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The ankle brachial index in chronic spinal cord injury: a pilot study
M Grew1, S C Kirshblum, K Wood
1Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA.
The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine
|June 1, 2007
Summary
The ankle-brachial index (ABI) may be a useful tool for screening peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in this population.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Medicine
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is increasingly recognized as a cause of complications in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, including pressure ulcers and surgical failures.
- Detecting PVD early in SCI individuals is challenging due to impaired motor and sensory functions.
- The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a standard measure for PVD in the general population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) as a screening tool for peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
- To compare ABI values between SCI patients without PVD risk factors and able-bodied controls.
Main Methods:
- ABI measurements were taken from 15 individuals with chronic complete SCI (T6 level) who showed no signs of PVD.
- A control group of 10 able-bodied individuals without PVD was included for comparison.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in ABI values was observed between the SCI group and the able-bodied control group.
- ABI did not correlate significantly with the duration of SCI or the occurrence of pressure ulcers.
Conclusions:
- The ankle-brachial index (ABI) shows potential as a screening tool for PVD in individuals with SCI.
- Additional studies are required to validate these findings and establish the correlation of ABI with PVD presence and severity in SCI patients with risk factors or symptoms.
