title: The ankle-brachial pressure index and a standardized questionnaire are easy and useful tools to detect peripheral arterial disease in non-claudicating patients at high risk.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This observational study (Survey of Peripheral Arterial Disease Epidemiology, SPADE) evaluated the prevalence of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in general practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  PAD was determined as an ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) <0.9 measured with Doppler ultrasound. Included patients had a history of ischemic events and/or risk factors for PAD, but no spontaneous complaints of intermittent claudication. Patients with an ABI <0.9 filled in a standardized questionnaire and their drug use was registered. A total of 4 536 patients was included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of PAD was 18.7% for the total population, 26.5% for those with a history of ischemic events and 15.2% for those without such history. The prevalence increased with age, but was independent of gender. A standard questionnaire revealed leg pain when walking uphill or when hurrying in 2/3 of patients with an ABI <0.9 and in 45% criteria for claudication were met.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ABI detects PAD in a considerable number of asymptomatic patients at increased risk and followed in general practice. When properly questioned almost half of these patients appear to have intermittent claudication.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Center of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sprynger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fassotte
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verhaeghe
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D016909:Tibial Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex