ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Ultrasonographic study of the effects of essential hypertension on the luminal diameter and doppler velocimetric indices of the abdominal aorta in adults
John Oluwafemi Adetokunbo1, Bolanle Olubunmi Ibitoye2, Anthony Olubunmi Akintomide3, Bukunmi Michael Idowu4
1Department of Radiology, State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
2 Department of Radiology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
3 Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology Unit), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
4Department of Radiology, Union Diagnostics and Clinical Services Plc, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Bukunmi Michael Idowu
Department of Radiology, Union Diagnostics and Clinical Services Plc, Yaba, Lagos State
Nigeria
Source of Support: None
Conflict of Interest: None
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Objective: To investigate the effects of essential hypertension on the luminal diameter (caliber) and Doppler velocimetric indices of the abdominal aorta (AA) in adult patients with systemic hypertension.
Materials and Methods: This was a prospective descriptive comparative study of 254 participants (127 with essential hypertension and 127 age/sex-matched controls). Their anthropometric parameters, fasting blood pressure, lipid profile, fasting blood sugar, and triplex sonography of the suprarenal and infrarenal abdominal aorta (Peak systolic velocity, PSV; End-diastolic velocity, EDV; Resistive Index, RI; and luminal diameter) were evaluated.
Results: The mean age of the male subjects was 64.02?±?10.02 years, while the mean age of the male controls was 63.14?±?10.52 years (P > 0.05). The mean age of female subjects was 61.23?±?10.09 years, while the mean age of the female controls was 61.76?±?10.26 years (P > 0.05). The age group 60 – 69 years had the highest number of subjects and controls. The mean duration of hypertension in the subjects was 12.5?±?5.2 years. The suprarenal and infrarenal abdominal aortic diameters (AAD) were higher in males than age-matched female counterparts. AAD increased with age mostly in hypertensive male subjects. PSV (in males) and RI (in both sexes) were elevated in hypertensive subjects compared to controls, while EDV (in both sexes) was significantly lower in subjects than controls. Multivariate linear regression showed that age and diastolic blood pressure were significant independent predictors for both suprarenal and infrarenal AADs.
Conclusion: Systemic hypertension causes structural and hemodynamic changes in the abdominal aorta which are detectable on triplex sonography.
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