ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE ANKLE-BRACHIAL INDEX AND METABOLIC SYNDROME

Background: The goal of this study is to investigate the significance of ankle-brachial index prevalence in patients with or without metabolic syndrome and to correlate the progression rate of the peripheral vascular disease to the metabolic syndrome by using ankle-brachial index as a marker.

Methods: In 242 patients who have been admitted to the vascular surgery clinic in hospital. The patients were divided into two groups as (group-I, MS(+)) and (group-II, MS(-)) depending on the presence of metabolic syndrome criteria. Patients were diagnosed with MS if they had 3 of the following 5 abnormalities: (1) abnormal girth in men > 102 cm, in women > 88cm; (2) triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dl; (3) high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in men < 40 mg/dl or in women < 50 mg/dl; (4) fasting blood glucose ≥ 110 mg/dl; (5) systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mmHg, or treated hypertension. The compared data includes; body mass index, arterial blood pressure, plasma fasting glucose and lipid profile, walking distance without pain and ankle-brachial index.

Result: ABI is decreased as a ratio of 0.1 in MS (+) patients in six months follow-up, whereas, 0.05 in MS (-) patients (p < 0.05). The walking distance is decreased in correlation to the ABI in this time period. In Group-I, MS(+), in postoperative period, 4 patients (% 1,6) had amputation, 8 (%3.3) had wound infection. In Group-II, MS(-) the findings were, 1 (% 0.4) and 3 (% 1.2) in respectively. In patients who underwent surgery, complications were higher in MS (+) patients than MS (-) patients (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Ankle Brachial Index is a simple, noninvasive but important criteria in the progression of peripheral arterial disease in patients with metabolic syndrome. (Turkish J Vasc Surg 2007;16(1):13-18)