Combined use of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and ankle-brachial index for fast assessment of arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis in a community.
BACKGROUND
Pulse volume recordings and blood pressures at arms and ankles can be obtained automatically and simultaneously to allow fast measurements of the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and the ankle-brachial index. We applied this novel technique to assess the extent of arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis in a community.


METHODS
A total of 1329 residents in Kinmen completed a health survey including interview, physical examination, blood test, and the measurements of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and ankle-brachial index in 10 working days.


RESULTS
Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was significantly related to age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, ankle-brachial index, and fasting blood levels of glucose, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, uric acid, and creatinine, and was significantly related to the 10-year risk of developing coronary heart disease estimated from the Framingham risk function. The prevalence of arteriosclerosis as defined by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity values higher than the age and sex stratified references from the low risk subjects was 27.1% for men and 25.4% for women. The prevalence of atherosclerosis defined by ankle-brachial index <0.9 was 2.8% in men and 1.7% in women. In men but not in women, subjects with low ankle-brachial index had significantly greater risk for developing coronary artery disease than those with normal values.


CONCLUSIONS
Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and ankle-brachial index can be obtained simultaneously and quickly for the assessment of arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis in a community.
Chuang
Shao-Yuan
SY
Community Medicine Research Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Chen
Chen-Huan
CH
Cheng
Chien-Ming
CM
Chou
Pesus
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001916:Brachial Artery; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D015995:Prevalence; D012107:Research Design; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology