title: Prevalence and association between risk factors, stroke subtypes, and abnormal ankle brachial index in acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormal ankle brachial index (ABI) identifies a stroke subgroup with high risk of subsequent stroke and other vascular events. There are few data regarding the prevalence of abnormal ABI in ischemic stroke in Asian countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the prevalence of abnormal ABI in 747 Thai patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack and assessed the correlation of abnormal ABI with stroke risk factors and stroke subtypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of abnormal ABI (≤0.9) in ischemic stroke patients was 18.1%. Abnormal ABI in ischemic stroke patients was significantly correlated with female gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.61; confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.40; P = .017), age ≥ 60 years (OR, 3.54; CI, 2.14-5.85; P < .001), and previous ischemic events, including coronary artery disease (OR, 2.55; CI, 1.47-4.43; P = .001), cerebrovascular disease (OR, 2.15; CI, 1.37-3.55; P = .002), and atrial fibrillation (OR, 1.71; CI, 1.03-2.82; P = .036). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of abnormal ABI among stroke subtypes (P < .001), which tended to be more frequent in those with large artery disease (20.4%), cardioembolic stroke (29.2%), and undetermined etiology (20.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An ABI examination should be considered in patients with ischemic stroke to facilitate the early detection and treatment of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease and identification of excess risk for subsequent stroke or other vascular events.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. radrt@mahidol.ac.th
authors.forename: Disya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ratanakorn
authors.forename: Jesada
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keandoungchun
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tegeler
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed