[Ankle / brachial index in thrombotic cerebrovascular disease patients]

ABSTRACT

Previous studies showed that Ankle Brachial Index [ABI] score less than 0.9 increases probability of ischemic heart disease up to 2 times, risk of TIA/ stroke to quadruple, and asymptomatic carotid and popliteal artery stenosis to one and half fold. ABI <0.9 is related with diffuse atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to review ABI findings in patients with cerebral artery disease. This cross-sectional descriptive study was done on 98 patients with thrombotic cerebrovascular accident in Yazd Shahid Sadughi Hospital, between February 2001 and February 2002. A questionnaire including demographic, clinical, and paraclinical data was completed and results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency distribution tables. Forty four percent of the patients were men. Mean age was 73/1 +/- 1/5. ABI<0.9 was seen in 15% of the cases. In patients older than 65 years old ABI<0.9 frequency rate was 12.5% and in patients younger that 65 year old it was 3.1%. There was no significant difference between ABI<0.9 and history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, and ischemic heart disease. ABI<0.9 was prominently seen in patients with hyperlipidemia [P<0.05]. ABI<0.9 was seen in older ages, hypertensive, smoker, and CAD patients more than the others [P>0.07]. Because of lack of samples in the present study, authors suggest a study with a larger sample group