Prevalence of lower extremity arterial disease defined by the ankle-brachial index among American Indians: the Inter-Tribal Heart Project.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the prevalence of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) and its association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.


METHODS
Linear and logistic regression were used to analyze cross-sectional data from 1333 Chippewa and Menominee Indians.


RESULTS
Approximately 6.4% of participants (6.9% of men, 6.1% of women) had LEAD. Among women, LEAD was associated with lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; higher levels of diastolic blood pressure, creatinine, and triglycerides; and current smoking, diabetes, microalbuminuria, prior myocardial infarction, and stroke (P < or = .05). Among men, LEAD was associated with higher levels of creatinine (P < or = .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Use of the ankle-brachial index to assess LEAD is a noninvasive and inexpensive measurement that can be used by clinicians to identify persons at increased risk of developing CVD, and may provide opportunities to prevent CVD.
Lamar Welch
Verna L
VL
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Applied Public Health Training, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3717, USA.
Casper
Michele
M
Greenlund
Kurt
K
Zheng
Zhi-Jie
ZJ
Giles
Wayne
W
Rith-Najarian
Stephen
S
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology