Arterial blood flow of all abdominal-pelvic organs using Doppler ultrasound: range, variability and physiological impact

The pulsed Doppler method theoretically enables human arterial blood flow (BF) to be determined in all of the abdominal-pelvic organs (BF(AP)) by subtracting the bilateral proximal femoral arterial BF from the upper abdominal aorta BF above the coeliac trunk. Evaluation of BF(AP) is a potentially useful indicator of exercise or food intake related flow distribution to organs; however, there is a lack of information regarding the physiological significance of BF(AP), and the measurements are yet to be validated. The aims of the present study are to examine the range in BF(AP) among subjects, monitor physiological day-to-day variability in BF(AP) over three different days and then determine whether mean BF(AP) (averaged over the three different measurement days) is related to body surface area (BSA). Forty healthy males (19-39 years) with a wide range of body weights (51-89 kg) were evaluated in a sitting position following a 12 h fast. The above-mentioned three conduit arteries were measured to determine BF(AP) using pulsed Doppler with spectral analysis. The mean BF(AP) was 2078 +/- 495 ml min(-1) (mean +/- SD) (range, 1153-3285 ml min(-1)), which is in agreement with a previous study that measured the sum of BF in the major part of the coeliac, mesenteric and renal arteries. The physiological day-to-day variability (mean coefficient of variation) was 14.5 +/- 10.0%. Significant (p < 0.05) positive linear relationships were observed between BF(AP) and BSA as well as body weight, which is in good agreement with the results of a previous study. The present data suggest that BF(AP) determined by three-conduit arterial hemodynamics may be a valid measurement that encompasses physiologic flow to multiple abdominal-pelvic organ systems.