The association of diameter and depth of internal jugular and subclavian veins with hand dominancy

BACKGROUND: The central veins’ catheterization, required in critically ill patients, is more successful in larger veins. Some researchers hypothesized that hand preference might be associated with larger ipsi/contra central veins. OBJECTIVE: To determine the diameter and depth of internal jugular and subclavian veins on both sides and its association with left- or right-handedness. METHODS: This cross-sectional study, was conducted on patients referring for elective breast or thyroid check-up to Shahid Faghihi Hospital ultrasound unit, Shiraz, Iran, from September 2014 to May 2015. Inclusion criteria consisted of adult normotensive patients with American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class I without underlying diseases. The patients’ demographics were recorded and the diameter and depth of the internal jugular and subclavian veins were measured by ultrasound. The results of measurements were compared between patients’ hand preference by SPSS version 19, using paired-samples t-test and independent-samples t-test. RESULTS: Of 65 patients, 86% were women and 19 were left-handed (29%) with the only significant difference between the right and left subclavian diameter in right-handed individuals (p=0.007) and no significant difference between the left and right internal jugular vein diameter and depth and subclavian vein depth between the left- and right-handed patients. The subclavian diameter of the right and left side was also not different in left-handed patients. CONCLUSION: The right or left central veins are not superior to each other with respect to diameter and depth in right- or left-handed patients.