title: Are ankle and toe brachial indices (ABI-TBI) obtained by a pocket Doppler interchangeable with those obtained by standard laboratory equipment?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine if the ankle and toe brachial indices obtained by an experienced registered nurse (RN) using a pocket Doppler were within acceptable levels of agreement with those obtained by a registered vascular technologist (RVT) using standard laboratory equipment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A within-subjects comparative design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty subjects who were referred to a vascular laboratory for arterial studies were recruited. All tests were performed in the outpatient vascular laboratory of a large, urban medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ankle and toe brachial indices were measured on each subject by the RN and the RVT during each visit. Data were analyzed using the Bland-Altman method to assess the level of agreement between the RN's pocket Doppler and the RVT's standard laboratory equipment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differences between each instrument's ankle brachial indices were within the a priori 15% limit of agreement. Differences between each instrument's toe brachial indices exceeded the a priori 15% limit of agreement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ankle brachial index obtained by using a pocket Doppler by an experienced RN is interchangeable with vascular laboratory testing for detection of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD). The pocket Doppler-derived toe brachial index was not interchangeable with vascular laboratory testing for detection of LEAD.
authors.affiliation: Wound Care Education Program, College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA. bonhamp@musc.edu
authors.forename: Phyllis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bonham
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cappuccio
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hulsey
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kelechi
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D015982:Bias; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017156:Photoplethysmography / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014034:Toes / Q000098:blood supply*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000592:standards