Internal carotid arterial blood flow velocity in infants.
Pediatr Neurol, 8 (3):
200--204 (1992)Abstract
The differences in the velocity and pulsatility indexes in the internal carotid artery were evaluated in 62 normal controls, 42 infants with cerebral palsy, and 22 infants with mental retardation, all within the first year of life. In the normal controls, the average maximal blood flow velocity (A/L), and the maximal end-diastolic flow velocity increased during the first year of life. Pulsatility index decreased significantly between the ages of newborn to 2 mos and 3-5 mos, and remained constant thereafter. Compared with normal controls, the average maximal blood flow velocity and the maximal end-diastolic flow velocity values were significantly reduced in infants with cerebral palsy during the first 6 months of life, while no differences in these values were observed in infants with mental retardation. There were no differences in the pulsatility index values in the 3 subject groups throughout the first year of life. Flow velocity in the internal carotid artery could reflect the status of the cerebral circulation in infants within the first year of life.