Ankle brachial index (ABI) in a cohort of older women in the Philippines: Prevalence of peripheral artery disease and predictors of ABI

Abstract Objective Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rising in low and middle-income countries, but studies of CVD epidemiology in such settings often focus on risk factors rather than measures of disease progression. Here we use the ankle brachial index (ABI) to assess the prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) among older women living in Metropolitan Cebu, Philippines, and relationships between ABI and CVD risk factors and body composition. Methods ABI was measured using the Doppler technique in 538 female participants in the 2015 Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (mean age 58?years, range 47-78?years). ABI was related to a panel of CVD risk factors measured in 2005 and 2012, and to 2012 body composition measures. Results The prevalence of PAD (1.8%) was among the lowest reported in any comparably-aged sample, and only 9.9% of participants had an ABI indicating borderline PAD risk. Smoking (P?