ABSTRACT Background Distal radial artery (DRA) is a feasible access in coronary angiography. Aims We aimed to determine the stiffness parameters of DRA and main radial artery (MRA) in pre and post‐transradial catheterization by using ultrasonography. Methods Patients admitted for elective distal transradial coronary angiography were consecutively enrolled from September to December 2020. Overall, Duplex analysis was assessed in 100 patients on admission and 24 h post‐catheterization. Emerging two MRA occlusion and four DRA occlusion cases were excluded from statistical analysis. As a result, we had 98 measurements in MRA and 96 in the DRA adjusted for statistical analysis. Results Systolic diameter of the DRA was smaller than the MRA as 2.21 ± 0.38 versus 2.38 ± 0.38 mm ( p group < 0.001). These increased to 2.4 ± 0.46 and 2.75 ± 0.47 mm, respectively, following catheterization ( p group‐time = 0.006). Stiffness index of the DRA was higher than the MRA (30.3 ± 26.3 vs. 22.7 ± 25.1 p = 0.601). After catheterization, this parameter significantly increased in the MRA while being preserved in the DRA ( p time‐group 0.032). Inversely, distensibility showed a decrease in the MRA ( p time‐grou p = 0.001) with preservation in the DRA after catheterization ( p = 0.422). Conclusion DRA is smaller and shows higher stiffness index with lower distensibility than the MRA. Following catheterization, these parameters show preservation in the DRA, despite an impairment in the MRA.
Soydan et al. (Tue,) studied this question.