Objective: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs due to atherosclerosis which causes stenosis or constriction in the main arteries feeding lower extremity. PAD includes arterial stenosis or occlusion caused by atheromatous plaques, thrombosis, arterial inflammation, arterial dilation/aneurysm or external pressure. Besides atherosclerosis, inflammation can have an important role in the progression of disease in the peripheral artery patients. Increased in the inflammatory markers can predict low-grade inflammation (LGI). These patients can be diagnosed and treated before disease reaches severe grades. Furthermore, preventing and treating low-grade inflammation in this group of patients can stop or slow down the progression of disease. In this study we aimed to compare inflammatory markers such as fibrinogen, CRP level and white blood cell count between peripheral artery patients and healthy individuals and investigate whether there is a relationship or not between LGI and PAD. 

Materials and method:  In this case control study, 162 people are included; 87 of them are diagnosed via lower extremity coloured Doppler USG and CT-angiography and remaining 75 are healthy individuals. Biochemical results of patients and control groups were examined. 

Results: Comparising the groups, statistical significance (p<0.05) was found acoording to gender, age, hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, blood glucose levels, blood creatinine levels, eGFR, HDL, triglyceride level, fibrinogem, WBC and CRP levels. In the group of periheric artery patients; ratio of male gender, HT, DM, smoking were found increased and higher levels of glucose, creatinine, triglyceride, fibrinogen, WBC, CRP were determined. 

Conclusion: In our study, inflammation biomarkers such as fibrinogen and CRP levels were found to be statistically significant in the PAH group, indicating that the LGI hypothesis may play a role in PAH. Large-volume prospective randomized controlled studies on this subject will be more enlightening.