Normal Ankle-brachial Index Research Articles

Positive correlation of serum indoxyl sulfate level with peripheral arterial disease in hemodialysis patients.

Indoxyl sulfate, known for its cardiovascular toxicity, is associated with vascular and coronary artery diseases and increased mortality. Peripheral arterial disease, defined by low ankle-brachial index, is associated with increased mortality in patients on hemodialysis. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between the serum indoxyl sulfate level and peripheral arterial disease in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The present cross-sectional, single-center study included 75 patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Serum indoxyl sulfate levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Ankle-brachial index values were measured using an automated oscillometric device. Patients with ankle-brachial indexes of < 0.9 were categorized into the low ankle-brachial index group. In the study cohort, 12 of the 75 patients (16.0%) had low ankle-brachial indexes. The rates of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.010) as well as the serum levels of C-reactive protein (p < 0.001) and indoxyl sulfate (p < 0.001) were higher in the low ankle-brachial index group than the normal ankle-brachial index group. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that serum levels of indoxyl sulfate (odds ratio = 1.123, 95% confidence interval 1.011-1.249, p = 0.031) and C-reactive protein (each 0.1mg/dL increase, odds ratio = 1.169, 95% confidence interval 1.018-1.343, p = 0.027) were independently associated with peripheral arterial disease in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Serum indoxyl sulfate levels were associated with peripheral arterial disease in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

The high normal ankle brachial index is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension patients among the Han Chinese

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the most common target organs damage in the hypertension patients. Abnormal low (≤0.9) or high (≥1.40) ankle brachial index (ABI) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, the relationships between a high ABI in the normal range (0.9–1.4) and LVH in Han Chinese hypertension are not entirely elucidated. This study included 3953 hypertension patients aged 40–75 years among Han Chinese. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure≥140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure≥90 mm Hg, or history of antihypertensive drug use. Left ventricular mass (LVM) was measured by transthoracic echocardiography. LVH was diagnosed by using the criteria of LVM ≥49.2 g/m2.7 for men and 46.7 g/m2.7 for women. Our study suggested that the ABI was higher in patients with LVH than in those without (1.13±0.11, 1.11±0.11, p < 0.001). The prevalence of LVH in patients with the lowest (0.9 < ABI≤1.03), second (1.04≤ABI≤1.11), the third (1.12≤ABI≤1.20), and the highest quartile (1.21≤ABI < 1.40) of ABI was 37.2%, 38.2%, 45.5%, 45.7%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis suggested that the highest and third quartile of ABI were significantly associated with increased LVH risk (multivariate‐adjusted OR of highest group:1.83; third group:1.61). The association of ABI at second quartile with LVH was nonsignificant. Similar results were observed in less than 60 years and without coronary heart disease or diabetes group. Our observations in Chinese patients with hypertension indicated high ABI may be an important risk factor for LVH in hypertension patients among Han Chinese, even in the normal range.

Exercise Stress Testing is a Useful Adjunct in the Evaluation of Patients with Claudication and Normal Ankle Brachial Index CME credit June 2021

Exercise Stress Testing is a Useful Adjunct in the Evaluation of Patients with Claudication and Normal Ankle Brachial Index CME credit June 2021

Lower Extremity Arterial Disease as a Predictor of Incident Atrial Fibrillation and Cardiovascular Events

ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and incident atrial fibrillation (AF) and its clinical and pathophysiologic implications on ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. Patients and MethodsWe identified all adult patients in the Mayo Clinic Health System without a previous diagnosis of AF undergoing ankle-brachial index (ABI) testing for any indication from January 1, 1996, to June 30, 2018. Retrospective extraction of ABI data and baseline echocardiographic data was performed. The primary outcome of interest was incident AF. The secondary outcomes of interest were incident ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. ResultsA total of 33,734 patients were included in the study. After adjusting for demographic and comorbidity variables, compared with patients who had normal ABI (1.0 to 1.39), there was an increased risk of incident AF in patients with low ABI (<1.0) (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.22) and elevated ABI (≥1.4) (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.31). The risk was greater in patients with increasing severity of PAD. Patients with abnormal ABIs had an increased risk of ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. We found that patients with PAD and incident AF have certain baseline echocardiographic abnormalities. ConclusionIn this large cohort of ambulatory patients undergoing ABI measurement, patients with PAD were at increased risk for incident AF, ischemic stroke, and mortality. In these high-risk patients with abnormal ABI, particularly severe PAD and cardiac structural abnormalities, routine monitoring for AF and management of cardiovascular risk factors may be warranted.

Pilot study of contrast-free MRI reveals significantly impaired calf skeletal muscle perfusion in diabetes with incompressible peripheral arteries.

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more likely to have densely calcified lesions in the below-the-knee tibial arteries. However, the relationship between peripheral arterial calcification and local skeletal muscle perfusion has not been explored. Thirty subjects were prospectively recruited into three groups in this pilot study: (1) Non-DM: 10 people without DM; (2) DM, ABI < 1.3: 10 people with DM and normal ankle-brachial index (ABI) (0.9-1.3); and (3) DM, ABI ⩾ 1.3: 10 people with DM and ABI ⩾ 1.3. All subjects underwent calf perfusion measurements at rest and during an isometric plantarflexion contraction exercise within the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The noncontrast MRI techniques were applied to quantitatively assess skeletal muscle blood flow (SMBF) and oxygen extraction fraction (SMOEF) in medial gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Both SMBF and SMOEF reserves were calculated as the ratio of the exercise value to the resting value. Exercise SMBF and SMOEF values in the medial gastrocnemius muscle were lower in the two DM groups than in the non-DM group (p < 0.05). The SMBF reserve in medial gastrocnemius was significantly lower in the DM, ABI ⩾ 1.3 group compared to the DM, ABI < 1.3 group (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that people with DM and calcified arteries had lower perfusion in gastrocnemius muscle compared to those without DM and those with DM and a normal ABI.

Association of Ankle Brachial Index with Clinical Outcomes Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Aortic Aneurysm.

Objective Since patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA)/abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are often complicated with coronary artery disease, it is common for those patients to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The ankle brachial index (ABI) is usually measured in patients with TAA/AAA to screen the presence of peripheral arterial disease. The present study investigated the association between the ABI and clinical outcomes following PCI in patients with TAA/AAA. Methods We divided 200 TAA/AAA patients who underwent PCI into a normal ABI group (n=137) and an abnormal ABI group (n=63) according to the ABI cut-off level of 1.00. The primary endpoint was one-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as the composite of cardiovascular death, non-fetal myocardial infarction, stroke, target vessel revascularization, and hospitalization for heart failure. Results Mean ABIs in the normal and abnormal ABI groups were 1.12±0.09 and 0.86±0.11, respectively (p<0.01). Kaplan-Meier curves showed MACE were more frequent in the abnormal ABI group than in the normal ABI group (p=0.01). A multivariate Cox hazard analysis revealed that an abnormal ABI was significantly associated with 1-year MACE (vs. ABI ≥1.0: HR 3.02, 95% confidence interval 1.00-9.08, p=0.049). Conclusion Among patients with TAA/AAA who underwent PCI, abnormal ABI was significantly associated with 1-year MACE, suggesting the utility of the ABI measurement in this high-risk population.

Abnormal vascular physiology in the lower extremities as a risk factor for ischemic stroke and mortality

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is highly prevalent in the general population, affecting up to 25% of patients 55 years or older. There is a known association with acute ischemic stroke, but limited large-cohort studies exist pertaining to the relationship between PAD severity and incident ischemic stroke.The objective of this study is to evaluate the risk of incident ischemic stroke and mortality along the spectrum of low and elevated ankle brachial index (ABI) measurement. We performed a retrospective extraction of ABI data of all adult patients who underwent lower extremity physiology study for any indication from January 1, 1996 to June 30, 2018 in the Mayo Clinic health system. PAD was categorized into severe, moderate, mild, and borderline based on ABI measurements and poorly compressible arteries (PCA). These were compared with normal ABI measurements. Associations of PAD/PCA with new ischemic stroke events and all-cause mortality were analyzed. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using multivariable Cox proportional regression with 95% confidence intervals. A total of 39,834 unique patients were included with a median follow up duration of 4.59 years. All abnormal ABI groups, except borderline PAD, were associated with increased risk of incident ischemic stroke aftermultivariate regression compared to normal ABI. A severity-dependent association was observed between PAD and ischemic stroke with moderate (HR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.10-1.35]) and severe (HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.02-1.40]) categories conferring similar risk in comparison to normal ABI. Patients with PCA carried the greatest ischemic stroke risk (HR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.15-1.46]). Similarly, abnormal ABI groups were associated with a significant risk for all-cause mortality in a severity-dependent manner, with severe PAD conferring the greatest risk (HR, 3.07 [95% CI, 2.88-3.27]). This study adds to the growing body of evidence that both PAD and PCA are independent risk factors for incident ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality. The association of PAD severity and PCA with risk of ischemic stroke may help clinicians with risk stratification and determining treatment intensity.

Risk Factors Associated With Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Its Relationship With ABI and Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity.

To evaluate the risk factors associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and to analyze the relationship of DFUs and the value of Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). In this retrospective study, the risk factors associated with DFUs were analyzed, and the value of ABI and baPWV were measured to find its relationship with DFUs. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that neuropathy and ABI were independent risk factors for DFUs. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the value of ABI. For patients with DFUs, the value of baPWV decreased with the decrease of ABI. In normal or high ABI group, about a quarter of patients who suffered from DFUs had a higher value of baPWV than the others without DFUs. The pathogenesis of DFUs was multifactorial. Regarding the occurrence and development of foot ulcers, the action of vascular occlusion was more important than vascular sclerosis. ABI measurements should be taken more seriously in patients with DFUs. baPWV should be taken with care in the follow-up of the patients without DFUs. However, in patients with a normal value of ABI, the degree of vascular sclerosis of patients with DFUs may be greater than those without ulceration.

Systemic sclerosis is associated with lower limb vascular stiffness and microvascular impairment: results from a prospective study.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by microangiopathy. Peripheral arterial disease, increasingly studied during SSc, is responsible for digital ulcers, associated with a high risk of amputation. The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of lower limb arterial impairment in SSc patients by measuring ankle-brachial index (ABI), toe pressure (TP), and toe-brachial index (TBI). Systemic sclerosis patients were included prospectively during 1 year in Tenon and Saint-Antoine Hospitals, Paris. Clinical and biological data were recorded. For each patient, ABI, TP, and TBI were measured and an arterial duplex ultrasonography was prescribed in case of abnormal results. Eighty-six patients were included (94% women, median age 62 years). Only 24% of them had no lower limb hemodynamic vascular abnormalities; 44% had an isolated microvascular abnormality (normal ABI and TBI<0.75); 31% had at least a macrovascular injury associated or not with microvascular impairment (abnormal ABI) and 12.6% had a TP<50 mmHg. During follow-up, there was a trend towards association of low TBI with more major adverse event (all-cause mortality, non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and lower limb ischemic manifestations) than normal TBI. By measuring ABI and TP, we showed that 76% of SSc patients had hemodynamic arterial lower limb abnormalities related to macro- and/or microvascular impairment and that 28% had vascular stiffness. In SSc patients, ABI is not an accurate tool to detect lower limb arterial disease, likely due to underlying micro- and macrovascular changes. Key Points • The presence of lower limb macro-and/or microvascular involvement was detected in 76% of SSc patients. • In SSc patients, ABI is not an accurate tool to detect lower limb arterial disease, likely due to underlying microvascular changes and frequent arterial stiffness.

Exercise Stress Testing Is a Useful Adjunct in the Evaluation of Patients With Claudication and Normal Ankle-Brachial Index

A 45-year-old man presented with bilateral lower extremity claudication and was evaluated for lower extremity peripheral arterial disease. Ankle-brachial indices (ABIs) were performed with exercise stress testing. Resting ABI was normal, with postexercise arterial testing revealing a significant drop in ankle pressures, suggesting moderate proximal atherosclerotic vascular occlusive disease. It is important that sonographers are sufficiently trained to determine true claudication symptoms, and lab protocols should be established to effectively appropriate exercise stress testing when necessary.

Usefulness of Upstroke Time per Cardiac Cycle for Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Prediction in Patients with Normal Ankle-Brachial Index.

Aim: Abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) is regarded as peripheral artery disease and can be used to predict cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. However, the usefulness of ABI for the prediction of CV outcome in patients with normal ABI is limited. Upstroke time per cardiac cycle (UTCC) is recently reported to be associated with mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction and the elderly. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate UTCC, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and ABI for the prediction of mortality in patients with normal ABI. Methods: Patients arranged for echocardiographic examinations were enrolled, and 1076 patients with normal ABI were included. ABI, baPWV, and UTCC were measured by an ABI-form device. Results: The median follow-up to mortality was 95 months. There were 88 CV and 244 all-cause deaths. After multivariate analysis, UTCC was associated with increased CV and all-cause mortality ( P ≤ 0.004). Age, diabetes, heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, baPWV, and LVEF were also independent predictors of CV and all-cause mortality, but ABI was not. Furthermore, UTCC had a better additive predictive value than ABI, baPWV, and LVEF for CV mortality ( P ≤ 0.012). It also had a better additive predictive value than ABI and LVEF for all-cause mortality ( P ≤ 0.013). Conclusions: UTCC is an independent predictor for CV and all-cause mortality in patients with normal ABI. It also has a better additive predictive value of CV and all-cause mortality than ABI and LVEF. Therefore, UTCC is a simple, novel, and useful parameter for identifying high-risk patients with normal ABI.

The Effect of Dry Carbon Dioxide Bathing on Peripheral Blood Circulation Measured by Thermal Imaging among Patients with Risk Factors of PAD.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is becoming a serious health problem of present times. It appears crucial to explore therapies that might help to restore blood flow or increase tissue oxygenation. The most effective methods of detecting early-stage changes in blood circulation in the extremities need to be identified. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) bathing on peripheral blood circulation measured by thermal imaging among patients with risk factors of PAD and ankle–brachial index (ABI) in the normal range or ABI indicating some or moderate arterial disease (ABI > 0.5). The correlation between surface temperature change and PAD-relevant characteristics was also examined. Forty-six patients who were over 65 years old who had a minimum of two additional PAD risk factors were recruited. A series of ten dry CO2 baths was performed. Thermal images were taken before and after the intervention. The CO2 therapy caused a significant change in the body surface temperature of many body areas. Numerous moderate correlations between temperature change and health-related characteristics were identified. Therefore, patients with PAD risk factors could benefit from CO2 therapy. Improvements in blood flow change the body surface temperature, and these changes could be successfully detected by thermal imaging.

Toe pressure may be able to identify peripheral artery disease in patients with normal ankle-brachial index

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is not just a local phenomenon of limited blood supply in the lower extremities (LEs) but a manifestation of severe atherosclerosis. Not surprisingly, life expectancy of PAD patients is very short. The majority of patients will die within 10 years of their PAD diagnosis from cardiovascular events, cancer, or complications of diabetes.1 As the outcomes of medical treatment of PAD patients continue to improve, early detection of PAD, preferably in the asymptomatic stage, may not only save patients' limbs but also prolong their lives.

A Comparative Assessment of the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Low Ankle–Brachial Index and Normal Ankle–Brachial Index

Objectives: The ankle–brachial index (ABI) is an efficient tool and an indicator of generalized atherosclerosis. Still, there is uncertainty regarding the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients having low ABI. The uniqueness of this study is that it is the first largest study done with the aim to determine the severity of CAD in the form of a number of involvements of coronary vessel in patients with low ABI. Materials and Methods: It is a hospital-based cross-sectional observational-analytical study. A total of 500 patients of suspected CAD were recruited. ABI was measured first and then all patients were sent for coronary angiography. Based on ABI values, patients were divided into two groups, i.e., Group A (patients with low ABI or ABI ≤0.9) and Group B (patients with normal ABI or ABI &gt;0.9). Results: Twenty-three, i.e., 4.6% of patients had ABI &lt;0.9. All patients having low ABI had CAD. In assessing CAD severity, it was reported that in Group A, triple-vessel disease (TVD) was present in 65.2% (P = 0.0001), double-vessel disease in 21.7% (P = 0.72), single-vessel disease in 8.6% (P = 0.06), and noncritical CAD in 4.3% (P = 0.9) as compared to Group B. In patients with Group A, 52.1% were smoker (P = 0.01), 69.5% have increased body mass index (P = 0.71), 43.4% have a history of hypertension (P = 0.73), and 60.8% were diabetic (P = 0.0005). Conclusion: CAD is widely prevalent almost in all patients with low ABI and more than half of these patients have TVD on angiographic assessment.

Autologous adipose mesenchymal stem cell administration in arteriosclerosis and potential for anti-aging application: a retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveArteriosclerosis is an age-related disease and a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. In animal experiments, mesenchymal stem cells and its culture-conditioned medium have been shown to be promising tools for prevention or treatment of arteriosclerosis. On the basis of these evidences, we aimed to assess whether administration of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSC) is safe and effective for treatment of arteriosclerosis.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed clinical records of patients with arteriosclerosis who had received autologous Ad-MSC administration at our clinic. Patients’ characteristics were recorded and data on lipid profile, intimal-media thickness (IMT), cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), and ankle-brachial index (ABI) before and after Ad-MSC administration were collected and compared.ResultsTreatment with Ad-MSC significantly improved HDL, LDL, and remnant-like particle (RLP) cholesterol levels. No adverse effect or toxicity was observed in relation to the treatment. Of the patients with abnormal HDL values before treatment, the vast majority showed improvement in the values. Overall, the measurements after treatment were significantly increased compared with those before treatment (p < 0.01). In addition, decreases in LDL cholesterol and RLP levels were observed after treatment in patients who had abnormal LDL cholesterol or RLP levels before treatment. The majority of patients with pre-treatment abnormal CAVI values had improved values after treatment. In patients with available IMT values, a significant decrease in the IMT values was found after therapy (p < 0.01). All patients with borderline arteriosclerosis disease had improved laboratory findings after treatment. In general, post-treatment values were significantly decreased as compared with pre-treatment values. Of the patients with normal ABI values before treatment at the same time as CAVI, the vast majority remained normal after treatment.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that Ad-MSC administration is safe and effective in patients developing arteriosclerosis, thereby providing an attractive tool for anti-aging application.

Upstroke Time Is a Useful Vascular Marker for Detecting Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Among Subjects With Normal Ankle-Brachial Index.

BackgroundUpstroke time is the transit time from the nadir to peak of the waveform of pulse volume recording. The purpose of this study was to determine whether upstroke time at the ankle is a useful vascular marker for detecting patients with advanced atherosclerosis in combination with ankle‐brachial index (ABI).Methods and ResultsWe measured upstroke time and ABI in 2313 subjects (mean age, 61.2±15.3 years). The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) was significantly higher in patients with prolonged upstroke time (≥180 ms) than in subjects with normal upstroke time (<180 ms) (29.6% versus 11.8%; P<0.001), with a significant association between prolonged upstroke time and an increased risk of CAD (odds ratio [OR], 1.61; 95% CI, 1.07–2.44; P=0.02). In 1954 subjects with normal ABI (1.00 ≤ ABI ≤ 1.40), the prevalence of CAD was significantly higher in patients with prolonged upstroke time than in subjects with normal upstroke time (29.5% versus 10.6%; P<0.001), with a significant association between prolonged upstroke time and CAD (OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.41–3.87; P=0.001), whereas there was no significant association between upstroke time and CAD in subjects with low ABI (<1.00) (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.72–2.16; P=0.44).ConclusionsUpstroke time may be a useful vascular marker for detecting patients with CAD, especially in subjects with normal ABI who are usually considered not to have advanced atherosclerosis by ABI measurement alone. More attention should be paid to upstroke time for detecting patients with advanced atherosclerosis.RegistrationURL: https://www.umin.ac.jp; Unique identifier: UMIN000039512.

Abstract 14374: Peripheral Artery Disease and Gait Speed in Women With and at Risk for HIV

Introduction: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with decreased physical function and increased mortality in the general population. PAD is common in women with and at risk for HIV infection, but its association with functional decline is unclear. We examined the contribution of PAD to gait speed in the Women’s Interagency HIV Study, controlling for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and HIV-related factors. Methods: 1,839 participants (72% HIV+) with measured ankle-brachial index (ABI) and 4-meter gait speed were included in analysis. ABI scores were categorized as: &lt;0.7, moderate-severe PAD; 0.7-&lt;0.9, mild PAD; 0.9-&lt;1.0, borderline PAD; 1.0-&lt;1.1, low-normal; 1.1-1.4, normal. Longitudinal regression models with repeated measures were used to examine the association of PAD category with log-transformed gait speed after controlling for demographic, behavioral, and cardiovascular disease risk factors, and HIV and HCV status. Coefficients represented percentage differences. Results: Median age was 50 years, &gt;70% were Black. Figure 1 shows median gait speed by PAD group. In univariate analysis, compared to normal ABI, each category of PAD severity was associated with slower gait speed: 6% slower for low-normal (95% confidence interval [CI]:4%, 9%), 10% for borderline (95% CI:6%, 13%), 14% for mild (95% CI:9%, 18%), and 16% for moderate-severe (95% CI:5%, 25%). In multivariate analysis, PAD severity remained associated with 6% (95% CI:4%, 9%), 10% (95%CI:7%, 14%), 12% (95%CI:8%, 17%), and 11% (95%CI: -1%, 22%) slower gait speed, respectively. HIV/HCV coinfection reduced gait speed by 9% (95%CI:4%, 14%). Among HIV+ women, neither CD4 count nor HIV viral load was associated with gait speed. Conclusions: In middle-aged women with and at risk for HIV, greater PAD severity is associated with progressively slower gait speed. ABI measurement may be a simple and clinically useful tool for early assessment of functional declines.

Pulse oximeter plethysmograph waveform and automated oscillometric sphygmomanometer for ankle-brachial index measurement.

There are limited non-invasive methods to assess lower extremity arterial injuries in the emergency department (ED) and pre-hospital setting. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) requires careful auscultation by Doppler, an approach made difficult in noisy environments. We sought to determine the agreement of the ABI measured using the pulse oximeter plethysmograph waveform (Pleth) with auscultation by Doppler in a controlled setting. A secondary outcome sought to examine the agreement of ABI by automated oscillometric sphygmomanometer (AOS) with Doppler. We measured blood pressure in the right upper and lower extremities of healthy volunteers using: (1) Doppler and manual sphygmomanometer; (2) Pleth and manual sphygmomanometer; and (3) AOS. The Bland-Altman approach to assessing agreement between methods was used comparing mean differences between ABI pairs to their means for Doppler versus Pleth and Doppler versus AOS. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) from mixed effects models examined intra- and inter-rater reliability. Among 100 participants with normal ABI the mean ABI (95%CI) were Doppler 1.11 (0.90-1.33), Pleth 1.10 (0.91-1.30), and AOS 1.10 (0.90-1.30). The ABI difference (95% CI for limits of agreement) were 0.01 (-0.20,0.18) for Doppler-Pleth and 0.02 (-0.26, 0.22) for Doppler-AOS. The ICC for the Doppler-Pleth comparison (ICC=0.56, 95% CI 0.47-0.63) was greater than for the Doppler-AOS (ICC=0.32, 95% CI 0.19-0.43). The ABI measured using the Pleth has a high level of agreement with measurement by Doppler. The AOS and Doppler have good agreement with greater measurement variability. Pleth and AOS may be reasonable alternatives to Doppler for ABI.

