Common carotid artery diameter, blood flow velocity and wave intensity responses at rest and during exercise in young healthy humans – A reproducibility study

Abstract

© 2017 The Authors. The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility of non-invasive, ultrasound-derived wave intensity (WI) in humans at the common carotid artery (CCA). CCA diameter and blood velocity of twelve healthy young participants were recorded at rest and during mild cycling, to assess peak diameter, change in diameter, peak velocity, change in velocity, time derivatives, non-invasive wave speed and WI. Diameter, velocity and WI parameters were fairly reproducible. Diameter variables exhibited higher reproducibility than corresponding velocity variables (ICC = 0.79 vs. 0.73) and lower dispersion (CV = 5% vs. 9%). Wave speed presented fair reproducibility (ICC = 0.6, CV = 16%). WI energy variables exhibited higher reproducibility than corresponding peaks (ICC = 0.78 vs. 0.74) and lower dispersion (CV = 16% vs. 18%). The majority of variables had higher ICC and lower CV during exercise. We conclude that non-invasive WI analysis is reliable both at rest and during exercise.