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A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology
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Published on: February 7, 2015

Association between ankle-brachial index and carotid atherosclerotic disease

Augusto Cezar Lacerda Brasileiro1, Dinaldo Cavalcanti de Oliveira, Edgar Guimarães Victor

  • 1Hospital das Clínicas da UFPE, Recife, PE - Brazil. 　dinaldo@cardiol.br

Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|April 10, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Patients with a low ankle-brachial index (ABI) have increased carotid atherosclerosis. A lower ABI was negatively correlated with intimal medial thickness (IMT), indicating greater arterial disease.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Diagnostics
  • Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

  • The relationship between the ankle-brachial index (ABI) and intimal medial thickness (IMT) requires further investigation.
  • Carotid atherosclerosis prevalence in relation to ABI is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if patients with an ABI < 0.9 exhibit a higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis compared to those with an ABI > 0.9.
  • To explore the correlation between ABI and IMT in a patient cohort.

Main Methods:

  • 118 patients were categorized into two groups based on ABI values (< 0.9 and > 0.9).
  • Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and intimal medial thickness (IMT) were measured for all participants.
  • Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney, Chi-square, Fischer tests, and Pearson's correlation.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of ABI < 0.9 was 29.7%, with 34.7% having carotid atherosclerosis > 1.5 mm.
  • Carotid atherosclerosis was significantly more prevalent in the group with ABI < 0.9 (48.6%) compared to ABI > 0.9 (28.9%), p = 0.04.
  • A significant negative correlation was observed between ABI and IMT (r = -0.235, p = 0.01).

Conclusions:

  • Patients with an ankle-brachial index < 0.9 demonstrate a higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis.
  • A negative correlation exists between ABI and IMT, suggesting reduced arterial health with lower ABI values.
Abstract

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