Pedal acceleration time is related to arterial stiffness in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia.

Background: Pedal acceleration time (PAT) is a novel indicator of peripheral arterial disease in the lower limbs. Elevated PAT values are associated with worse limb ischemia. Arterial stiffness indexes are another class of indicators recently studied in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). The correlation between PAT and arterial stiffness has not yet been established.

Objectives: To analyze correlations between PAT and arterial stiffness indexes in patients with CLTI.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of patients with CLTI from August to December of 2022. The PAT measurements were performed using a vascular ultrasound machine and stiffness indexes were measured using a brachial artery oscillometry unit. An analysis was conducted of the correlations between central blood pressure, peripheral blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and PAT.

Results: A total of 55 patients were analyzed, of whom 23 were women and 83.6% had diabetes. Mean PAT was 166.6 ms; mean pulse wave velocity (PWV) was 11.8 m/s, and the mean augmentation index corrected for a heart rate of 75 beats per minute (AIx@75) was 29.8%. There were positive correlations between PAT and PWV (Spearman r = 0.69; p < 0.001) and between PAT and AIx@75 (Spearman r = 0.59, p < 0.001) and an inverse relationship with the ankle/brachial index (Spearman r = -0.79; p < 0.001).

Conclusions: There is a correlation between arterial stiffness indexes and PAT in patients with CLTI. These indicators are important for quantification of limb ischemia.