ORIGINAL ARTICLE

A Doppler-Based Evaluation of Peripheral Lower Limb Arterial

Insufficiency in Diabetes Mellitus
Riffat Shaheen and Saba Sohail

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the frequency, level and flow patterns of lower limb arterial insufficiency in diabetic patients on
Doppler ultrasound study.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Radiology Department, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from February 2007 to September 2008.
Methodology: One hundred adult diabetic patients with suspected peripheral vascular insufficiency irrespective of gender
were included. Demographic data, presenting complaints, treatment history, and level of HbA1c were recorded. Doppler
evaluated arterial status and ankle brachial index (ABI) were recorded on proforma. Statical analysis were done on SPSS
version 12.
Results: The mean HbA1c was 8.4 ± 1.4gm/dl, a majority of 77% having a controlled level of < 10mg/dl. Arterial insufficiency
on Doppler ultrasound was documented in 62% (p=0.016) and the dorsalis paedis artery was the predominant site of
stenosis (24%). Spectral broadening and biphasic flow were salient features. The mean value of resistive index in stenotic
cases was 0.563 ± 0.16 with a mean velocity difference of 0.37 ± 0.29m/s (p < 0.001) at the site of stenosis.
Conclusion: Peripheral vascular insufficiency was a significant finding in patients having diabetes for an average of 9.8
years, even in the presence of controlled HbA1c. The dorsalis paedis was the commonest site of involvement. The
insufficiency was moderate with a biphasic flow pattern in a majority of cases. Difference in resistive index and flow
velocities at and above the site of stenosis provided an important clue to the diagnosis of level of stenosis that helps in
planning limb salvage management.

Key words: Peripheral arterial insufficiency. Diabetes mellitus. Doppler ultrasound. Lower limb.

INTRODUCTION modality to be used as a diagnostic test for detecting

Diabetes mellitus is a common pathological condition of and grading the presence and severity of arterial
the present times,1 with a higher prevalence rate in disease.8
developing countries.2 Pakistan is included among the Diagnosis of PAD in diabetic patients is of great clinical
countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes.3 significance in order to determine the subset of patients
Diabetes mellitus has a marked impact on the quality of that may be at a high risk of subsequent myocardial
life due to the acute and long-term complications infarction or stroke regardless of the presence or
secondary to the involvement of micro and macro absence of symptoms of PAD and to treat the symptoms
vasculature with the progression of the natural history of of PAD, which can lead to limb loss and functional
disease.4 disability.9 Thus, regular screening is essential as a part
of aggressive management to reduce the impact of co-
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a condition
morbidities on the affected person.
characterized by occlusive changes in the lower
extremities arteries. PAD is markedly frequent among The evaluation of the state of peripheral arteries of the
individuals with diabetes. Peripheral ischemic event lower limb in terms of stenosis (percentage) if any, and
rates are higher in diabetic individuals with PAD than in its association with patient symptommatology is
non-diabetic and even atherosclerotic populations.5,6 important. This can act as a basis for regular follow up
PAD is an important contributory factor to diabetic foot of the cases at the risk of arterial disease and early
ulceration and gangrene leading to lower-extremity intervention to salvage the limb if vascular insufficiency
amputation in diabetes mellitus.7 Spectral Doppler (Duplex) is detected at an early stage. Doppler ultrasound
sonography is well accepted as a noninvasive imaging provides the basis for non-invasive and objective
measurements of the spectrum and velocity of flow in
Department of Radiology, Dow University of Health Sciences
arteries that can be serially monitored. Local studies
and Civil Hospital, Karachi.
have not evaluated Doppler scanning as a means of
Correspondence: Dr. Riffat Shaheen, B-13, Block A, evaluating vascular complications in diabetics. The
Kazimabad, Model Colony, Karachi-75100. objective of this study was to determine the frequency,
E-mail: docriffat@yahoo.com level and patterns of lower limb arterial insufficiency in
Received March 16, 2009; accepted June 26, 2009. diabetic patients on a Doppler-based evaluation.

