Introduction: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an important manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis.The present study was to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for PAD in Chinese hypertensive patients with and without known cardiovascular disease (CVD) which consisted of coronary heart disease, angina, stroke, and transient ischaemic attack.
Material and methods: A cross-sectional study consisting of 5,186 hypertensive patients was conducted from July to November 2004 in Beijing and Shanghai, China. PAD was defined as an ankle-brachial index < or = 0.90 in either leg.
Results: The prevalence of PAD was 29.0% among hypertensive patients with known CVD, higher than in patients without known CVD (16.6%, P <0.0001). After multivariable logistic regression analysis, older age and current smoking were independently associated with prevalent PAD among all hypertensive patients.Among hypertensive patients without known CVD, higher total cholesterol (OR and 95% CI: 1.518, 1.162-1.984 in men and 1.460, 1.097-1.944 in women), was independently associated with prevalent PAD. Higher fasting glucose (OR and 95% CI: 1.027, 1.001-1.054 in men and 1.033, 1.006-1.061 in women) and higher uric acid (OR and 95% CI: 1.002, 1.001-1.003 in men and 1.003, 1.001-1.005 in women) were risk factors for PAD among hypertensive patients with known CVD. No association was found between obesity and PAD in hypertensive patients with and without known CVD.
Conclusions: Prevalence of and risk actors for PAD among Chinese hypertensive patients with and without CVD were different. Cessation of smoking should be stressed to inhibit the progression of PAD in hypertensive patients.