Association between modified ankle-brachial pressure index and indices of adiposity

Objectives: Obesity is one of the important risk factors for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) is a non-invasive test, which may be used for earlier detection of PAD. ABPI in healthy obese/overweight subjects has not been studied. In present study, we investigated correlation of adiposity indices with ABPI. We have also compared ABPI by three different methods in healthy obese/overweight subjects. Materials and Methods: Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference (HC), waist height ratio, waist hip ratio, skin fold thickness, and body fat percentage were measured in 45 healthy overweight/obese males. Ankle and brachial pressures were measured by Doppler ultrasound based method. ABPI was calculated using high ankle pressure (ABPI-HIGH), mean ankle pressure (ABPI-MEAN), and low ankle pressure (ABPI-LOW) methods. Results: BMI and HC show positive significant correlation with ABPI-LOW ( P = 0.028, P = 0.046, respectively). Significant difference was observed between ABPI-LOW and ABPI-HIGH ( P = 0.003). ABPI-MEAN and ABPILOW were also significantly different ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: There is a correlation of obesity indices with ABPI-LOW. ABPI-LOW methods could be more appropriate method and contrastingly HC may have direct correlation with PAD detection by ABPI in apparently healthy obese.