Analysis of the effects of pure aortic regurgitation on the vertebral artery blood flow spectrum

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of pure aortic regurgitation on the vertebral artery blood flow spectrum.

MethodsSixty-three patients with aortic regurgitation from January 2014 to April 2017 were set as the observation group, and subdivided into the mild, moderate and severe aortic insufficiency(AR) (21 cases in each group).Twenty-one cases with normal transthoracic echocardiography and cervical artery ultrasound were set as the control group.The bilateral vertebral artery spectrum curves and spectrum morphology in two gorups were observed, and the hemodynamic parameters(including PSV, EDV and RI) in two groups were analyzed.

ResultsThe systolic heavy wave with similar or equal peaks appeared in the mild, moderate and severe AR groups, the occurrence rates of which were 24%, 62% and 81%, respectively.Five cases with diastolic blood flow reaching baseline and 3 cases with reverse in moderate AR group, and 4 cases with diastolic blood flow reaching baseline and 11 cases with reverse in severe AR group were identified.Fourteen cases with systolic heavy wave complicated with diastolic blood reaching baseline or diastolic blood flow reverse were found.The differences of the PSV, EDU and RI of vertebral artery were not statistically significant between the control group and mild AR group(P>0.05).In observation group, the EDV decreased, and RI increased with the increase of AR(P < 0.01).

ConclusionsThe systolic heavy wave can occur in patients with mild, moderate and severe AR, and the diastolic blood flow reaching baseline or reverse only occurs in moderate and severe AR.AR is highly suspected when the vertebral artery presents the above changes in the blood flow spectrum.