Subjecting the ankle-brachial index to timely scrutiny: is it time to say goodbye to the ABI?

Abstract

Although the ankle-brachial index (ABI) has been used as an indicator of peripheral artery disease and vascular supply to the foot for over 50 years, it is now associated with reservations and qualifying empirical evidence to the extent that the provocative step of abandoning it totally might be advisable. In this article, the results of three publications concerning the ABI are initially described in some depth and the results from eight additional publications are then summarized more briefly. Cumulatively, the research indicates that ABIs that seem to be normal, as well as those in the subnormal range, are often inflated by medial arterial calcification and can therefore produce a high proportion of false-negative screening test results for arterial disease as well as a misleadingly high impression of vascular sufficiency to the lower extremity. The toe-brachial index is suggested as being likely to overcome the problems associated with the ABI, and other alternatives to the ABI and TBI are acknowledged.

Keywords:

• Ankle-brachial index
• toe-brachial index
• peripheral artery disease
• lower extremity arterial disease
• medial arterial calcification
• vascular calcification

Acknowledgements

Dr Sylvia McAra provided valuable comments concerning this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflict of interest.