Ankle brachial index measurement in first-line health care: A simple and inexpensive but very valuable method

Aim: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects more than 30 million people in the World. Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) is a simple method to detect PAD. Patients are referred to vascular surgery department with prediagnosis of PAD, but many of them are mis-diagnosed. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of ABI in first-line health care. Material and Methods: From December 2017 – November 2018; 108 patients were referred from first-line health care units to our department. Patients were analyzed retrospectively regarding risk factors, ABI and real diagnosis. Results: 24 patients (22,22%) were diagnosed PAD. Mean ABI in PAD and non-PAD patients was 0.545±0.193 and 0.996±0.093, respectively. Conclusion: The use of ABI measurement in first-line health care could avoid the mis-diagnosis of PAD and related loss of time and additional costs