Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Peripheral Artery Disease in Rural South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the HAALSI Cohort

BACKGROUND

The burden of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is increasing in low- and middle-income countries. Existing literature from sub-Saharan Africa is limited and lacks population-representative estimates. We estimated the burden and risk factor profile of PAD for a rural South African population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used data from 1883 participants from a rural, low-income cohort of South African adults aged 40 to 69 years with available ankle-brachial index measurements. We defined clinical PAD as ankle-brachial index ≤0.90 or >1.40, and borderline PAD as ankle-brachial index >0.90 and ≤1.00. We compared the distribution of sociodemographic variables, biomarkers, and comorbidities across PAD classifications. To identify associated factors, we calculated unadjusted and age-sex-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) with log-binomial models. Overall, 6.6% (95% CI, 5.6-7.7) of the sample met the diagnostic criteria for clinical PAD, while 44.7% (95% CI, 42.4-47.0) met the diagnostic criteria for borderline PAD. Age (PR: 1.9 [95% CI, 1.2-3.1] for ages 50-59 years compared with 40-49 years; PR: 2.5 [95% CI, 1.5-4.0] for ages 60-69 years compared with 40-49 years); diagnosed hypertension (PR: 1.53 [95% CI, 1.08-2.17]); and C-reactive protein (PR: 1.08 [95% CI, 1.03-1.12]) were associated with increased prevalence of clinical PAD. All other examined factors were not significantly associated with clinical PAD.

CONCLUSIONS

We found high PAD prevalence for younger age groups compared with previous research and a lack of statistical evidence for the influence of traditional risk factors for this rural, low-income population. Future research should focus on identifying the underlying risk factors for PAD in this setting. South African policymakers and clinicians should consider expanded screening for early PAD detection in rural areas.

Atherosclerotic Peripheral Artery Disease in the United States: Gender and Ethnic Variation in a Multiple Cause-of-Death Analysis

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an important cause of morbidity in the United States. In this article, we conducted a multiple cause-of-death analysis of PAD to determine patterns and trends in its contribution to mortality.

METHODS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics data were used to determine the number of deaths with the following 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems codes selected as an underlying cause of death (UCOD) or a contributing cause considering multiple causes of death (MCOD): 170.2, 170.9, 173.9, 174.3, and 174.4. The age-adjusted death rates per 100 000 population by age, gender, race, ethnicity, and region were computed for the United States between the years 1999 and 2017. In these years, there were 47 728 569 deaths from all causes.

RESULTS

In 1999 to 2017 combined, there were a total of 311 175 deaths associated with PAD as an UCOD. However, there were 1 361 253 deaths with PAD listed as an UCOD or a contributing cause in MCOD, which is 4.3 times higher than UCOD. Age-adjusted MCOD rates were higher in males (25.6) than in females (19.4). Among non-Hispanics, the rate in African American males and females was 1.2 times higher than in Caucasians. Age-adjusted MCOD rates have declined in African Americans and Caucasians irrespective of gender from 2000 to 2017.

CONCLUSION

Peripheral artery disease is mentioned 4 times as often on death certificates as a contributing cause of death as it is chosen as the UCOD. Overall, age-adjusted MCOD rates were higher in African Americans than Caucasians, males than females, and declined between 2000 and 2017.

[Lower-limb peripheral arterial disease]

Peripheral arterial disease is a result of atheroma. This disease is frequent in subjects with vascular risk factors. This disease is also frequent in low income countries. The detection and the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease is obtained by calculating the ankle brachial index. Patients with peripheral arterial disease are not always symptomatic thus explaining how this disease is under diagnosed. The symptoms can be absent, and especially in case of diabetes or in women. In case of peripheral arterial disease, atheroma often involves other arterial vascular networks especially the coronaries. An adapted treatment reduces the morbi-mortality linked to this disease. This treatment is based on the correction of the vascular risk factors and especially tobacco cessation, walking rehabilitation and drugs (antiplatelet agent, statin, renin angiotensin system blocker). In case of rest or critic ischemia, the first-line treatment is a revascularisation. In peripheral arterial disease, management of patients is often non optimal and therapeutic targets fairly often obtained.