22 Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 2010, Vol. 20 (1): 22-25
A doppler-based evaluation of peripheral lower limb arterial insufficiency in diabetes mellitus

METHODOLOGY diabetes was 9.8 ± 6.32 years ranging from 6 months to

This study was conducted from February 2007 to 30 years. Type-I diabetes mellitus was present in 37%
September 2008 at the Department of Radiology, Dow and type-II was in 60% cases. Three (3%) patients
University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital, Karachi regardless of the type were using homeopathic
with patient’s referral from both the medical and surgical medicines. Other co-morbidities like coexistent hyper-
units. One hundred patients were included in this study tension and coronary artery disease were present in
by purposive non-randomized sampling. Inclusion 42%. Hypertension alone was found in 29%, coronary
criteria were adult diabetic patients (aged 18 years or artery disease alone was found in 6% and liver disorder
above) irrespective of type of diabetes and gender with alone was present in 3% cases. Claudication was the
suspected peripheral vascular insufficiency or main presenting symptom in 64% cases and ulcers and
complaints of numbness, discoloration of periphery or frank gangrene was observed in 39% cases. HbAIc
ulceration. Patients with a previous history of trauma to indicating glycemic control during last two to three
the arterial vasculature, those suffering from other months was available among 68% cases. With a mean
causes of peripheral arterial insufficiency like hyper- value of 8.4±1.4 gm/dl, fifty-three cases (77%) had
tension, vitamin deficiency, and known atherosclerotic shown a controlled blood sugar level i.e. HbAIc < 10
disease, and those who underwent arterial graft gm/dl and 15 cases (22%) had shown uncontrolled
procedures were excluded. blood sugar levels i.e. > 10 gm/dl.
Demographic data was collected regarding identification, Doppler evidence of vascular abnormality in lower limbs
gender, age , address, presenting complaints, treatment was seen in 62% of the cases while 38% were normal.
history and level of Hb A1c (when available). Vascular insufficiency was noted bilaterally in 11 cases
Doppler ultrasound (U/S) was done by a convex linear (17.7%), the right limb was involved in 30 cases (48% p
array probe of 11.5 MHz on Toshiba Nemio-17. Color < 0.001) and left limb involvement was seen in 21 cases
and spectral Doppler technique were used to identify the (33%). The most frequent site of stenosis was the
affected vessel. Mapping of the lower limb arterial tree dorsalis paedis artery (Figure 1) found in 15 cases
was done, from common iliac up to the dorsalis paedis (24%, p < 0.001), followed by superficial femoral (Figure 2)
artery. Doppler assessment of the site of stenosis was and distal femoral arteries in 11 cases (17%) each.
based on a peak systolic velocity in cm/sec, comparison Stenosis was seen in the popliteal artery in 9 cases
of mean velocity at and 1-2 cm above the level of (14.5%), posterior tibial with dorsalis paedis artery in 9
stenosis, spectral waveform for phasicity and resistive cases (14.5%), posterior tibial artery alone in 6 cases
index (RI) determination by getting the ratio of systolic to (9.6%), popliteal artery alone in 3 cases (4.8%), distal
diastolic velocity on spectral waveform. Presence of part of superficial femoral alone in 3 cases (4.8%) and
significant ischemia was confirmed with the
occlusive disease of whole limb extending from common
measurement of ankle to brachial index ratio (ABI),
iliac to dorsalis paedis was noted in 3 cases (4.8%) (Table I).
involving the measurement of peak systolic flow
velocities in the ankles (dorsalis paedis and posterior
tibial arteries), and arms (brachial artery) by using a
handheld Doppler and then calculating a ratio, with an
ABI of 0.9-1.3 indicating normal flow, 0.6-0.9 indicating
mild ischemia, 0.4-0.6 indicating moderate ischemia and
< 0.4 severe ischemia.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied using
SPSS version 12. Frequency, mean, and standard
Figure 1: Dorsalis paedis artery Figure 2: A femoral artery Doppler
deviation were determined for age, gender, presenting Doppler scan showing absence of scan showing moderate (50%)
complaints and Doppler findings. Mean velocity flow compatible with occlusion. ischemia with spectral broadening
. and biphasic flow.
difference at and above the site of stenosis were
compared using a t-test, while the chi-square test was
used to compare proportions of the presence of vascular
disease or otherwise and sites of stenosis among the
affected and non-affected groups with 0.05 level of
significance.

