Peripheral arterial disease: diagnosis and management

Recommendation ID: CG147/6
Question: What is the most clinically and cost-effective tool for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease in people with diabetes?
Any explanatory notes (if applicable): People with diabetes are at higher risk of cardiovascular events and foot problems such as diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage or degeneration), foot ulcer and limb loss. So it is important to have an effective test for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease in this group. At present there are only studies of very low quality (retrospective and prospective cross‑sectional studies) containing small sample sizes. Diagnostic accuracy studies are needed to address this issue, ideally containing cost–utility analysis, comparing diagnostic tools with imaging. In order to explore the importance of early diagnosis, different clinical settings where diagnostic tests are performed should be explored.

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Is this a recommendation for the use of a technology only in the context of research?	No
Is it a recommendation that suggests collection of data or the establishment of a register?	No
Last Reviewed	01/12/2020