Relation of ankle brachial index to left ventricular ejection fraction in non-diabetic individuals

Peripheral arterial disease is associated with an excessive risk for cardiovascular events and mortality. Peripheral arterial disease is usually measured with ankle brachial index [ABI]. It is previously shown that the ABI would reflect LV systolic function, as well as atherosclerosis; however, these results are not shown in non-diabetic individuals. In this study, we aim to evaluate this relation in non-diabetic individu-als. In a prospective study, 73 non-diabetic individuals [38.4% male with mean age of 59.20 +/- 14.42 years] referred for ABI determination who had had the left ventricular ejection fraction determined using trans-thoracic echocardiography were studied. Participants were compared in normal and low ABI groups. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] was 52.34 +/- 7.69, mean ankle brachial index for the right leg was 1.08 +/- 0.13, and the mean ankle brachial index for the left leg was 1.07 +/- 0.12. Low ABI incidence was 12.32%. Individuals with low ABI significantly were older [p<0.001] and had lower left ventricular ejection fraction [p<0.001]. ABI had significantly inverse correlation with LVEF [r=-0.53, p<0.001] and positive correlation with age [r=0.43, p<0.001]. The ABI correlated inversely with LVEF in the patients with [r =-0.52, p=0.008] and without [r=-0.55, p<0.001] IHD. Results showed that ankle brachial index would be influenced by left ventricular ejection fraction in non-diabetics and to evaluate and monitor cardiovascular risk in patients these should be considered together