Epidemiology of peripheral artery disease in elder general population of two cities of Central Africa: Bangui and Brazzaville.
OBJECTIVE
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common condition in Western countries, mostly in the elderly. Little is known about the epidemiology of PAD in Africa. We sought to determine the prevalence of this condition in the elderly in two community-dwelling cohorts in Central Africa.


METHODS
Prospective cross-sectional survey in general population over the age of 65 years in Bangui (Central African Republic) and Brazzaville (Congo).


METHODS
We conducted a systematic door-to-door survey in two representative districts of each city. Demographic, clinical and biological data were collected. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) was used to detect PAD (ABI ≤ 0.90).


RESULTS
Among the 976 participants, the prevalence of PAD was 15.0% in Bangui and 32.4% in Brazzaville, increasing with age. Adjusted to age, regular alcohol consumption was protective for women in Bangui (OR = 0.50, CI95%:0.25-0.98) and men in Brazzaville (OR = 0.43, CI95%:0.21-0.88). Hypertension was associated with PAD in women (OR = 4.14, CI95%:1.65-10.42 in Bangui and OR = 2.17, CI95%:1.16-4.06 in Brazzaville). Diabetes and smoking showed different associations according to gender and city.


CONCLUSIONS
This first population study in Central Africa highlights the high prevalence of PAD in the older population, and emphasizes specificities regarding the risk factors, being different from data published in Western countries.
INSERM UMR1094, Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Limoges, France. maelenn.guerchet@unilim.fr
M
M
Guerchet
V
V
Aboyans
P
P
Mbelesso
A M
AM
Mouanga
J
J
Salazar
B
B
Bandzouzi
A
A
Tabo
J P
JP
Clément
P M
PM
Preux
P
P
Lacroix
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002488:Central African Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003223:Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*