Cross-sectional internal diameters of radial, thoracodorsal, and dorsalis pedis arteries in children: relationship to subject sex, age, and body size.

The purpose of this study was to determine the average diameter of the radial, thoracodorsal, and dorsalis pedis arteries in a pediatric population and to evaluate the relationship of these measurements to the subject's age, sex, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). The internal diameters of the radial, thoracodorsal, and dorsalis pedis arteries were non-invasively studied in 45 normotensive, presumed normal children of various ages (4 to 14 years) with the use of a Doppler system. The average diameters of the radial, thoracodorsal, and dorsalis pedis arteries in females and males were as follows: radial artery 1.39 (SD +/- 0.18) mm and 1.57 (SD +/- 0.18) mm; thoracodorsal artery 1.27 (SD +/- 0.11) mm and 1.36 (SD +/- 0.2) mm; and dorsalis pedis artery 1.22 (SD +/- 0.08) mm and 1.34 (SD +/- 0.12) mm. These were correlated with the age, height, weight, and BMI. Gender had a strong influence on the diameter of these arteries. In a linear regression model, weight was found to be statistically the best independent variable for predicting radial and dorsalis pedis diameters, whereas age was the best predictor for the diameter of the thoracodorsal artery. The diameters of these three arteries in an age group of 4 to 14 years ranged between 1 to 2 mm. The age and weight of the children predicted the diameters of the peripheral arteries.