Ankle Brachial Index as Diagnostic Marker for Asymptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease in Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: To determine ankle brachial index (ABI) as a diagnostic marker for asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in diabetes mellitus (DM). Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Hyderabad, Pakistan from Jan to Sep 2022. Methodology: A total of one hundred and seventy (n=170) asymptomatic patients with DM were included. Specific details were recorded, which include HbA1c levels, duration of diabetes and ankle brachial index. Results: There were 60.0% male and 40.0% female patients. With the mean age of 50.60±11.55 years. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 4.20±1.97 years. Mean HbA1c was 7.41±1.27%, mean ABI was 1.03±0.13. Peripheral arterial disease was observed in 17.05% of asymptomatic cases using ABI, with ABI sensitivity of 82.86% and specificity of 97.24% in detecting asymptomatic PAD patients. It was significantly associated with an increase in the duration of diabetes. Conclusion: Asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease diagnosed through the ankle brachial index showed that it is a reliable source for diagnosing patients with asymptomatic PAD in diabetes mellitus reported in routine clinical visits.