Sex-Specific Parameters of Ascending Aorta, Descending Aorta and Pulmonary Trunk by Computed Tomographic Angiography with Impact of Age, Hypertension, Smoking and Diabetes

Abstract

SUMMARY:This study aims at establishing whether transverse diameter (TD) and cross sectional-area (CSA) of the ascending aorta (AA), descending aorta (DA) and pulmonary trunk (PT) measured by computerized tomographic angiography (CTA) altered by sex, age, hypertension, smoking and diabetes. CTA examinations of the TD and CSA of the AA, DA and PT of 100 patients aged 49.5±16.9 years (range 16-78 years) selected between January 2009 to May 2011 from those referred to Radiology Department, Jordan University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan for advanced evaluation. Measurements were made in the axial plane at the upper border of the six thoracic vertebrae. Patients were divided into three age groups. Significance of differences in parameters between age groups was calculated. Assessment ratios were considered. It was found that parameters of the three arteries were significantly larger in men than in women (P= < 0.05) and increased with age. Hypertension increased diameters of AA and DA in both genders (P= 0.001) and of PT in men (P= 0.01). Smoking significantly decreased parameters of PT in men (P= 0.01). Diabetes increased parameters of the three arteries in both genders, significantly increased parameters of PT in men (P= <0.05) and parameters of DA in women (P= <0.05). It is concluded that studied parameters were larger in men and increased with age of our patients. Distinctive differences in measurements appeared in hypertensive, smokers, and diabetic patients.

Morphometric analysis of the inferior vena cava and its clinical correlations using abdomino-pelvic computed tomography: Series from a Jordanian population

“…It has also been demonstrated that age can remodel arteries in the form of thickening or thinning of the vascular wall [19]. These changes were observed by Shatarat et al, where the diameters of the pulmonary trunk and ascending aorta were decreased or increased in different age groups [20]. Blood vessels modulate their structure under different factors, especially wall shear stress, which may cause an increase in the diameter of the blood vessel wall mass [21], and it has been demonstrated that the histologic structure of the aorta is influenced by its function; thus, the elastin/collagen ratio is higher in the ascending aorta than in the descending aorta [22].…”

“…Diabetes causes vasculopathy, leading to microvascular and macrovascular complications [24]. These complications may alter the structure of the blood vessels; for example, it has been reported that DM significantly increases the transverse diameter of the descending aorta and intraluminal diameter of the ascending aorta in diabetic women [20]. In addition, it has been demonstrated that diabetic patients have smaller aortic root diameters than non-diabetic patients [25].…”

“…Pressure sensitivity can cause an increase in flow resistance when the driving pressure is increased, which can lead to structural autoregulation [26]. Thus, HTN can cause arterial stiffness [20], increased size of the abdominal aorta [27], and increased diameters of the ascending and descending aorta [20].…”