A specific feature of the diagnosis of primary arterial hypertension in elderly patients

Objective the analysis of a group of factors, leading to the increase of pulse pressure in the direction from aorta to microcirculation vessels, in order to define the diagnostic criterion for exception of primary arterial hypertension.&#x0D; Material and methods.In the study, the modelling of the functions of arteries in cardiovascular system was used.&#x0D; Results.The role of the increase of pulse pressure to the periphery of blood circulation was regarded as the diagnostic attribute of exception of the primary arterial hypertension. It was noted, that physical factors of the increase of pulse pressure to the periphery of blood circulation were insignificant. The cardiovascular reflex has the major influence on the increase of pulse pressure, its deterioration results in the decrease of this pressure.&#x0D; Conclusion.The analysis revealed the fact, that the normal ankle-brachial index allows for exclusion of primary arterial hypertension in a patient, even if the absolute values of arterial pressure are in the limits corresponding to this disease.

Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphism FokI and 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Levels among Indonesian Diabetic Foot Patients

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D and VDRs FokI has been reported to be strongly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through controlling inflammation of endothelial cells in diabetic foot cases. &#x0D; AIM: This study aimed to detect Vitamin D receptor FokI polymorphisms and to determine the Vitamin D levels among diabetic foot patients in sunlight-rich areas. &#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among diabetic foot patients who were treated as T2DM, from November 2016 to June 2018 in Padang city, Indonesia. There are an inclusion and exclusion criteria listed below. A questionnaire for symptoms-based screening, ankle brachial index (ABI) examination, fasting glucose, and HbA1c were measured. Electroimmunoassay (ECLIA) was used to determine Vitamin D levels as sufficiency, insufficiency, and deficiency. Polymerase chain reaction assay was addressed for VDR FokI genetic polymorphisms. Data were analyzed to evaluate the differences of explanatory variables (age, gender, duration of T2DM, fasting blood sugar, body mass index [BMI], HbA1c, and Vitamin D levels) across different genotypes of VDR FokI for three groups based on the absent T allele (ff: wild type homozygous, Ff: mutant heterozygous, and FF: mutant homozygous). &#x0D; RESULTS: Among 36 eligible subjects, 52.8% were females, 61.1% were &lt;50 years old, 63.9% had normal BMI, and 86.1% had normal ABI. Vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency were shown in 19.4%, 33.3%, and 47.2% of the subjects, respectively. The majority of VDR FokI gene polymorphisms were mutant heterozygous Ff (44.4%), wild type homozygous ff (13.9%), and mutant homozygous FF (41.7%). Results of one-way ANOVA showed that there were no differences of BMI, ABI, fasting blood glucose, Vitamin D levels, and Hb1AC status with the VDR FokI gene polymorphisms. Based on Vitamin D levels, most of the Vitamin D deficiency subjects had 31.2% VDR FokI Ff allele, 13.3% had FF allele, and none of them had ff allele. &#x0D; CONCLUSION: This study concluded that most of the individuals with diabetic foot in a sunlight-rich area tended to have mutant VDR FokI polymorphisms and Vitamin D insufficiency.