SONOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF NORMATIVE VALUES OF INFRA-RENAL AORTIC DIAMETER IN A NEGROID POPULATION IN NIGERIA

Objective: To establish normal values of infra-renal aortic diameter and to determine its relationship with anthropometric variables. Methods: A prospective and cross sectional clinical study involving 742 subjects (369 males and 373 females) aged 18 to 45 years which was carried out in Nigeria in 2012. Subjects were scanned supine and at rest. Measurements were taken from freezed longitudinal images using an exterior landmark of lumbar regions and an interior landmark of aortic bifurcation. The average of two values was recorded as the infra-renal aortic diameter. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v16.0 was used for data analyses. The probability value adopted for statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results: The mean infra-renal aortic diameter for male and female subjects was 15.0mm ± 1.8mm and 13.5 ± 2.0mm respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between both means (p = 0.000). Pearson correlation showed significant correlations between infra-renal aortic diameter and waist circumference (r = 0.493), weight (r = 0.465), BSA (r = 0.432), BMI (r = 0.403), height (r = 0.238) and age (r = - 0.033). Conclusion: A normogram for infra-renal aortic diameter is generated. The study would be relevant in the determination of abdominal aortic dilatation in young adults. It might also find usefulness in pre-transplantation assessment of the vessel and screening of siblings of patient who have infra-renal aortic aneurysm.