[Study on the relation between peripheral arterial disease and renal insufficiency in high risk cardiovascular...

This study was to examine the relation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and renal insufficiency in cardiovascular patients with high risk.

PAD, defined as an ankle brachial index (ABI) ≤ 0.9 in either leg and renal insufficiency, defined as an estimated creatinine clearance (CRCL) < 60 ml×min(-1)×1.73 m(-1) were evaluated in 5270 Chinese patients at high risk of CV.

2648 (50.2%) patients had an estimated CRCL < 60 ml×min(-1)×1.73 m(-1), while 746 (14.2%) patients having PAD defined ABI ≤ 0.9. ABI and CRCL were positively correlated (r = 0.217, P < 0.001). The prevalence of PAD in patients with renal dysfunction was significantly higher than those with normal renal function (19.9% vs. 8.3%, P < 0.001). The association of ABI ≤ 0.9 with CRCL was independent from potential confounders such as age, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, coronary artery disease and stroke history (OR = 0.98, 95%CI: 0.98 - 0.99, P < 0.001).

Results from the present study demonstrated a remarkably high prevalence of PAD (defined as an ABI ≤ 0.9) among patients with renal dysfunction and at high risk. Even after adjustment for important confounders such as age, diabetes, and coronary artery and cerebro-vascular diseases etc., persons with lower CRCL were still more likely to have an ABI ≤ 0.9.