Ankle brachial index values,leg symptoms,and functional performance among community-dwelling older men and women in the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders study.

The prevalence and significance of low normal and abnormal ankle brachial index (abi) values in a community-dwelling population of sedentary,older individuals is unknown. we describe the prevalence of categories of definite peripheral artery disease (pad),borderline abi,low normal abi,and no pad and their association with lower-extremity functional performance in the life study population. participants age 70 to 89 in the life study underwent baseline measurement of the abi,400-m walk,and 4-m walking velocity. participants were classified as follows: definite pad (abi <0.90),borderline pad (abi 0.90 to 0.99),low normal abi (abi 1.00 to 1.09),and no pad (abi 1.10 to 1.40). of 1566 participants,220 (14%) had definite pad,250 (16%) had borderline pad,509 (33%) had low normal abi,and 587 (37%) had no pad. among those with definite pad,65% were asymptomatic. adjusting for age,sex,race,body mass index,smoking,and comorbidities,lower abi was associated with longer mean 400-m walk time: (definite pad=533 seconds; borderline pad=514 seconds; low normal abi=503 seconds; and no pad=498 seconds [p<0.001]). among asymptomatic participants with and without pad,lower abi values were also associated with longer 400-m walk time (p<0.001) and slower walking velocity (p=0.042). among older community-dwelling men and women,14% had pad and 49% had borderline or low normal abi values. lower abi values were associated with greater functional impairment,suggesting that lower extremity atherosclerosis may be a common preventable cause of functional limitations in older people. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ unique identifier: nct01072500.