title: [Prevalence of an abnormal ankle-brachial index in relation to the cardiovascular risk estimated by the Framingham function].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The measurement of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a straightforward method for the detection of atherosclerosis in the lower limbs. An abnormal ABI (< 0.9 or > 1.4) is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Despite this, its measurement in clinical practice is underused. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relation of the ABI with the cardiovascular risk determined by traditional risk functions in a population in primary prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  1001 subjects without known cardiovascular disease attended in primary care were invited to participate in the study. Cardiovascular risk and ABI measurements were calculated in all participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A low (< 0.9) ABI was found in a 3.8% of the participants, 3.9% females and 3.6% males. An abnormal ABI (< 0.9 or > 1.4) was found in 6.4% of all subjects, 5.2% females and 8.8% males. In a multivariable analysis age (OR = 1.09 for each year; 95% CI 1.03-1.15), smoking habit (OR = 2.96; 95% CI 1.51-5.80), HDL-cholesterol levels (OR = 0.98 for each mg/dl; 95% CI, 0.95-0.99) and hypertension (OR = 1.80; 95% CI, 1.05-3.06) were related with an abnormal ABI. Subjects were divided according to their risk stratification. The percentage of low, moderate and high risk individuals with an abnormal ABI was 2.6%, 8.7% and 14.9% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In primary prevention, one in ten individuals with moderate risk and one in six individuals with high risk have an abnormal ABI. In these subjects there is an indication for intensive preventive strategies and antiagregation.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud de Fuencarral, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lahoz
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taboada
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: San Martín
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Terol
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laguna
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García-Iglesias
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mostaza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods*; D001916:Brachial Artery; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment