Individual variations in ankle brachial index measurement among Turkish adults.
OBJECTIVE
Variability of ankle brachial index (ABI) measured by the same observer in the same individual on three different occasions was examined.


METHODS
A single morning ABI was initially determined (measurement 1) with handheld Doppler device. One to four weeks apart, another morning (measurement 2) and afternoon (measurement 3) ABI was measured on the same day.


RESULTS
A total of 161 adults were enrolled. Mean ABI was similar among the three measurements. ABI differed more than ≥0.15 in 15 individuals between measurement 1 and 3, in 10 subjects between measurement 1 and 2, and in 12 individuals between measurement 2 and 3. Intra-group correlation coefficients of reproducibility of ABI were 0.808 for single measurements (coefficient of the values lacking association with each other), and 0.927 for average measurements (coefficient of the values that were associated with each other).


CONCLUSIONS
Although reproducibility of ABI values was found satisfactory, up to 12% of participants displayed more than 0.15 alternations between measurements, either on the same day or more than a week apart.
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Orhan
O
Demir
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey itasci@gata.edu.tr.
Ilker
I
Tasci
Department of Epidemiology, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Cengizhan
C
Acikel
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Kenan
K
Saglam
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Gezer
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Ramazan
R
Acar
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Birol
B
Yildiz
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Fatih
F
Bulucu
Department of Cardiology, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Hasan Kutsi
HK
Kabul
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Mustafa Inanc
MI
Dogan
Department of Internal Medicine, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Bayram
B
Koc
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index / Q000295:instrumentation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D014159:Transducers; D014421:Turkey; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000295:instrumentation; D055815:Young Adult
Peripheral arterial disease; ankle-brachial index; reproducibility; variation