The prevalence and severely of peripheral arterial disease at Doppler ultrasound among diabetic patients at Mulago Hospital.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral arteries disease is a manifestation of macro vascular damage seen in diabetes mellitus, among other conditions, characterised by occlusion of the lower limb arteries. Is also a marker of coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease hence the importance of making an early diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish, using Doppler ultrasound, the prevalence of peripheral arteries disease (PAD), Clinical associations and sonographic findings in diabetic patients at mulago hospital. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out at Mulago NationalReferral Hospital, recruiting patients from the diabetic clinic. The sample size was 94 patients. All adult diabetic patients were eligible for the study except those with valvular heart lesions. The SA 9900 SONACE by Medison WAS UAED. The principal investigator and supervisors scanned the patients. The linear probe (7-10 MHz) was uaed in lean patients and the curvilinear (3-5 MHz) for the larger patients. The socio-demographic features, presence and duration of hypertension, duration of diabetic mellitus (DM), Treatment for DM, BMI, the presence of calcifications, plaques and their length and peak systolic velocity (PSV) were recorded. Categorical data was summarized as frequency tables and charts, continuous data as mean, median and standard deviation. The chi-square test was used to test for associations the significant p-value being <0.05. FINDINGS: The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease at Doppler ultrasound among DM patients was 26.6%. All the stenoses fell within the mild grade (0-49%). The majority of calcifications and plaques were found on the mid superficial femoral artery followed by the tibial arteries. Age and duration of diabetes mellitus was positively correlated with PAD in specific vessels only but not generally. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of PAD at Doppler sonography among DM patients at Mulago hospital is 26.6% and of a mild degree (0-49%).