Abstract
BackgroundAnkle-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.MethodIn 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.ResultsPAD subjects had higher mean BMI (29.8 ± 8.7 vs. 26.5 ± 7.6 kg/m2, 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/m2 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].ConclusionIn indigenous Ghanaians in our study, PAD participants had higher BMI and waist circumference than non-PAD participants. Also, halving BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 was associated with twofold increase in the odds of PAD.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40608-016-0107-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and indices of obesity are both use to indicate cardiovascular risk
Obesity is assessed as body mass index (BMI) for generalized adiposity, and waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-height ratio (WHtR) for central adiposity [8]
Compared to participants without Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), PAD participants had higher BMI, waist circumference, systolic BP and heart rate, and most of them were on insulin
Summary
Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and indices of obesity are both use to indicate cardiovascular risk. Association between body composition indices and ABI, a measure of peripheral arterial disease, is inconsistent in various study reports. We investigated the relationship between ABI and general and central indices of obesity in Ghanaians without history of cardiovascular diseases. There is no agreement on the best index of adiposity associated with CVDs. For instance, as some studies reported that, compared to BMI, indices of central obesity such as WC, WHR and WHtR are better determinant of CVD morbidity and mortality [10, 11]; other investigators found no superiority of these measures of abdominal obesity to BMI in CVD risk prediction [12].
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