Tortuosity, Kinking, and Coiling of the Carotid Artery: Expression of Atherosclerosis or Aging?

The etiology of carotid abnormalities is both congenital than acquired. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of aging and atherosclerosis in the acquired cases, and the role of these abnormalities in hemodynamic alterations and neurologic symptoms. Over a 1-year period the authors studied all the subjects undergoing carotid exami nation by continuous-wave and color-coded Doppler sonography at an Angiology Unit. They evaluated neurologic symptoms; risk factors for atherosclerosis; number, sites, and kinds of carotid abnormalities; atherosclerotic lesions; stenosis; hemodynamic alterations of the carotid; and other localizations of atherosclerotic diseases. There were 469 subjects: 272 (58%) with abnormalities (group 1) and 197 (42%) without abnormalities (group 2). The total number of abnormalities was 479 (104 tortu osities, 262 kinkings, and 113 coilings). The abnormalities were more prevalent in the elderly (P