RESULTS
The study comprised of 100 known diabetic patients
with a mean age of 55 ± 7.9 years ranging from 45 to 75 Figure 3: A popliteal artery triplex
Figure 4: A left common femoral
Doppler scan showing moderate
years. The male to female ratio was found to be 1.5:1 ischemia with spectral broadening
artery Doppler scan showing post-
occlusive monophasic flow.
(61% males and 39% females). The mean duration of and biphasic flow.

Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 2010, Vol. 20 (1): 22-25 23
Riffat Shaheen and Saba Sohail

Table I: Patterns of arterial involvement (n=62). nature of the illness favours the development of
Artery involve in stenosis Number of cases (n) Percentage of cases vasculopathic changes leading to peripheral vascular
Dorsalis paedis alone 15 24.2% insufficiency. This is twice as common in diabetics then
Superficial femoral and 11 17.7% in their non-diabetic counterparts as diabetic patients
distal femoral are 20 times more prone to amputation than the rest of
Popliteal artery and 9 14.5% the population.14,15
distal arterial branches
Posterior tibial with 9 14.5%
Claudication defined as reproducible pain, weakness, or
dorsalis paedis artery
cramping in muscles occuring during activity due to
Anterior and Posterior tibial 3 4.8% decreased blood flow is one of the commonest
with dorsalis paedis artery manifestations of peripheral vascular disease,16 as also
Posterior tibial artery alone 6 9.6% seen in this study-(64%) cases. A normal triphasic
Popliteal artery alone 3 4.8% pattern of flow was observed in 38 cases, even in the
Distal part of superficial 3 4.8% presence of claudication in 21 cases, ulcer in 15 cases
artery alone or gangrene in 6 cases, representing peripheral micro
Common iliac and 3 4.8% angiopathy, which is an important risk factor for diabetic
distal arterial branches foot.13 A large proportion of the patients also had other
Normal arterial blood flow with a normal triphasic co-morbidities especially hypertension which is (29%)
pattern of spectral waveform was observed in 38 cases. considered to be an established risk factor for
Broadening of the spectral waveform (Figure 3) was atherosclerotic changes in peripheral vascular
noted in 41 cases with mild stenosis in 15 cases (24%), insufficiency.17,18 HbA1C measures the average blood
moderate in 21 cases (33.8%) and severe in five cases sugar over the past 2 to 3 months and is considered
(8%). Biphasic flow pattern was observed in 15 cases useful for monitoring glycemic control. The presence of
(36%) and a monophasic flow (Figure 4) was seen in 26 chronic hyperglycemia is also considered to be a
cases (63.4%). Among the recorded velocities, the ratio predisposing risk factor for diabetes-related micro
of velocity above (1-2 cm) and at the site of stenosis was vascular changes.19 A record of HbA1C was available in
mild (ratio of 1.5-2:1) in 15 cases (36%), moderate (2- 68 cases with a mean value of 8.4 ± 1.4 gm/dl (range
4:1) in 21 cases (51%) and severe (> 4:1) in 5 cases 6-11 gm/dl) closer to the values observed in studies
(12%) measuring a higher velocity at the site of stenosis. conducted at Bangladesh (8.01mg/dl) and India
The mean value of the resistive index among the cases (8.6mg/dl).20,21 This normal controlled value of HbA1c
with stenosis (N=62) was found to be 0.563 ± 0.16 with found in the presence of ischemia suggests that the
a mean velocity difference of 0.37 ± 0.29m/s at the site arteries of diabetics can get affected by a long-term
of stenosis (p < 0.001). The mean value of the resistive illness despite good glycemic control. The majority of
index among the cases without any stenosis was found the patients had diabetes for a longer duration with an
to be 0.89 ± 0.20 (p < 0.001). The ankle brachial index an average duration of illness was 9.8 years.
(ABI) was normal (0.9-1.3) in 39 cases, mildly ischemic Non invasive screening tools are being used for the
(0.6-0.9) in 9 cases, moderately ischemic (0.4-0.6) in 11 evaluation of peripheral vascular insufficiency in
cases and severe ischemic changes (< 0.4) were seen symptomatic or asymptomatic diabetic patients thus
in 3 cases. The presence of peripheral calcification making color duplex imaging with spectral waveform
hindered the recording of ABI index in 23 cases. analysis an accurate method for grading the severity of
arterial stenotic disease.13 The most frequent site of
DISCUSSION stenosis found in this study was the dorsalis paedis
This study focused on a Doppler-based evaluation of the artery (24%) which contrasts with the findings of
vascular ischemia occurring in diabetics, which is an Ahluwalia et al.17 The latter found the ileofemoral
under-utilized modality in local practices. The WHO segment to be the most frequent site of stenosis
predicts that by the end of 2025 there will be a marked (36.4%). The presence of biphasic or monophasic flow
increase from the current diabetic population of 130 represent the severity if occlusive arterial disease is
million people to 300 million.10-11 Type 1 Diabetes is found, thus requiring prompt intervention.13 Resistive
characterized by an acute onset and requires insulin index (RI) is a quantitative analysis of the waveform and
treatment. Type II diabetes appears insidiously and is reflects resistance to blood flow.22 The resistive index
treated in a variety of ways, including a dietary regimen, was higher among the normal group (0.89 ± 0.20) and
oral hypoglycemic agents, insulin, or a combination of
lower in the stenotic group (0.563 ± 0.16) as favoured by
Suzuki et al.23
these. The mean age of diabetic patients in this study
was 55 ± 7.9 years corresponding with Zafar et al.,12 with
a predominance of male patients and type-II Diabetes The main limitation of this study was the lack of a control
mellitus as reported by William et al.13 The mean group. Another limitation was the cross-sectional
duration of illness was 9.87 ± 6.32 years. The chronic procurement of data that only showed point-frequency.

