The relation between ankle-brachial index (ABI) and coronary artery disease severity and risk factors: an angiographic study

BACKGROUND: The current study aims to determine the relation between ankle–brachialindex (ABI) and angiographic findings and major cardiovascular risk factors in patients withsuspected coronary artery diseases (CAD) in Isfahan.METHODS: In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytic research, patients with suspected CADwere studied. Characteristics of studied subjects including demographics, familial history, pastmedical history and atherosclerotic risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension,hyperlipidemia and smoking were obtained using a standard questionnaire. ABI was measuredin all studied patients. ABI ≤ ۰.۹ (ABI+) was considered as peripheral vessel disease and ABI >۰.۹ (ABI-) was considered as normal. Then, all studied patients underwent coronary arteryangiography. The results of the questionnaire and angiographic findings were compared in ABI+and ABI- groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS ۱۵ using ANOVA, t-test, Spearman's rankcorrelation coefficient, and discriminant analysis.RESULTS: In this study, ۱۲۵ patients were investigated. ABI ≤ ۰.۹ was seen in ۲۵ patients (۲۰%).The prevalence of ABI+ among men and women was ۲۵.۹% and ۷.۵%, respectively (P = ۰.۰۱). Theprevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors was significantly higher in ABI+ patients than in ABIones(P < ۰.۰۵). ABI+ patients had more significant stenosis than ABI- ones. The mean ofocclusion was significantly higher in ABI+ patients with left main artery (LMA), right coronaryartery (RCA), left anterior descending artery (LAD), diagonal artery ۱ (D۱) and left circumflexartery (LCX) involvements (P < ۰.۰۵).CONCLUSION: The findings of this research indicated that ABI could be a useful method inassessing both the atherosclerotic risk factors and the degree of coronary involvements insuspected patients. However, in order to make more accurate decisions for using this method indiagnosing and preventing CAD, we should plan further studies in large sample sizes of generalpopulation.Keywords: Ankle–Brachial Index, Angiography, Atherosclerotic Risk Factors.