To determine the normal values of aortic diameter in Korean adults, and to find the factors associated with the changes of aortic diameter, we measured the aortic diameters on CT films of 724 adult patients (male: 458, female: 266) who admitted
to
Kyung-Pook National University Hospital, Taegu, Korea from January, 1991 to May 1993.
External anterioposterior diameters of the abdominal aorta were measured on the hard copy of the abdominal CT (GE, 9800) at 3 different levels using Vernier caliper by 2 observers including one radiologist. We report here the mean values of
aortic
diameter in mm at supraceliac, left renal vein. and aortic bifurcation levels. The factors associated with with changes in aortic diameter were analyzed using multivariants analysis. In the hypertensive group, aortic diagmeter revealed larger
than
normotensive group by 0.82~1.65 mm at each levels of abdominal aorta. The analysis revealed aortic diameter increase with age by 0.07~0.13 mm/year at all levels. For the increment of body weith, the diameter of aorta increased by 0.02~0.05 mm/kg
at
all
levels. The gender also affected the aortic diameter that the male showed 0.65~1.11 mm larger in diameter than female. The factors significantly associated with aortic diameter were not same at each levels of abdominal aorta, however the
variables
including age, gender, body weight and hypertension appear to be related with aortic diameter at all 3 levels of abdominal aorta. The most effective factor of all associated with aortic diameter was the age of the patient.
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