Prevalence of peripheral arterial disease by ankle-brachial index and its correlation with carotid intimal thickness and coronary risk factors in Nepalese population over the age of forty years.
OBJECTIVE
Noninvasive measures of subclinical atherosclerosis such as the ankle brachial index (ABI) and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA IMT) could improve risk prediction and provide more focused primary prevention strategies. This report describes the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerotic vascular disease in a Nepalese population over the age of forty years as measured by ABI and CCA IMT and their association with established cardiovascular risk factors.


METHODS
Ultrasonic evaluation of ABI and CCA IMT was done in 195 individuals of age 40 years and above who had presented to an outpatient department. Patients with established diagnosis of coronary artery disease or symptomatic for peripheral arterial disease were excluded from the study.


RESULTS
The prevalence of atherosclerotic disease as measured by ABI was 18.5% and there was a statistically significant correlation between ABI and CCA IMT and other established cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, diabetes mellitus and hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend that ABI as measured by sphygmomanometer be incorporated into routine cardiovascular screening and when found to be abnormal further confirmed by Doppler assessment of ABI and CCA IMT as surrogate markers of atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Sodhi
H S
HS
Department of Non-invasive Cardiology, Norvic Escorts International Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Shrestha
S K
SK
Rauniyar
R
R
Rawat
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology