Comparison of ankle brachial pressure index to arterial doppler USG in the diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease in diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background: Peripheral artery disease(PAD) is a major macrovascular complication of diabetes mellitus. Patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased prevalence of PAD. However, due to associated neuropathy, common symptoms such as claudication are often masked and such patients often diagnosed late when limb threatening ischemia has already set in. Arterial colour doppler ultrasonography and ankle brachial pressure index are easy, non- invasive and often underutilised tools for diagnosis of PAD.Methods: In the present study, 100 diabetic patients were enrolled to study the comparison of Ankle Brachial Pressure Index to arterial doppler USG in diagnosis of peripheral artery disease.Results: Colour duplex ultrasonography (CDU) was taken as gold standard. Ankle brachial index (ABI) was compared with it. Sensitivity of ABI was 92.50%, Specificity was 88.33%, Positive Predictive Value was 84.09% and Negative Predictive Value was 94.64% respectively.Conclusions: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is very common in patients with diabetes. ABI is a simple and very sensitive test to detect PAD early in these patients.