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Study Description

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is the ratio of the ankle systolic blood pressure to the arm systolic blood pressure and provides a measure of lower extremity arterial disease. This testing was performed on Original Cohort Exam 23 (1) and Offspring Exam 6 (2), 7, and 8 as part of the core clinic visit. The ankle-arm Doppler protocol for exam 8 can be found in the Manual of Procedures for Offspring Exam 8, Section 4 part 3.

In 1948, researchers recruited men and women from the town of Framingham, Massachusetts, beginning the first round of extensive physical examinations and lifestyle interviews that would later be analyzed for common patterns related to CVD development.

Initially, the Framingham Heart Study enrolled 5209 men and women from the Framingham area who were between the ages of 28 and 62 years. Beginning in 1971, the Framingham Heart Study enrolled 5,124 men and women, who were either offspring of the original cohort or spouses of those offspring. In 2002, 4095 third generation participants (men and women) were enrolled.

During each clinic exam cycle, the participants undergo a detailed examination including physical examination, medical history, laboratory testing, and electrocardiogram. Over the years, other tests (that may not be performed at every exam cycle) have included pulmonary function, lifestyle, physical function, cognitive function questionnaires, and various noninvasive cardiovascular tests including echocardiograms. The content of each exam cycle differs for Original, Offspring and Generation 3 cohorts and can be found in the Exam Cycle Protocol Manuals.

Authorized Access
Publicly Available Data
Study Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Participants who did not come to the research clinic for exam 8 did not have this measurement.
Study History

Ankle arm Doppler systolic blood pressures were obtained on Original Cohort Exam 23 and Offspring Exam 6, 7, and 8 as part of the core clinic visit.

The Original cohort began Exam 1 in 1948 (9/1948 - 4/1953) and has continued with biennial examinations to the present. Exam 29 was performed from 4/2006 - 12/2007.

The Offspring cohort began Exam 1 in 1971 (8/1971 - 9/1975) and has on average been examined every 3 to 4 years since enrollment. However, there was an eight year window between Exam 1 and Exam 2. Exam 8 was performed from 3/2005 - 1/25/2008.

The Generation 3 cohort Exam 1 was performed 4/2002 - 7/2005.

Examination of all three cohorts is ongoing.

Selected Publications
Diseases/Traits Related to Study (MeSH terms)
Authorized Data Access Requests
Study Attribution
  • Principal Investigator
    • Philip A. Wolf, MD. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
  • Clinical Director, NHLBI's Framingham Heart Study
    • Joanne Murabito, MD. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, US.
  • Institute
    • National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, US.
  • Funding Source
    • N01-HC-25195. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, US.