title: Study on unrecognized peripheral arterial disease (PAD) by ankle/brachial index and arterial comorbidity in Catania, Sicily, Italy.
abstract: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is under diagnosed and early diagnosis decreases consequences. We screened unrecognized PAD focusing on arterial co-morbidities. In the 3412 subjects, screened from 10 general practices in the city of Catania (Sicily, Italy), ankle brachial index (ABI) measurements were performed. An ABI < or =0.9 was considered as valid in diagnosing PAD. ABI value < or =0.9 was found in 2.3%, and a significant rate of carotid stenosis was also found Echocardiographic markers left ventricular diameter (LVD) >55 mm, interventricular septum (IVS) >11 mm, left ventricular diastolic volume (LVDV) was found > 100 ml), and ejection fraction (EF) was <50% were found with high frequency in those with ABI < or =0.9. Unrecognized PAD is lower compared with other findings but our prevalence resulted higher than other prevalence previously found by other study performed in Italy. Unrecognized PAD shows significant arterial co-morbidities and the ABI is a useful method to screen asymptomatic PAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Disease, Section of Internal Medicine and Vascular Medicine, University of Catania, Italy. ssignore@unict.it
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santo Signorelli
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anzaldi
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catanzaro
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simili
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Torrisi
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012802:Sicily / Q000453:epidemiology