engleski

Vertebral Artery Hypoplasia: Characteristics in a Croatian Population Sample

Vertebral arteries are responsible for 1/3 of the brain blood supply, supplying primarily posterior parts of the brain. About 15% of all strokes occur in posterior parts of the brain, which should be kept in mind when dealing with disorders that can cause hemodynamic changes in vertebral arteries. Vertebral artery hypoplasia (VAH) is an inborn abnormality of vertebral artery defined by smaller lumen diameter and lower blood flow velocities, and is most commonly found in healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to establish the characteristics of VAH in a Croatian population sample, and to determine differences in its presentation according to sex and affected side. Study results may prove valuable for future identification of individuals at an increased risk of cerebrovascular incidents or traumatic injuries that could lead to adverse changes of posterior circulation. Color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) reports of 277 patients were analyzed. All measurements were obtained in the V2 segment of vertebral artery, between the C6-C5 vertebrae, using a linear 7, 5 MHz probe on an Aloka Prosound SSD-5500. The criteria for normal vertebral arteries were lumen diameter of 2, 5-4, 5 mm, systolic mean blood flow velocity of 0, 35-0, 70 m/s, and normal resistance pattern. Study results showed the left vertebral artery to be dominant in 57% of study subjects, VAH to be more common in women, and right vertebral artery to be more often involved by hypoplasia than the left one. The width of the "wider" vertebral artery was greater in the group with VAH, suggesting a way of the deficit compensation. The study demonstrated that the deficit caused by VAH cannot be fully compensated for despite larger arterial diameter.

vertebral artery hypoplasia; ultrasonography; brain; blood supply; epidemiology; Croatia

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