Subject Body Mass Index Affects Doppler Waveform in Celiac Artery by Duplex Ultrasound

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on peak systolic velocity (PSV) recording in the celiac artery (CA). SUBJECTS & METHODS: Forty male participants were entered prospectively into the study. The subjects were divided into two groups according to their body mass index. Group A included subjects with BMI ≤25 Kg/m(2) and those in group B with BMI >25 Kg/m(2). The diameter and PSV at the origin of CA of subjects in both groups were recorded while the subject positioned in supine and during expiration phase and fasted for 4 hours using duplex ultrasound. Both groups were matched for age and sex. Independent Student’s t-test was used to test if there is any statistical significance between diameter and PSV in both groups. RESULTS: Group A’s, average age (year, ±SD) was 29.35±1.35 and average BMI (Kg/m(2), ±SD) was 23.1±1.60. Group B’s, average age was 30±2.1 and their average BMI was 31±5.1. The average diameter (cm, ±SD) of CA in group A was 0.66±0.076 and in group B was 0.80±0.066. However, the average PSV (cm/s, ±SD) was 117±28.1 in group A and 102±12.4 in group B. Independent student t-test showed statistical significance between both groups for the diameter (p=0.005) and just reached statistical significance for PSV (p=0.049). CONCLUSION: Subjects with higher BMI showed reduced PSV due to a larger CA diameter and probably due to more fatty tissue accumulation around the CA origin.