title: Body composition and ankle-brachial index in Ghanaians with asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease in a tertiary hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and indices of obesity are both use to indicate cardiovascular risk. However, association between body composition indices and ABI, a measure of peripheral arterial disease, is inconsistent in various study reports. In this study, we investigated the relationship between ABI and general and central indices of obesity in Ghanaians without history of cardiovascular diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a case-control design, ABI was measured in a total of 623 subjects and categorised into PAD (ABI ≤ 0.9, n = 261) and non-PAD (ABI > 0.9, n = 362) groups. Anthropometric indices, BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-height ratio (WHtR) were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PAD subjects had higher mean BMI (29.8 ± 8.7 vs. 26.5 ± 7.6 kg/m(2), p = 0.043) and waist circumference (95 ± 15 vs. 92 ± 24 cm, p = 0.034) than non-PAD subjects. In multivariable logistic regression models, having BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2) increased the odds of both unilateral [OR (95 % CI): 2 (1.14-3.51), p < 0.01] and overall PAD [2 (1.22-3.27), p < 0.01].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In indigenous Ghanaians in our study, PAD participants had higher BMI and waist circumference than non-PAD participants. Also, halving BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2) was associated with twofold increase in the odds of PAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical & Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box KB 143, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Kwame
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yeboah
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puplampu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yorke
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical & Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box KB 143, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Antwi
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana ; National Diabetes Management & Research Centre, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Albert G B
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Amoah
keywords: Ankle brachial index; Diabetes; Ghana; Obesity; Peripheral arterial disease