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K. Krger
Epidemiology of peripheral arterial disease in Germany. What is evident, what remains unclear?
Keywords: Peripheral arterial disease, chronic critical limb ischaemia, mediasclerosis, ankle/brachial index
The prevalence of the peripheral arterial disease (PAD) varies with the analysed population and the screening method. The prevalence of the symptomatic PAD, derived from questionnaires, ranges from around 1% within the 50 years-old up to 5% within the 80 years-old. Due to the low specificity of such questionnaires this method has lost its relevance. In epidemiologic studies determination of the ankle/brachial index (ABI) is recommended for screening. ABI >0.9 indicates PAD. Based on the ABI the prevalence of the PAD in Germany in women aged 4549 years is 2.3% and in men 2.6%. It increases to 10.4% and 15.2% in 7075 years old women and men respectively. Real prevalence of PAD is assumed to be even higher, because ABI determination is biased to select people with more severe PAD and misses those with excellent collateral perfusion. Patients suffering from PAD with a chronic critical limb ischaemia (CLI) are characterised by the worst prognosis regarding limb salvage and mortality. Although the exact prevalence of CLI is unknown, it is assumed that CLI affects more than 2% of all PAD patients.
Hämostaseologie, Schattauer
Print ISSN: 0720-9355
Volume: 26, 01/2006
Pages: 193 - 196