Objective: This study evaluated the distribution and degree of symmetry of lower extremity artery stenoses in an unselected elderly population and its relation to a reduced ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement.
Methods: This was a population-based study set in a university hospital comprising 306 randomly selected 70-year-old individuals participating in the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study. Whole-body magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and bilateral ABI measurements were performed in each participant. The prevalence of stenosis >or=50% was evaluated in nine different arterial segments in both legs: common iliac artery (CIA), external iliac artery (EIA), common femoral artery (CFA), superficial femoral artery (SFA), popliteal artery (PA), tibioperoneal trunk (TPTr), anterior tibial artery (ATA), posterior tibial artery (PTA), and peroneal artery. The relations between the prevalences of stenosis in different arterial segments in the right and left leg were assessed. An evaluation was made of the relation between a >or=50% stenosis and an ABI <0.9 in the different segments.
Results: The prevalence of stenosis was 0% to 21%. In all segments, a stenosis was more commonly found in one of the legs only than in both legs. The prevalence of >or=50% stenosis in the right leg only, left leg only, and both legs was 0.3%, 0.7%, and 0% in the CIA; 0.3%, 1.0%, and 0.7% in the EIA; 0%, 0%, and 0% in the CFA; 2.0%, 1.3%, and 0.7% in the SFA; 0.7%, 0.7%, and 0.3% in the PA; 1.0%, 0.7%, and 0% in the TPTr; 5.6%, 6.3%, and 8.6% in the ATA; 0.7%, 1.7%, and 0% in the peroneal artery; and in 2.0%, 2.7%, and 3.4% in the PTA. When the legs were compared, a significant correlation was found for the presence of a >or=50% stenosis in the EIA, SFA, PA, ATA, and PTA. Seventeen participants showed ABI <0.9. In logistic regression analysis with ABI <0.9 as dependent variable, stenosis in SFA, ATA, and PTA were the major independent variables to explain a low ABI in both of the legs.
Conclusions: The distribution of stenosis differs substantially when legs are compared. Despite this difference, stenosis in SFA, ATA, and PTA was the major determinant of a low ABI in both of the legs.