TITLE:
Screening for Lower-Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease Using the Ankle-Brachial Index in Outpatient Practice: A 320-Patient Study
AUTHORS:
Ngoné Diaba Gaye, Joseph Salvador Mingou, Pape Faye, Malick Ndiaye, Marguerite Tening Diouf, Lamine Ly, Seydina Oumar Gueye, Mamadou Adama Thiam, Alassane Mbaye, Abdoul Kane, Aliou Alassane Ngaïdé
KEYWORDS:
Peripheral Artery Disease, Ankle-Brachial Index, Outpatient Practice, Screening, Cardiovascular Risk
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery,
Vol.16 No.8,
August
25,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Lower-extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an important marker of cardiovascular risk and is frequently underdiagnosed. This study estimated the prevalence of low ankle-brachial index (ABI) among patients selected for ABI measurement in a cardiovascular outpatient centre in Dakar and explored associated clinical characteristics. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 320 adults who underwent bilateral ABI measurement between 1 January 2021 and 30 October 2022. ABI testing was ordered at the treating cardiologist’s discretion for symptoms or signs suggestive of PAD, established cardiovascular disease, or an elevated cardiovascular risk profile. For each leg, the higher dorsalis pedis or posterior tibial systolic pressure was divided by the higher of the two brachial systolic pressures; the lower of the two leg ABIs was retained for patient-level classification. Low ABI was defined as Results: Among 1,176 outpatient attendees, 320 (27.2%) underwent ABI measurement and constituted the study sample. Low patient-level ABI was identified in 98/320 patients (30.6%), normal ABI in 221/320 (69.1%), and bilateral high ABI in 1/320 (0.3%). Six patients (1.9%) had a high ABI in at least one limb. In multivariable analysis, age ≥ 81 years was associated with low ABI (adjusted OR = 8.91; 95% CI: 1.01 - 78.91; p = 0.049). An inverse association with BMI-defined obesity was also observed (adjusted OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.14 - 0.76; p = 0.010) and should be interpreted cautiously. Conclusion: Low ABI was frequent among the selected outpatients who underwent ABI measurement, particularly among the oldest patients. These findings describe detection within a clinically selected cardiovascular population and do not estimate prevalence among all outpatient attendees or demonstrate that routine ABI screening prevents complications.