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Updated: Dec 15, 2025
Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research
Published on: October 22, 2014
Functional and Cardiovascular Parameters in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients with Interarm Blood Pressure
Luiza Santini1, Marilia Almeida Correia2, Paulo L Oliveira3
1Graduate Program of Health Sciences, Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Background:
To analyze the impact of interarm blood pressure difference (IAD) on functional and cardiovascular parameters in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Methods:
Ninety-eight patients with PAD were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Patients with differences between the right and left arms of systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥10 mm Hg were classified as IAD, whereas the remaining patients were classified as PAD control subjects. Functional parameters included were the 6-min walk test, short physical performance battery, walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ), and the walking estimated-limitation calculated by history. Systemic cardiovascular parameters included were arterial stiffness and heart rate variability. Local cardiovascular parameters assessed in both arms were brachial blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation.
Results:
Patients with IAD presented higher systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure compared with control patients (P < 0.01). The carotid femoral pulse wave velocity tended to be higher and flow-mediated dilation tended to be lower in PAD patients with IAD compared with control subjects (P < 0.09). Patients with IAD presented lower scores in short physical performance battery (P = 0.012), WIQ distance (P = 0.003), WIQ speed (P = 0.008), WIQ stair climbing (P = 0.034), and walking estimated-limitation calculated by history (P = 0.026) when compared with PAD control patients.
Conclusions:
In patients with PAD, IAD is associated with lower physical function and impairments in cardiovascular parameters compared with PAD patients without IAD.
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