Po-Chao Hsu1, Wen-Hsien Lee2, Chun-Yuan Chu3, Tsung-Hsien Lin1, Ho-Ming Su4, Chee-Siong Lee1, Wen-Chol Voon1, Wen-Ter Lai1, Sheng-Hsiung Sheu1. 1. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 3. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 4. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: cobeshm@seed.net.tw.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Both atrial fibrillation (AF) and vascular disease share several risk factors and the two diseases often coexist. The patients with AF were reported to have a decreased ankle-brachial index (ABI). However, ABI was also reported to have an inverse relationship with heart rate (HR). Because AF patients often have a transiently or persistently rapid HR, this study aimed to assess whether AF was significantly associated with decreased ABI and whether HR could significantly influence the relationship between AF and ABI. METHODS: We included 166 AF and 1336 non-AF patients from subjects undergoing echocardiographic examinations. ABI was measured using an ABI-form device. RESULTS: Compared to non-AF patients, AF patients had a decreased ABI (p<0.001). In a multivariate model, including covariates of age, sex, blood pressures, etc., the presence of AF was significantly associated with low ABI (β=-0.069, p=0.026). However, further adjustment for HR made this association disappear (p=0.971). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the presence of AF was associated with decreased ABI, but this association became insignificant after further adjustment for HR, which suggested HR could significantly influence the relationship between AF and ABI.
OBJECTIVES: Both atrial fibrillation (AF) and vascular disease share several risk factors and the two diseases often coexist. The patients with AF were reported to have a decreased ankle-brachial index (ABI). However, ABI was also reported to have an inverse relationship with heart rate (HR). Because AFpatients often have a transiently or persistently rapid HR, this study aimed to assess whether AF was significantly associated with decreased ABI and whether HR could significantly influence the relationship between AF and ABI. METHODS: We included 166 AF and 1336 non-AFpatients from subjects undergoing echocardiographic examinations. ABI was measured using an ABI-form device. RESULTS: Compared to non-AFpatients, AFpatients had a decreased ABI (p<0.001). In a multivariate model, including covariates of age, sex, blood pressures, etc., the presence of AF was significantly associated with low ABI (β=-0.069, p=0.026). However, further adjustment for HR made this association disappear (p=0.971). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the presence of AF was associated with decreased ABI, but this association became insignificant after further adjustment for HR, which suggested HR could significantly influence the relationship between AF and ABI.