24 Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 2010, Vol. 20 (1): 22-25
A doppler-based evaluation of peripheral lower limb arterial insufficiency in diabetes mellitus

CONCLUSION Diabetes Care 1998; 21:1414-31. Comment in: Diabetes Care 1999;
22:650.
11. World Health Organization. World health report. Geneva: WHO;
The findings of this study suggested vascular
insufficiency in 62% of the patients with dorsalis paedis
1997.
being the commonest site of involvement. The
insufficiency was moderate and the flow was biphasic in 12. Basit A, Hydrie ZI, Hakeem R, Ahmedani MY, Masood Q.
Frequency of chronic complications of type-II diabetes.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2004; 14:79-83.
a majority of the cases. There was a significant
difference in resistive index at and above site of
13. Williams DT, Hardinh KG, Price P. An evaluation of the efficacy
stenosis. Most importantly, a majority of the affected
of methods used in screening for lower-limb arterial disease in
diabetes. Diabetes Care 2005; 28:2206-10.
patients had a normal glycemic status and the mean
duration of disease was almost a decade in patients
14. Selvin E, Erilinger TP. Prevalence of and risk factors for
exhibiting Doppler-documented vasculopathy.
peripheral arterial disease in the United States: results from the
Acknowledgement: We acknowledge Dr. Mahboob National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2000.
Afzal Jawaid for helping in writing the article. We also Circulation 2004; 110:738-43. Epub 2004 Jul 19.
acknowledge Dr. Zahid Iqbal and Dr. Kausar Jahan for 15. Van Houtum WH, Lavery LA, Harkless LB. The impact of
their help in data collection procedure. diabetes-related lower-extremity amputations in the Netherlands.
J Diabetes Complications 1996; 10:325-30.

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