Objective To evaluate the correlation between left ventricular function and arterial stiffness of left femoral artery in patients with lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD).Methods Thirty-three patients with LEAD and 37 healthy subjects (control group) were enrolled in this study.The intima-media thickness (IMT),diameter and parameters of arterial stiffness [dispensability coefficient (DC),compliance coefficient (CC),stiffness α,stiffness β,pulse wave velocity (PWVβ) ]were measured by ultrasonography with the technology of QIMT and QAS.The thickness of the interventricular septum (IVSd),end-diastolic left ventricular diameter (LVDd) and left ventricular mass (LVM),and parameters of the left ventriculsr function (EF,E/A,E'/A',E/E' and Tei index) were measured by echocardiography.These parameters were compared between two groups.Correlations between the parameters of the arterial stiffness and those of the cardiac function were evaluated by Pearson correlative analysis.Results ①The IVSd,LVM and E/E' ratio were significantly higher in LEAD group than those in control group ( P ＜0.05).There were no significant differences in EF,E/A,E'/A',and Tei index between two groups ( P ＞0.05).②The IMT,α,β,PWVβ of left femoral artery were significantly higher in LEAD group than those in control group,while DC and CC were significantly lower in LEAD group than those in control group ( P ＜0.05).③The E/E' ratio,one of the parameters representing the left ventricular diastolic function,was correlated negatively with CC and positively with α,β,and PWVβ ( P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01 ).The E'/A' ratio was correlated positively with DC and CC,and negatively with α,β,and PWVβ ( P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01 ).Both EF and Tei index were not significantly correlated with the above parameters of arterial stiffness ( P ＞0.05).Conclusions Patients with LEAD have thickened femoral IMT,higher arterial stiffness of left femoral artery,as well as impaired left ventricular function.There is a close correlation between the atherosclerosis of the femoral artery and the early left vcntricular dysfunction.