Arterial Murmur at the Inguinal Region of the Aged

Abstract

Incidence and related factors of arterial murmur at the inguinal region was studied on 532 subjects over 40 years of age. (375 male and 157 female).
Inguinal arterial murmur was present in 12.1% of men, 7.0% of women and 10.3% of total subjects. Incidence of inguinal arterial murmur in men was 1.2% in 40-49 years of age, 8.2% in 50-59 years of age, 14.5% in 60-69 years of age and 40.0% over 70 years of age. That in women was 6.8%, 4.0%, 7.3% and 27.3% respectively. Namely the incidence of arterial murmur increased with advancing age.
In case that inguinal arterial murmur was observed unilaterally, it was observed more frequently at the right side than at the left side.
Systolic blood pressure of men with murmur was significantly higher than that of men without murmur. Diastolic blood pressure of both men and women with murmur was lower than those without murmur.
There was no significant difference in serum cholesterol level between subjects with and without arterial murmur. Diabetes mellitus had also no significant relation to the incidence of arterial murmur.
Calcification of abdominal aorta was more common among the patients with arterial murmur than patients without murmur, but the difference between them was not so marked in women as in men.