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Ankle brachial index as a prognostic tool for women with coronary artery disease
1Adult Department, East Tennessee College of Nursing, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA. peasrson@etsu.edu
Insights
The ankle-brachial index (ABI) did not predict coronary artery disease (CAD) in women. However, increasing age correlated with both peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and CAD, suggesting further research is needed for early CAD detection in women.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Medicine
- Women's Health
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality in women, yet early diagnosis remains challenging.
- Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has been linked to CAD in prior studies, but not specifically focused on women.
- The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a diagnostic measure for PAD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between ABI and the presence of CAD in women.
- To determine the predictive value of ABI for CAD specifically in the female population.
- To explore the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and CAD in women.
Main Methods:
- Prospective correlation study design.
- Inclusion of 30 women undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization.
- Measurement of ankle-brachial index (ABI) prior to catheterization and analysis of cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Results:
- Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), defined as ABI < 0.90 mm Hg, was present in 13.3% of women.
- A significant correlation was observed between ABI < 0.90 mm Hg and increasing age (P =.029).
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) was prevalent (82.1%), with over half having multivessel disease; however, ABI did not significantly correlate with CAD presence or severity.
Conclusions:
- The study did not establish a correlation between ABI and CAD in women.
- A significant association between older age and the presence of both PAD and CAD was identified.
- Further research with larger cohorts, additional risk factors, and novel diagnostic tools is essential for early CAD detection in women.
Background And Objectives:
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death among women both nationally and internationally. Despite increased knowledge regarding CAD in women, early diagnosis remains a difficult clinical task. A correlation between peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and CAD has been noted in previous research; however, these studies were either retrospective or did not focus on women. This research investigates the correlation of ankle brachial index (ABI), measurements used to diagnose PAD, and presence of CAD in women, in an effort to determine the predictive value of ABI specifically in women.
Subjects And Methods:
A prospective correlation design was used to study women (n = 30) who were undergoing a diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Ankle brachial index readings were obtained prior to the catheterization procedure. Catheterization findings were grouped according to absence of CAD or presence of 1-vessel or multivessel CAD and coupled with each woman's ABI and recorded cardiovascular risk factors.
Results:
Peripheral arterial disease (based on ABI of <0.90 mm Hg) was found in 13.3% of the women. A significant correlation was found between ABI of less than 0.90 mm Hg and increasing age (t = -2.30, P =.029). Coronary artery disease was found in 82.1% of the women; more than half (57.1%) had multivessel disease. Absence of CAD was noted in 17.9%. Women with CAD were older than women without CAD (F = 3.86, P =.035). No significant differences were found between presence or absence of PAD based on ABI and diagnosis of no coronary disease or 1-vessel or multivessel coronary disease.
Conclusions:
This study failed to show the expected correlation between ABI of less than 0.90 mm Hg and CAD, but did show a significant correlation of age with presence of both PAD and CAD. Further research that focuses specifically on women is needed and should include a larger sample, additional unique cardiovascular risk factors, and innovative diagnostic tests to determine presence of CAD in women early in the disease process.
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