The use of ankle brachial pressure indices in a cohort of black African diabetic patients

摘要

BackgroundPeripheral arterial disease is very common in patients with diabetes, but it remains grossly under-recognized in this type of patients. Ankle brachial index (ABI) is a simple, non-invasive and reproducible method for detection and improving risk stratification. However, the sensitivity appears to be lower in diabetic patients and, false ‘high’ readings occur because of the arterial calcification of the vessel media which render the vessels incompressible.