Individual variations in ankle brachial index measurement among Turkish adults

• Published in: Vascular Vol. 24; no. 1; p. 53
• Main Authors: Demir, Orhan, Tasci, Ilker, Acikel, Cengizhan, Saglam, Kenan, Gezer, Mustafa, Acar, Ramazan, Yildiz, Birol, Bulucu, Fatih, Kabul, Hasan Kutsi, Dogan, Mustafa Inanc, Koc, Bayram
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-02-2016
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ankle Brachial Index - instrumentation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Peripheral Arterial Disease - diagnostic imaging; Peripheral Arterial Disease - physiopathology; Predictive Value of Tests; Reproducibility of Results; Time Factors; Transducers; Turkey; Ultrasonography, Doppler - instrumentation; Young Adult; Peripheral arterial disease; ankle-brachial index; reproducibility; variation
• ISSN: 1708-539X
• DOI: 10.1177/1708538115584506

Variability of ankle brachial index (ABI) measured by the same observer in the same individual on three different occasions was examined.
A single morning ABI was initially determined (measurement 1) with handheld Doppler device. One to four weeks apart, another morning (measurement 2) and afternoon (measurement 3) ABI was measured on the same day.
A total of 161 adults were enrolled. Mean ABI was similar among the three measurements. ABI differed more than ≥0.15 in 15 individuals between measurement 1 and 3, in 10 subjects between measurement 1 and 2, and in 12 individuals between measurement 2 and 3. Intra-group correlation coefficients of reproducibility of ABI were 0.808 for single measurements (coefficient of the values lacking association with each other), and 0.927 for average measurements (coefficient of the values that were associated with each other).
Although reproducibility of ABI values was found satisfactory, up to 12% of participants displayed more than 0.15 alternations between measurements, either on the same day or more than a week apart.