Relation of decreased ankle-brachial index to prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors, coronary artery disease, aortic valve calcium, and mitral annular calcium.

Coronary artery disease was present in 89 of 118 patients (75%) with a decreased ankle-brachial index (ABI) and in 34 of 118 age- and gender-matched patients (29%) with a normal ABI (p <0.001). Aortic valve calcium or mitral annular calcium was present in 81 of 118 patients (69%) with a decreased ABI and in 43 of 118 patients (36%) with a normal ABI (p <0.001).