High accumulation of minerals in the human arteries of lower limb.

Abstract

To elucidate accumulation of minerals in the human arteries, the relative contents (RCs) of minerals in the arteries of the upper and lower limbs were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that the RCs of calcium and phosphorus in the femoral and popliteal arteries of the lower limb increased with aging, whereas those in the axillary and radial arteries of the upper limb did not increase with aging. This result indicates that higher accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurs in the arteries of the lower limb with aging as compared with that in the arteries of the upper limb, and the prevalence of arteriosclerosis increases in the arteries of the lower limb with aging but not in the arteries of the upper limb.