patterns and subject anthropometry. Young, sedentary women (n = 25; age 21.2 ± 3.6 years) were enrolled. Anthropometric data as well as systemic cardiovascular parameters (arterial pressure, heart rate and cardiac output) and Doppler velocity spectrum of SFA and DFA were instantly registered in rest conditions. The study revealed a slight and mutually independent anatomical and morphometric asymmetries of femoral arteries in paired legs which were fluctuation type (do not display any directional tendency). Also bilateral asymmetry of artery haemodynamic parameters was related neither to subjects’ anthropometric nor artery anatomical parameters. The magnitude of haemodynamic asymmetry is larger for retrograde linear velocity, retrograde shear rate and oscillatory index – parameters which reflect peripheral resistance of microcirculatory bed and thus has a rather functional origin. Possibly, the observed unilateral changes of femoral artery haemodynamic parameters of young healthy and sedentary women could be considered as a sign of potential genesis of artery structure pathological changes in older age.