Prevalence of high ankle-brachial index (ABI) in general population of Southern Italy, risk factor profiles and systemic cardiovascular co-morbidity: An epidemiological study

Many studies have been carried out to assess the prevalence, risk factors and co-morbidities ofperipheral artery disease (PAD). By contrast, to date there is a lack of data on patients with high-ABI. Thisstudy aimed at estimating the prevalence of increased ABI (ABI > 1.4) and to evaluate the involvement oftraditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and the atherosclerotic burden (peripheral and carotidarteries) of these patients in a population of Southern Italy. We invited 9647 subjects, age ranging from30 to 80, by letters to undergo an ABI measurement. Consequently, in patients with ABI > 1.4, anultrasound evaluation of the peripheral and carotid arteries was performed. An ABI > 1.4 was found in260 of 3412 subjects (7.6%). Statistically significant differences were reported in age, diabetes andhypertension, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). No differences in sex distribution,dyslipidemia and smoke prevalence were observed. Moreover, 67.9% of ABI > 1.4 patients showed aperipheral intima–media thickness (IMT) > 0.9 mm; at linear regression it was correlated with ABIvalues; 25% of patients showed peripheral plaques. A carotid IMT > 0.9 mm was reported in 78.6% ofhigh-ABI patients and 32.1% were affected by atherosclerotic plaques. The observed increased-ABIprevalence of 7.6% was higher than previously reported. This was more prevalent in an older populationwith diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Moreover, these patients are characterized by an extendedatherosclerotic involvement. Further studies are needed to clarify this evidence, a longitudinalobservation o