Reproducibility of ultrasound Doppler measurement of pulse wave velocity with different methods of assessing the superficial carotid-femoral distance

Abstract

Aim . To calculate the reproducibility of the Doppler method for measuring carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), taking into account various methods for establishing the surface distance between measurement points. Material and methods . Forty participants (men, 60%), aged 34,26±16,58 years, participated in this cross-sectional study. All patients underwent 2 sequential Doppler cfPWV measurements at intervals of 20 to 40 minutes, using the carotid-femoral distance obtained with a measuring tape, an electronic tape measure, or calculated using formulas. Results . Concordance analysis revealed a very good agreement for paired cfPWV values in all methods of determining the carotid-femoral distance. Intraclass correlation coefficients were above 0,98 for all three conditions (p<0,0001), indicating excellent agreement. Bland-Altman analysis revealed small mean differences of 0,11±0,46, 0,08±0,49, and 0,02±0,36 m/s, respectively. The observed correlations between paired measurements were independent of sex, age, BMI, heart rate, and blood pressure. Conclusion . The data demonstrated an excellent reproducibility of Doppler cfPWV measurement when used in ideal conditions and by experienced observers. The presented technical profile demonstrates that this technique meets the quality requirements for inclusion in comprehensive clinical monitoring programs.