Avaliação do índice tornozelo/braço em portadores de esquistossomose mansônica hepatoesplênica

Purpuse: To evaluate the ankle-arm index (AAI) in HSM subjects, operated and non-operated (groups I and II) and in nonschistosomal subjects (group III). Methods: One hundred sixteen legs from 58 volunteers underwent AAI using two techniques (T-I and T-II) distributed such as: Group I: 17 patients with mean age of 44.8 ± 10.5 years; group II, 21 patients with mean age of 38.0 ± 12.8 years, and group III with 20 healthy subjects with mean age of 37.0 ± 13.5 years. In the T-I, the AAI was made including the higher systolic pressure from ankle (tibial posterior or dorsal pediosis arteries); and it was choosen the higher systolic pressure founded from one of the upper limbs. In the T-II, it was used the smaller ankle pressure and the greater brachial pressure from one of the upper limbs. Apart from AAI, the determination of body mass index (BMI) and the identification of risk factors for atherosclerosis were assessed. Results: The means to the weight and BMI were increased in group III (p 0.05). When the T-I was used most of limbs had normal index (AAI), and just 3.4% had AAI 0.05). Conclusion: No difference among the three groups when used the T-I and the T-II (p > 0.05).As regard to AAI, the statistical analysis of results revealed no significant differences among the groups when it was used both T-I and T-II. There was a trend to more sensibility to diagnose peripheral atherosclerosis when used the T-II, while the T-I assessed better the function condition of the limb.