[Correlation between toe-brachial index and ankle-brachial index in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

We aimed to know the prevalence of abnormal toe-brachial index (TBI) in a group of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). We also aimed to know the correlation between TBI and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in these patients and determine the abnormal value of TBI.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in primary care. DM2 patients over 50 years were included. Systolic blood pressure at the arm, ankle and toe were determined to calculate the ABI and the TBI.

RESULTS

We studied 175 patients (350 limbs) of a mean age of 67 years (SD=9), 53.7% were women and 72.3% had hypertension. The ABI was abnormal (≤ 0.90) in 8.3% of the limbs and 8.6% met criteria of calcification (≥ 1.40). The TBI was abnormal (≤ 0.60) in 18.6% of cases. Of the 291 limbs with a normal ABI, 34 (11.7%) had an abnormal value of TBI and the 30 limbs with a calcified ABI, 6 (20%) had an abnormal value of TBI. There was a positive linear correlation between ABI and TBI (r = 0.395, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Determination of TBI provides additional information to ABI determination and exploration can be very useful in cases of arterial calcification. The value ≤ 0.60 is the best one to consider an abnormal TBI.