A Doppler ultrasound study of vessel compliance changes in occlusive arterial diseases.

This study was undertaken to investigate the extent to which the major arteries, particularly the aorta, iliac and leg arteries are involved in certain peripheral occlusive vascular disease, e.g. diabetes mellitus and sickle-cell anaemia. By using a non-invasive Doppler technique, vessel compliance (C) was measured in the aorta, iliac and leg arterial segments of 25 juvenile and adult-onset diabetics of recent diagnosis and also in seven sickle-cell subjects (sicklers) whose conditions were known to have reached crisis state. Results have been compared with values obtained from normal subjects of the same ethnic origin and age group. Abnormal aortic compliances was found in the juvenile diabetics in marked contrast with the lower than normal aortic compliance found in the adult diabetics of over 40 years of age, but also of recent diagnosis. The results further showed that some of the young sicklers (under 30 years of age) have slightly higher blood vessel compliance than normal while the older ones have lower values. These differences in compliance are discussed in the light of previous findings in animal and man.