Review Article
Chronic Leg Ulcers: Epidemiology, Aetiopathogenesis, and Management
Table 5
ABPI symptoms: management correlation guide [
28].
| | Index | Symptoms | Severity of disease | Management |
| | >0.8–0.95 | None/mild intermittent
claudication | Mild arterial disease | Modify risk factors,
stop smoking,
regular exercise,
and consider antiplatelet therapy |
| | >0.5–0.8 | Intermittent claudication | Moderate arterial disease | As for patients with ABPI between 0.8 and 0.95,
together with routine referral to a vascular surgeon.
Possible arterial duplex scan/angiogram |
| | >0.3–0.5 | Severe intermittent
claudication and rest pain | Severe arterial disease | As for patients with ABPI between 0.8 and 0.95,
together with urgent referral to a vascular surgeon.
Possible arterial duplex scan/angiogram |
| 0.3 or below or ankle
systolic pressure of less
than 50 mmHg | Critical ischaemia (rest pain
for greater than 2 weeks
duration) with or without
tissue loss (ulcer, gangrene) | Severe arterial disease; risk
of losing limb | Urgent referral to the vascular emergency on-call team
and possible surgicalor radiological intervention |
| Abnormally high ABPI
(greater than 1.3) | Variable | Vessel calcification | As for patients with ABPI between 0.8 and 0.95,
together with referral to avascular surgeon |
|
|
