Infradiaphragmatic arteriosclerosis in the 5th decade: an angiographic comparison between sexes

Ninety consecutive arteriographies performed on patients in the age group 40-50 years (45 men and 45 women) because of signs and symptoms of peripheral vascular disease were analyzed for severity and distribution of obliterative or occluding arterial lesions. A marked difference in the arteriosclerotic pattern was found between the two sexes. Women presented with aortoiliac changes and slight peripheral changes, while men more frequently had severe peripheral changes and few severe aortic changes. In 22 premenopausal and 23 postmenopausal women there was no difference in the localization or degree of the arteriosclerotic changes. It was not possible to draw conclusions from gynecological-obstetrical information. In this study all but six patients were smokers, but no differences in the extent of arteriosclerotic changes were observed between the heavy smokers and the other patients.