Prevalence, risk factors, and clinical correlates of ulnar artery occlusion in the general population

Abstract

This study confirms a substantial prevalence of ulnar artery occlusions in the general population, mostly in middle-aged and elderly men, which appears to be principally related to an occupational exposure to repeated occupational palmar trauma. Although there is a significant association with Raynaud phenomenon, most often the consequences of this occlusion remain subclinical.

Ulnar Artery Occlusion and Severity Markers of Vasculopathy in Systemic Sclerosis: A Multicenter Cross‐Sectional Study

“…The alteration of microvessels is considered the hallmark of the disease, but large vessels can also be involved. Ulnar arteries are especially affected, and up to 25% of SSc patients may develop ulnar artery occlusion (UAO), a macrovascular feature which is far more frequent in SSc than in the general population . Biopsy samples of occluded ulnar arteries in SSc show circumferential luminal narrowing, media thickening, and fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina, leading to a total occlusion of the artery by acellular material .…”

Vascular Evaluation of the Hand by Power Doppler Ultrasonography and New Predictive Markers of Ischemic Digital Ulcers in Systemic Sclerosis: Results of a Prospective Pilot Study

“…Predictive scores based on clinical features , capillaroscopic findings , and biologic markers have recently been developed to identify patients with a high risk of new occurrence of DU. Only 1 study has tested the predictive performances of power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) for SSc DUs .…”

Ulnar Hammer Syndrome

“…Carpentier and colleagues found a significant relationship between the prevalence of ulnar artery occlusion with both the duration (p < 0.001) and number of impacts per day (p < 0.001) of occupational exposure to palmar trauma. 7 Of 36 men with occlusion of the ulnar artery, 27 (75 percent) were exposed to occupational repetitive hand trauma, and this exposure was greater than 10 years in 25 subjects. They did not find a significant relationship between exposure to hand-held vibrating tools and ulnar artery occlusion.…”

“…They did not find a significant relationship between exposure to hand-held vibrating tools and ulnar artery occlusion. 7 Similarly, Little and Ferguson found that of 127 male government vehicle maintenance workers, 79 gave a history of habitually using their hands as hammers (defined as the use of the hand to hammer more than once each day). Eleven men (14 percent), all habitual hammers, had objective evidence of ulnar artery occlusion.…”