Question

ABPI (ankle brachial pressure index) of imminent necrosis is

• A. < 0.3
• B. 0.3
• C. < 0.6
• D. > 0.6

Hint:

The lower the index, the worse the perfusion; necrosis looms at the very lowest value.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: The ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) compares systolic pressure at the ankle with that in the arm and grades the severity of peripheral arterial disease.

Step 2: Normal ABPI is about 0.9 to 1.3. Values fall as arterial disease worsens. Claudication appears around 0.5 to 0.9, and rest pain or critical limb ischaemia at roughly 0.4 or below.

Step 3: When the index drops very low, near \(0.3\) or less, tissue perfusion is so poor that ulceration, gangrene and imminent necrosis are expected. So \(< 0.3\) signals impending tissue death.

Step 4: The higher cut-offs of 0.3, 0.6 and > 0.6 reflect less severe disease and do not indicate imminent necrosis, so the answer is < 0.3.