Absolute Systolic Ankle Blood Pressure Versus Ankle–Brachial Index
Authors: Mary McGrae McDermott
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2014)

Letters21 January 2014Absolute Systolic Ankle Blood Pressure Versus Ankle–Brachial IndexMary McGrae McDermott, MDMary McGrae McDermott, MDFrom Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L14-5001-4 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:First, Dr. Kain expresses concern that the ABI, a ratio of Doppler-recorded systolic pressures in the ankle and brachial arteries, does not distinguish between the independent predictive values of the systolic ankle and the systolic brachial blood pressures. However, because the ABI calculation requires measurement of the ankle and the brachial systolic pressures, previous prospective studies relating the ABI to subsequent cardiovascular events and mortality can separately analyze the independent predictive value of the systolic ankle and brachial blood pressures for cardiovascular events and mortality. For example, a meta-analysis relating the ABI to cardiovascular events and mortality included ...References1. Fowkes FG, Murray GD, Butcher I, Heald CL, Lee RJ, Chambless LE, et al; Ankle Brachial Index Collaboration. Ankle brachial index combined with Framingham Risk Score to predict cardiovascular events and mortality: a meta-analysis. JAMA. 2008;300:197-208. [PMID: 18612117] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. McDermott MM, Liu K, Criqui MH, Ruth K, Goff D, Saad MF, et al. Ankle-brachial index and subclinical cardiac and carotid disease: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Am J Epidemiol. 2005;162:33-41. [PMID: 15961584] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Sutton-Tyrrell K, Venkitachalam L, Kanaya AM, Boudreau R, Harris T, Thompson T, et al. Relationship of ankle blood pressures to cardiovascular events in older adults. Stroke. 2008;39:863-9. [PMID: 18258843] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Tillin T, Hughes AD, Mayet J, Whincup P, Sattar N, Forouhi NG, et al. The relationship between metabolic risk factors and incident cardiovascular disease in Europeans, South Asians, and African Caribbeans: SABRE (Southall and Brent Revisited)—a prospective population-based study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013;61:1777-86. [PMID: 23500273] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Kain K, Brockway M, Ishfaq T, Merrick M, Mahmood H, Ingoe JC, et al. Ankle pressures in UK South Asians with diabetes mellitus: a case control study. Heart. 2013;99:614-9. [PMID: 23442538] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M13-1561. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAnkle–Brachial Index Screening to Improve Health Outcomes: Where Is the Evidence? Mary McGrae McDermott Absolute Systolic Ankle Blood Pressure Versus Ankle–Brachial Index Kirti Kain Absolute Systolic Ankle Blood Pressure Versus Ankle–Brachial Index Kirti Kain Metrics 21 January 2014Volume 160, Issue 2Page: 141KeywordsAnklesBlood pressureCardiovascular diseasesDiabetes mellitusPrevention, policy, and public healthProspective studiesSystolic pressure ePublished: 21 January 2014 Issue Published: 21 January 2014 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2014 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...