Association Between Low Ankle-Brachial Index and High Common Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness in Ischemic Stroke

Introduction Stroke is a significant contributor to death and illness globally. Primary prevention of stroke involves aggressive control of risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking. Studies have been conducted to search for surrogate markers of increased ischemic stroke risk. Increased carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a recognized indicator of increased stroke risk. Recently, ankle brachial index (ABI) has been increasingly studied for its predictive value in ischemic stroke. ABI is easier to calculate bedside using a simple hand-held Doppler, while CIMT involves the use of expensive equipment and the services of an expert radiologist. The goal of the present study was to investigate the relation between ABI and CIMT in patients with ischemic stroke. Methods The current cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in South India. After obtaining informed consent, 50 patients with an ischemic stroke who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited in our study. ABI and CIMT were measured. Patients were subdivided into groups of low (≤0.9) and high ABI (>0.9) and low (<0.9 mm) and high CIMT (≥0.9 mm). Results The mean CIMT in the present study was 1.025 ± 0.63 mm. The mean ABI of the study population was 0.989 ± 0.22. There was a negative correlation between CIMT and ABI (r = -0.367), with a p value < 0.01. Further, there was an association between higher CIMT values and lower ABI values in patients with ischemic stroke. Conclusion There is an inverse relationship between ABI and CIMT in ischemic stroke. A low ABI was associated with a high CIMT value in ischemic stroke.