ULTRASOUND CHARACTERISTICS OF CAROTID AND VERTEBRAL ARTERIES IN PATIENTS WITH JOINT HYPERMOBILITY SYNDROME

Background. The article presents current data on the syndrome of joint hypermobility. Aim. To study ultrasonic characteristics of carotid and vertebral arteries in patients with joint hypermobility syndrome. Material and methods. The study involved 538 students. The control group of practically healthy individuals consisted of 57 people, the group of patients with joint hypermobility syndrome included 105 people. The age of the examined patients ranged from 20 to 28 years (mean age 22 [21; 23] years). All examined patients underwent Doppler ultrasound and duplex scanning of the vertebral, common, internal and external carotid arteries. Results. Structural and anatomical features of the carotid and vertebral arteries in patients with joint hypermobility syndrome were revealed. Conclusions. High bifurcation of the common carotid artery on both sides was detected 7.9 times more often among the patients, than in the control group. High entry of the vertebral artery into the spinal canal was 3.3 times as common as among the controls. Tortuosity of the vertebral artery occurred 2.8 times more often than in the control group, including pathological tortuosity which occurred 4.9 times more often. The revealed structural features were not accompanied by hemodynamic changes.