Ankle and arm pressure recordings for the diagnosis of exercise-induced arterial endofibrosis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Measurement of ankle and brachial blood pressure after maximal exercise is largely used to diagnose exercise-induced arterial endofibrosis (EIAE). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the different available methods and combination of these and propose a method based on graphical interpretation, for the diagnosis of EIAE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Finally, we propose a discriminant analysis, allowing an easy graphical interpretation of data. We studied 52 patients with EIAE and 156 asymptomatic controls. RESULTS: Diagnosis accuracy for EIAE was at best 90.9% when using preexisting diagnostic thresholds alone. A combination of these thresholds increased the diagnostic accuracy up to 95.7%. A discriminant analysis equation with a 96.6% accuracy rate was inferred from a simplified algorithm. CONCLUSION: Our graphical representation is an accurate, simple, fast, and inexpensive manner for analyzing the results of exercise arterial pressures for detecting EIAE in athletes.