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Abstract
In this study, age and sex differences in diameter and compliance of the common carotid
artery (CCA) were evaluated in 119 healthy subjects with a phase-locked echo-tracking
system. The diameter and pulsatile diameter changes were measured, and pressure strain
elastic modulus (Ep) and stiffness (beta) were calculated and used as the inverse
estimate of compliance. The carotid diameter increased more rapidly in males and was
larger than in females from 25 years of age. The relative diameter change was equal
in both sexes, and decreased from 12% to 14% in younger subjects to approximately
5% in elderly subjects. Compliance decreased almost linearly and in parallel in males
and females up to 45 years of age. Between 45 and 60 years the decrease was more marked
in females than in males, whereas it was by far more marked in males between 60 and
70 years of age.