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Pulse pressure and subclinical peripheral artery disease

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 28, pages 242–245 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Ankle–brachial index (ABI) measurement offers an easily available method to diagnose peripheral artery disease (PAD) and systemic atherosclerosis in early stage and thus to identify high-risk individuals for preventive interventions. The objective of this study was to assess the most practical criteria for the measurement of ABI in subjects with high cardiovascular risk. We examined 972 asymptomatic, middle-aged high-risk subjects without manifested cardiovascular disease or previously diagnosed diabetes. The prevalence of PAD (defined as ABI⩽0.90) and borderline PAD (0.91–1.00) were 5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4–7%) (49/972) and 20% (95% CI 18–23%) (192/972), respectively. In multivariate analysis, female gender (odds ratio (OR) 0.71 (95% CI 0.53–0.97)), current smoking (OR 2.14 (95% CI 1.47–3.11)) and pulse pressure (OR 1.03 for each increase of 1 mm Hg (95% CI 1.01–1.04)) were associated with low ABI. Measuring ABI in subjects who smoke or have pulse pressure >65 mm Hg seems to be worthwhile.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Central Satakunta Health Federation of Municipalities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Satakunta Hospital District, Pori, Finland

    P Korhonen

  2. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Family Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    P Korhonen

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Central Satakunta Health Federation of Municipalities, Harjavalta, Finland

    P Korhonen

  4. Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    H Kautiainen

  5. Department of General Practice, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    H Kautiainen

  6. Department of Surgery, Satakunta Hospital District, Pori, Finland

    P Aarnio

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Correspondence to P Korhonen.

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Korhonen, P., Kautiainen, H. & Aarnio, P. Pulse pressure and subclinical peripheral artery disease. J Hum Hypertens 28, 242–245 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2013.99

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