Cut-off value of the ankle-brachial pressure index at which the accuracy of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity measurement is diminished.

Background: The present study was conducted to establish the cutoff value of the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) at which the accuracy of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measurement is diminished.

Methods And Results: The baPWV and ABI were measured in 1,361 patients with an atherosclerosis-related disease and 7,889 subjects without any atherosclerotic risk factors, in order to determine the percent difference of the brachial-ankle PWV (%baPWV), the angle of the rise of the anacrotic limb (%angle) and of the amplitude of the entire waveform (%amplitude) in both sides. The %angle and %amplitude were significantly higher in subjects whose %baPWV was >or=19% than in those subjects whose %baPWV was <19% (19% was the mean value+3SD of 7,889 healthy subjects).

Comparison of ankle-brachial pressure index and pulse wave velocity as markers of the presence of coronary artery disease in subjects with a high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Recently, a measurement device that can simultaneously measure the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV) has become available. The present study compares the applicability of ABI and PWV as markers for predicting the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in subjects with a high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The ABI and brachial-ankle PWV were measured in 472 consecutive subjects who subsequently underwent coronary angiography for diagnosis or exclusion of CAD.