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The Relationship between Ankle‐Arm Index and Mortality in Older Men and Women
Author(s) -
Vogt Molly T.,
McKenna Matthew,
Anderson Stewart J.,
Wolfson Sidney K.,
Kuller Lewis H.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1993.tb01889.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ankle , stroke (engine) , cohort study , cohort , blood pressure , disease , physical therapy , relative risk , cardiology , surgery , confidence interval , mechanical engineering , engineering
Objective To determine whether the ankle‐arm blood pressure index is a useful predictor of mortality in a large group of patients aged 50 or older. Design Cohort study over a 13‐year period. Setting Peripheral vascular laboratory in a hospital affiliated with an academic health center. Participants 1,027 male and 903 female patients referred for arterial evaluation. Outcome Measures All‐cause and cause‐specific mortality.Results A decrease in ankle‐arm index was a strong independent predictor of all‐cause mortality [relative risk (RR) for men = 1.8(95% CI 1.5, 1.9); for women = 1.5, (1.2, 2.0)] and atherosclerotic heart disease mortality [RR for men = 2.0 (1.4, 2.9); for women = 2.1 (1.4, 3.1)]. The risk of mortality was inversely proportional to the ankle‐arm index. No relationship was found between the index and mortality due to stroke or cancer. Conclusions These results suggest that a decreased ankle‐arm index has important prognostic significance for mortality due to atherosclerotic heart disease in older men and women. Measurement of this index may be useful in identifying those at high risk who may benefit from aggressive therapeutic intervention.