The popliteal artery is, after the abdominal aorta, the most common location for aneurysm formation in the arterial system. Why it is more susceptible than other arteries is unknown. This study shows that the wall function of the popliteal artery differs from other peripheral arteries, and instead show striking similarities to the abdominal aorta, indicating that the functional arrangement of arterial wall components are similar in the two arteries. This may have implications for the susceptibility to aneurysm formation, as well as the association of dilating disease between the popliteal artery and the abdominal aorta.

Aortic stiffness is a predictor of cardiovascular mortality. The mechanical properties of the arterial wall depend on the connective tissue framework, with variation in fibrillin-1 and collagen I genes being associated with aortic stiffness and/or pulse pressure elevation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether variation in fibrillin-1 genotype was associated with aortic stiffness in men. The mechanical properties of the abdominal aorta of 79 healthy men (range 28-81 yr) were investigated by ultrasonographic phase-locked echo tracking. Fibrillin-1 genotype, characterized by the variable tandem repeat in intron 28, and collagen type I alpha 1 genotype characterized by the 2,064 G>T polymorphism, were determined by using DNA from peripheral blood cells. Three common fibrillin-1 genotypes, 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4, were observed in 50 (64%), 10 (13%), and 11 (14%) of the men, respectively. Those of 2-3 genotype had higher pressure strain elastic modulus and aortic stiffness compared with men of 2-2 or 2-4 genotype (P = 0.005). Pulse pressure also was increased in the 2-3 genotype (P = 0.04). There was no significant association between type 1 collagen genotype and aortic stiffness in this cohort. In conclusion, the fibrillin-1 2-3 genotype in men was associated with increased aortic stiffness and pulse pressure, indicative of an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

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