RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in type 2 diabetes patients and to measure the strength of the association of selected risk factors. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study including two hundred and fifty-two type 2 diabetes patients older than 40 years was conducted in three family medicine clinics, one clinic located within the city and two clinics in the suburb. PAD was diagnosed by Doppler pulsed in the patients with an ankle/arm index < 0.9. CLINICAL VARIABLES: Serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip index (WHI), blood pressure (BP) and fasting blood glucose average of the last six months. To ascertain the differences in the prevalence of PAD, chi(2) test was used; t test was used for quantitative variables; and to estimate the risks the odds ratios were calculated. RESULTS: Among urban population the prevalence of PAD was of 25.6% while for those living in the suburb was 9.8 % (p = 0.002). Serum levels of blood glucose and cholesterol were lower in the latter (p = 0.01 and p = 0.001 respectively). PAD was associated with serum blood glucose levels higher than 140 mg/dL (OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1-9.7); total cholesterol higher than 200 mg/dL (OR = 2.8; 95% CI: 1.1-7.4); proteinuria (OR = 4.9; 95% CI: 1.7-30.6) and blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.08-4.14). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of PAD was higher in type 2 diabetes patients receiving care in urban clinics when compared to those cared for at suburban family medicine clinics and its corresponding risk factors showed significant values.