Quantitative Ultrasound Measurement of Intima–Media Thickness of Abdominal Aorta and Common Carotid Arteries in Normal Term Newborns

The objective of this study was to measure intima–media thickness (IMT) of the abdominal aortic (aIMT) and common carotid (cIMT) arteries in normal term newborns. We measured aIMT and cIMT using high-resolution ultrasonography in 100 normal term newborns during the first 4 days of life. Mean abdominal aIMT and cIMT values of term newborns were 0.51 ± 0.041 mm (n = 100) and 0.37 ± 0.054 mm (n = 100), respectively. Maximum and minimum aIMT and cIMT values of term newborns were 0.58 and 0.42 mm and 0.47 and 0.32 mm, respectively. The intraobserver intrasubject correlation coefficients for aIMT, right cIMT, and left cIMT were 0.89, 0.91, and 0.92, respectively (coefficient of variation = 5 %). The study provides data for normal aIMT and cIMT values in normal term newborns. By establishing normal values, we can further study the aetiopathogenesis of various possible intrauterine risk factors in premature atherosclerosis in normal or intrauterine growth–retarded newborns.