The effects of chronic smoking on total cerebral blood volume measured by carotid and vertebral artery doppler ultrasonography.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effects of chronic cigarette smoking on total cerebral blood flow in healthy adults by Doppler ultrasonography (US).

METHODS

We evaluated 50 smoker (median age 29) and 50 nonsmoker (median age 28) healthy, 20- to 40-year-old subjects without any cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Peak systolic maximal blood flow velocity (PSV), end-diastolic maximal blood flow velocity (EDV), time-averaged mean blood flow velocity (TAMV), resistance index (RI), and pulsatility index (PI) were measured in the left and right carotid and vertebral arteries, and total cerebral blood flow volume was calculated.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference of smoking rate between genders. Blood pressure and PSV values were similar in both groups. EDV values of internal carotid artery (ICA) and vertebral artery (VA) were lower and RI and PI values were higher in smokers. TAMV, total ICA (-10.8%) and VA (-6%) flow volume, and tCBF (-9.2%) were lower in smokers.

CONCLUSIONS

Doppler US is an effective tool to detect tCBF volume decrease in chronic cigarette smokers. Although minimal, this decrease, as demonstrated here in asymptomatic, healthy people, might be critical in patients with subclinical cerebral arterial insufficiency. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:561-565, 2017.