Association of Ankle-Brachial Index with the Angiographic Severity of Patient with Coronary Artery Disease

Background: The Ankle-Brachial Index has been shown to be a good marker of systemic atherosclerosis
and a powerful indicator of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality This study evaluated the relation of
ABI with the angiographic severity of patient with coronary artery disease.
Methods: This is a hospital based cross-sectional analytical study. 100 adult Bangladeshi patients who
were admitted and underwent coronary angiography according to inclusion and exclusion criteria were
the study population. All patient’s ABI were measured and coronary angiography were done. Patients
were divided into two groups according to ABI. Group I with ABI >0.90 and group II with ABI <0.90.
Results: In group I 65(82.2%) were men and 16(19.8%) were women. In group II 18(94.7%) patients were
men and 1(5.3%) was women. Significant co-relation was found between low ABI and severity of CAD. Low
ABI group showed more severe form of CAD with higher prevalence of triple vessel diseases, significant
stenosis and more involvement of left main (LM) and left anterior descending(LAD)artery. Single vessel
disease was found more with normal ABI. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus and Low ABI showed predictors
of significant severe stenosis of coronary arteries.
Conclusion: Low ankle brachial index is a predictor of the severity of coronary artery disease. So it could
be incorporated in our day to day clinical cardiology practice as non-invasive, bedside test to assess and
predict the severity of coronary artery disease.