Table 1.
Characteristics of the study sample
| Baseline characteristics | Normal ABI (n=104) |
Borderline PAD (n=23) |
PAD (n=35) |
Total (n=162) |
P-value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male sex, n (%) | 65 (62.5) | 14 (60.9) | 25 (71.4) | 104 (64.2) | 0.595 |
| Age (years), mean ± SD | 63.4±6.6 | 66.4±8.8 | 68.4±7.6 | 64.9±7.4 | 0.002a |
| Caucasian ethnicity, n (%) | 93 (89.4) | 20 (87.0) | 33 (94.3) | 146 (90.1) | 0.153 |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD | 27.6±3.9 | 27.9±5.3 | 26.9±4.1 | 27.5±4.1 | 0.617 |
| Outcome variables | |||||
| IC, n (%) | 9 (8.7) | 1 (4.3) | 32 (91.4) | 42 (25.9) | <0.001b,a |
| ABI (mmHg), mean ± SD | 1.11±0.06 | 0.94±0.02 | 0.83±0.07 | 1.03±0.13 | <0.001a,b,c |
| 6MWD (meters), mean ± SD | 349.3±71.6 | 298.1±77.3 | 330.0±75.6 | 338.0±75.0 | 0.009c |
| 6MWD (percent of predicted), mean ± SD | 76.0±14.5 | 67.6±14.4 | 76.1±16.3 | 74.8±15.1 | 0.046c |
| IPAQ (score), mean ± SD | 660.2±448.3 | 880.4±716.3 | 670.0±551.7 | 693.6±518.4 | 0.175 |
| Eligibility criteria | |||||
| CAD, n (%) | 82 (78.8) | 20 (87.0) | 28 (80.0) | 130 (80.2) | 0.676 |
| CVD, n (%) | 15 (14.4) | 6 (26.1) | 5 (14.3) | 26 (16.0) | 0.367 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 25 (24.0) | 2 (8.7) | 10 (28.6) | 37 (22.8) | 0.187 |
| Metabolic syndrome, n (%) | 73 (70.2) | 14 (60.9) | 28 (80.0) | 115 (71.1) | 0.279 |
| Smoking, n (%) | 20 (19.2) | 3 (13.0) | 5 (14.3) | 28 (17.3) | 0.675 |
| HTN, n (%) | 97 (93.3) | 21 (91.3) | 33 (94.3) | 151 (93.2) | 0.906 |
| Age >70 years, n (%) | 19 (18.3) | 9 (39.1) | 16 (45.7) | 44 (27.2) | 0.003a,c |
| Dyslipidemia, n (%) | 53 (51.0) | 12 (52.2) | 12 (34.3) | 77 (46.5) | 0.207 |
| Asymptomatic carotid disease, n (%) | 2 (1.9) | 1 (4.3) | 1 (2.9) | 4 (2.5) | 0.784 |
| Family history of CAD, n (%) | 40 (38.5) | 3 (13.0) | 13 (37.1) | 56 (34.6) | 0.064 |
| CKD, n (%) | 6 (5.8) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 6 (3.7) | 0.176 |
| Medication use | |||||
| Statin, n (%) | 74 (71.2) | 19 (82.6) | 23 (65.7) | 116 (71.6) | 0.372 |
| Acetylsalicylic acid, n (%) | 62 (59.6) | 18 (78.3) | 23 (65.7) | 103 (63.6) | 0.233 |
| Beta-blockers, n (%) | 64 (61.5) | 16 (69.6) | 21 (60.0) | 101 (62.3) | 0.733 |
| ACEI, n (%) | 80 (76.9) | 12 (52.2) | 23 (65.7) | 115 (71.0) | 0.045c |
| ARB, n (%) | 7 (6.7) | 3 (13.0) | 3 (8.6) | 13 (8.0) | 0.596 |
| Calcium channel blockers, n (%) | 16 (15.4) | 2 (8.7) | 5 (14.3) | 23 (14.2) | 0.707 |
| Oral anticoagulants, n (%) | 30 (28.8) | 6 (26.1) | 7 (20.0) | 43 (26.5) | 0.590 |
Notes:
*
Comparison between ABI values (normal, borderline, and PAD).
a
Difference between normal and PAD;
b
difference between borderline and PAD;
c
difference between normal and borderline.
Abbreviations: 6MWD, 6-minute walk distance; ABI, ankle–brachial index; ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; BMI, body mass index; CAD, coronary artery disease; CKD, chronic kidney disease; CVD, cardiovascular diseases; HTN, hypertension; IC, intermittent claudication; IPAQ, International Physical Activity Questionnaire; PAD, peripheral artery disease.