ULTRASOUND INVESTIGATION OF CAROTID ARTERY THICKNESS AND BODY MASS INDEX IN FEMALE YOUNG ADULTS

Kelvin Kiridi; Price Joffa; Dibo Pughikumo; Emily Kiridi; Michael Egbejimi; Peter Erigbali

Volume : IX, Issue : IV, April - 2020

ULTRASOUND INVESTIGATION OF CAROTID ARTERY THICKNESS AND BODY MASS INDEX IN FEMALE YOUNG ADULTS

Kelvin Kiridi, Price Joffa, Dibo Pughikumo, Emily Kiridi, Michael Egbejimi, Peter Erigbali

Abstract :

We investigated 75 healthy, young female adults� left and right carotid artery wall thickness and the association with Body Mass Index (BMI). The weight and height were measured for each individual, and the Body mass index (BMI) calculated using the formula Weight (kg) / [Height (m)] 2. A Scan machine (Philips HD11, with 7.5 MHz linear probe) was used to carry out ultrasound investigation of the carotid arteries, following standard procedure. The mean BMI of the females was 22.1 � 4.22 kg/m2, and the mean thickness of the left and right common carotid arteries were (0.05 � 0.01 and 0.04 � 0.01) respectively; the difference was not significant at P< 0.05. The result of the correlation analysis showed that for BMI and Left carotid artery, correlation coefficient r = 0.1. Whereas r= 0.2 for BMI vs. right carotid artery. The results suggest that the females studied had normal BMI which is positively correlated with the left and right carotid arteries thickness. The association is however a weak one. Thus, from this study it may be inferred that a BMI increase beyond healthy normal weight, could predispose the left and right carotid arteries to increases in thickness.