Prevalence of lower extremities peripheral arterial disease among Egyptian ischemic patients attending cardiac rehabilitation unit

Background

Atherosclerosis is progressive and diffuse pathological disorders which can simultaneously affect multiple vascular beds. Diagnosing Lower extremities peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with Coronary artery disease (CAD) admitted to cardiac rehabilitation program can help to tailor exercise regimen to fit these patients, in addition, early treatment and/or intervention may help to control progression of the disease.

Aim

The study is to search for the prevalence of undiagnosed PAD using ankle brachial index (ABI) in Egyptian patients with documented CAD undergoing cardiac rehabilitation program.

Patients and Methods

The study included 200 patients with documented CAD scheduled for cardiac rehabilitation in Cardiology department, Ain Shams University, with exclusion of patients with known (diagnosed) PAD. All patients underwent ABI using Doppler ultrasonography. The patients were divided into two groups; Study group with positive ABI (≤ 0.9) and Control group with negative ABI (> 0.9).

Results

We found that the prevalence of undiagnosed PAD in those patients was 14.5% (29 patients). The incidence of PAD is increased in patients above 60 years (p = 0.001) and in presence of hypertension/uncontrolled systolic blood pressure (p = 0.002), Dyslipidemia (p = 0.005), or family history of ischemic heart disease (p = 0.035). PAD is associated also with impaired left ventricular systolic function and presence of segmental wall motion abnormalities at rest. Impaired eGFR increased the risk of development of PAD (p = 0.016). PAD was associated more with patients presented by multivessel lesions by coronary angiography and in presence of ischemic ECG changes.

Conclusion

This study shows that significant PAD is present in almost 15% of ischemic Egyptian patients. We recommend ABI to be done routinely in patients with significant CAD for exclusion or diagnosis of PAD to help in treatment and improving quality of life in addition to modification of cardiac rehabilitation program in presence of PAD according to its severity.