Data_Sheet_1_Low Toe–Brachial Index Is Associated With Stroke Outcome Despite Normal Ankle–Brachial Index.docx

Introduction: We investigated whether the toe–brachial index (TBI) is associated with stroke prognosis and evaluated this association in patients with normal ankle–brachial index (ABI).Methods: Acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent TBI measurements were enrolled. Poor functional outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale score ≥3. Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) was defined as stroke recurrence, myocardial infarction, or death. Normal ABI was defined as 0.9 ≤ ABI ≤ 1.4.Results: A total of 1,697 patients were enrolled and followed up for a median 39.7 (interquartile range, 25.7–54.6) months. During the period, 305 patients suffered MACE (18.0%), including 171 (10.1%) stroke recurrences. TBI was associated with hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, aortic plaque score, ABI, and brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (all p Conclusions: Low TBI is independently associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients despite normal ABI.</p