Correlation between Four-limb Blood Pressure and Carotid Artery Stenosis in Patients with Takayasu Arteritis
Objective To investigate the relationship of the inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference(sIAD)and ankle-brachial index(ABI)with carotid artery stenosis in patients diagnosed with Takayasu arteritis.Methods Patients hospitalized and diagnosed with Takayasu arteritis at Fuwai Hospital from December 2018 to December 2022 were consecutively enrolled.Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence or absence of carotid artery stenosis,defined as≥ 50%diameter stenosis in cephalic brachial arteries,common carotid arteries,or internal carotid arteries at one or more sites.Basic information,four-limb blood pressure,and relevant examination results were collected and retrospectively analyzed.Results The study recruited a total of 165 Takayasu arteritis patients with an average age of(33.6±12.4)years,including 140 females(84.9%).Of these,80 patients exhibited an sIAD ≥ 10 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa),with a detection rate of 48.5%,and sIAD was 8.0(3.0,22.5)mmHg.A total of 82 patients(49.7%)comprised the carotid artery stenosis group,while the non-stenosis group included 83 patients(50.3%).Variables that showed significance in the initial comparative analysis included gender,age of onset,age at formal treatment,sIAD,ABI,brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity,hemoglobin concentration,C-reactive protein,and comorbid hypertension.These variables were subsequently included in the binary logistic regression analysis.The results indicated that sIAD ≥10 mmHg(adds ratio[OR]=3.440,95%confidence interval[95%CI]:1.623-7.295,P=0.001)and ABI≥1.4(OR=7.069,95%CI:2.391-20.901,P<0.001)were positively associated with the presence of carotid artery stenosis,affirming them as independent risk factors for carotid artery stenosis in patients with Takayasu arteritis.Conclusion Elevated sIAD values and increased detection rates of carotid artery stenosis in Takayasu arteritis patients were observed in this study.The findings suggest that sI AD ≥10 mmHg and ABI ≥1.4 are significant independent risk factors for carotid artery stenosis in patients with Takayasu arteritis.