Diameter and compliance in the human common carotid artery--variations with age and sex

In this study, age and sex differences in diameter and compliance of the common carotid artery (CCA) were evaluated in 119 healthy subjects with a phase-locked echo-tracking system. The diameter and pulsatile diameter changes were measured, and pressure strain elastic modulus (Ep) and stiffness (beta) were calculated and used as the inverse estimate of compliance. The carotid diameter increased more rapidly in males and was larger than in females from 25 years of age. The relative diameter change was equal in both sexes, and decreased from 12% to 14% in younger subjects to approximately 5% in elderly subjects. Compliance decreased almost linearly and in parallel in males and females up to 45 years of age. Between 45 and 60 years the decrease was more marked in females than in males, whereas it was by far more marked in males between 60 and 70 years of age.