Background: To investigate the association between ankle-brachial index (ABI), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in a general population. Patients and methods: The study population consisted of 8,246 people aged 50 years and older who participated in the baseline survey of the Dong-gu Study conducted in Korea between 2007 and 2010. Trained research technicians measured LV mass using mode M ultrasound echocardiography and ABI using an oscillometric method. Results: After adjustment for risk factors and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) and the number of plaques, higher ABIs (1.10 1.19, 1.20 - 1.29, and ≥ 1.30) were significantly and linearly associated with high LVMI (1.10 - 1.19 ABI: β, 3.33; 95 % CI, 1.72 - 4.93; 1.20 - 1.29 ABI: β, 6.51; 95 % CI, 4.02 - 9.00; ≥ 1.30 ABI: β, 14.83; 95 % CI, 6.18 - 23.48). An ABI of 1.10 - 1.19 and 1.20 - 1.29 ABI was significantly associated with LVH (1.10 - 1.19 ABI: OR, 1.35; 95 % CI, 1.19 - 1.53; 1.20 - 1.29 ABI: OR, 1.59; 95 % CI, 1.31 - 1.92) and ABI ≥ 1.30 was marginally associated with LVH (OR, 1.73; 95 % CI, 0.93 - 3.22, p = 0.078). Conclusions: After adjustment for other cardiovascular variables and CCA-IMT and the number of plaques, higher ABIs are associated with LVH and LVMI in Koreans aged 50 years and older.
Effect of cholecalciferol replacement on vascular calcification and left ventricular mass index in dialysis patients
