title: The prevalence of abnormal pulse wave velocity, pulse contour analysis and ankle-brachial index in patients with livedo reticularis: a controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of abnormal pulse wave velocity (PWV), pulse contour analysis (PCA) and abnormal ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) in patients with livedo reticularis (livedo) and without livedo.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 74 patients, of whom 41 had livedo: 16 APS, 9 APS with SLE and 16 with livedo (negative for aPL or lupus). The other group of 33 patients without livedo consisted of 10 APS, 8 APS with SLE and 15 with SLE only. Livedo was diagnosed and confirmed by a dermatologist. PWV was assessed in fasting patients by the Micro Medical PulseTrace analyser using a 4 MHz continuous-wave directional Doppler probe and digital PCA was analysed by Micro Medical PulseTrace by the same operator. Chi-square with Yates's correction was used for comparing results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the livedo patients was 46 (29-71) years and of the non-livedo patients was 45 (25-68) years. Abnormal values of PWV in 10/41 (24.40%), ABPI in 4/41 (9.8%) and PCA in 10/41 (24.40%) patients were observed in the livedo group and in the non-livedo group abnormal values of PWV in 1/33 (P ≤ 0.025), ABPI in 0/33 (P = NS) and PCA in 5/33 (P = NS) were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with livedo reticularis are more likely to have abnormal PWV, indicating arterial stiffness.
authors.affiliation: Lupus Research Unit, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK. david.d'cruz@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Shirish R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Sangle
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanikawa
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zakalka
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: D'Cruz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054068:Livedo Reticularis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017156:Photoplethysmography / Q000379:methods; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology
keywords: ankle–brachial pressure index; livedo reticularis; pulse contour analysis; pulse wave velocity; vasculopathy