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Updated: Jul 7, 2025

A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology
Published on: February 7, 2015
Use of Atherogenic Indices as Assessment Methods of Clinical Atherosclerotic Diseases
Yuri Barbosa Araújo1, Ana Beatriz Rocha Almeida1, Márcio Fellipe Menezes Viana1
1Universidade Federal de Sergipe - Departamento de Medicina de Lagarto, Lagarto, SE - Brasil.
Background:
Central illustration : Use of Atherogenic Indices as Assessment Methods of Clinical Atherosclerotic Diseases.
Background:
The search for clinically useful methods to assess atherosclerotic diseases (ASCVD) with good accuracy, low cost, non-invasiveness, and easy handling has been stimulated for years. Thus, the atherogenic indices evaluated in this study may fit this growing demand.
Objectives:
To assess the potential of atherogenic indices to evaluate patients with clinical atherosclerosis.
Methods:
Single-center cross-sectional study, through which the Castelli I and II indices, the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), the lipoprotein combine index, and the variation in the peripheral perfusion index between 90 and 120 seconds after an endothelium-dependent (ΔPI90-120) vasodilator stimulus were evaluated in the prediction of atherosclerosis. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results:
The sample consisted of 298 individuals with an average age of 63.0±16.1 years, of which 57.4% were women. Paired comparisons of the ROC curve analysis of the indices that reached the area under the curve (AUC) > 0.6 show that ΔPI90-120 and AIP were superior to other indices, and no differences were observed between them (difference between AUC = 0.056; 95%CI -0.003-0.115). Furthermore, both the ΔPI90-120 [odds ratio (OR) 9.58; 95%CI 4.71-19.46)] and AIP (OR 5.35; 95%CI 2.30-12.45) were independent predictors of clinical atherosclerosis.
Conclusions:
The AIP and ΔPI90-120 represented better accuracy in discriminating clinical ASCVD. Moreover, they were independent predictors of clinical ASCVD, evidencing a promising possibility for developing preventive and control strategies for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, they are markers for multicenter studies from the point of view of practicality, low cost, and external validity.
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