Supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication in a community-based setting is as effective as clinic-based

ObjectiveThis cohort study was conducted to determine the effect on walking distances of supervised exercise therapy provided in a community-based setting.MethodsThe study included all consecutive patients presenting at the vascular outpatient clinic with intermittent claudication, diagnosed by a resting ankle brachial index <0.9, who had no previous peripheral vascular intervention for peripheral arterial disease, no major amputation, and sufficient command of the Dutch language. The exclusion criterion was the inability to walk the baseline treadmill test for a minimum of 10 m. The intervention was a supervised exercise therapy in a community-based setting. A progressive treadmill test at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months of follow-up measured initial claudication distance and absolute claudication distance. Changes were calculated using the mean percentages of change.ResultsFrom January through October 2005, 93 consecutive patients with claudication were eligible. Overall, 37 patients discontinued the supervised exercise therapy program. Eleven stopped because of intercurrent diseases, whereas for 10, supervised exercise therapy did not lead to adequate improvement and they underwent a vascular intervention. Three patients quit the program, stating that they were satisfied with the regained walking distance and did not require further supervised exercise therapy. Ten patients were not motivated sufficiently to continue the program, and in three patients, a lack of adequate insurance coverage was the reason for dropping out. Data for 56 patients were used and showed a mean percentage increase in initial claudication distance of 187% after 3 months and 240% after 6 months. The mean percentage of the absolute claudication distance increased 142% after 3 months and 191% after 6 months.ConclusionSupervised exercise therapy in a community-based setting is a promising approach to providing conservative treatment for patients with intermittent claudication

Comparative analysis of inflamed and non-inflamed colon biopsies reveals strong proteomic inflammation profile in patients with ulcerative colitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Accurate diagnostic and monitoring tools for ulcerative colitis (UC) are missing. Our aim was to describe the proteomic profile of UC and search for markers associated with disease exacerbation. Therefore, we aimed to characterize specific proteins associated with inflamed colon mucosa from patients with acute UC using mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Biopsies were sampled from rectum, sigmoid colon and left colonic flexure from twenty patients with active proctosigmoiditis and from four healthy controls for proteomics and histology. Proteomic profiles of whole colonic biopsies were characterized using 2D-gel electrophoresis, and peptide mass fingerprinting using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was applied for identification of differently expressed protein spots.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 597 spots were annotated by image analysis and 222 of these had a statistically different protein level between inflamed and non-inflamed tissue in the patient group. Principal component analysis clearly grouped non-inflamed samples separately from the inflamed samples indicating that the proteomic signature of colon mucosa with acute UC is strong. Totally, 43 individual protein spots were identified, including proteins involved in energy metabolism (triosephosphate isomerase, glycerol-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase, alpha enolase and L-lactate dehydrogenase B-chain) and in oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, thioredoxins and selenium binding protein).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A distinct proteomic profile of inflamed tissue in UC patients was found. Specific proteins involved in energy metabolism and oxidative stress were identified as potential candidate markers for UC.</p

Functional claudication distance: a reliable and valid measurement to assess functional limitation in patients with intermittent claudication

BACKGROUND: Disease severity and functional impairment in patients with intermittent claudication is usually quantified by the measurement of pain-free walking distance (intermittent claudication distance, ICD) and maximal walking distance (absolute claudication distance, ACD). However, the distance at which a patient would prefer to stop because of claudication pain seems a definition that is more correspondent with the actual daily life walking distance. We conducted a study in which the distance a patient prefers to stop was defined as the functional claudication distance (FCD), and estimated the reliability and validity of this measurement. METHODS: In this clinical validity study we included patients with intermittent claudication, following a supervised exercise therapy program. The first study part consisted of two standardised treadmill tests. During each test ICD, FCD and ACD were determined. Primary endpoint was the reliability as represented by the calculated intra-class correlation coefficients. In the second study part patients performed a standardised treadmill test and filled out the Rand-36 questionnaire. Spearman's rho was calculated to assess validity. RESULTS: The intra-class correlation coefficients of ICD, FCD and ACD were 0.940, 0.959, and 0.975 respectively. FCD correlated significantly with five out of nine domains, namely physical function (rho = 0.571), physical role (rho = 0.532), vitality (rho = 0.416), pain (rho = 0.416) and health change (rho = 0.414). CONCLUSION: FCD is a reliable and valid measurement for determining functional capacity in trained patients with intermittent claudication. Furthermore it seems that FCD better reflects the actual functional impairment. In future studies, FCD could be used alongside ICD and ACD

From the Cochrane library: Ginkgo biloba for intermittent claudication

Background: Patients with intermittent claudication suffer from pain in the muscles of the legs during exercise that is relieved by a short rest. Ginkgo biloba extract is a vasoactive agent used for symptomatic relief in intermittent claudication. In this article a meta-analysis is discussed that assessed the effect of Ginkgo biloba on walking capacity in patients with intermittent claudication. Patients and methods: The Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group searched their Trials Register and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in The Cochrane Library. Furthermore MEDLINE/PUBMED (until May 2008) and EMBASE (until May 2008) were searched and manufacturers of Ginkgo biloba extract were contacted. Randomized controlled trials of Ginkgo biloba extract versus placebo in people with intermittent claudication were included. Two authors independently assessed trials for selection, assessed study quality and extracted data. To standardize walking distance or time, caloric expenditures were used to correct for the different treadmill protocols. Results: Eleven trials involving 477 participants compared Ginkgo biloba with placebo and assessed the absolute claudication distance (maximal walking distance). At the end of the study the absolute claudication distance increased with an overall effect size of 3.57 kilocalories ( p = 0.06), for treatment with Ginkgo biloba, compared to placebo. This translates to an increase of 64.5 meters (confidence interval -1.8 to 130.7) on a flat treadmill with an average speed of 3.2 km/h. Conclusions: There is no evidence that Ginkgo biloba has a clinically significant benefit for patients with intermittent claudication

Treatment for intermittent claudication and the effects on walking distance and quality of life

The objective of the study was to provide an overview of the most common treatments for intermittent claudication and to determine the effectiveness in improving walking distance and quality of life based on a combination of direct and indirect evidence. We included trials that compared: angioplasty, surgery, exercise therapy or no treatment for intermittent claudication. Outcome measurements were walking distance (maximum, pain-free) and quality of life (physical, mental). We used a network meta-analysis model for the combination of direct and indirect evidence. We included 42 studies, presenting 3106 participants. The network meta-analysis showed that supervised exercise therapy (Delta = 1.62, P <0.01), angioplasty (Delta = 1.89, P <0.01) and surgery (Delta = 2.72, P = 0.02) increased walking distance significantly more than no treatment. Furthermore, supervised exercise therapy (Delta = 0.60, P <0.01), angioplasty (Delta = 0.91, P = 0.01) and surgery (Delta = 1.07, P <0.01) increased physical quality of life more than no treatment. However, in the sensitivity analysis, only supervised exercise therapy had additional value over no symptomatic treatment (Delta = 0.66, P <0.01). In conclusion, this network meta-analysis indicates that supervised exercise therapy is more effective in both increasing walking distance and physical quality of life, compared with no treatment. Angioplasty and surgery also increase walking distance, compared with no treatment, but results for physical quality of life are less convincin

Reliability of treadmill testing in peripheral arterial disease: a meta-regression analysis

A meta-regression analysis was conducted to identify the most reliable treadmill protocol for the assessment of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).status: publishe

Additional supervised exercise therapy after a percutaneous vascular intervention for peripheral arterial disease: a randomized clinical trial

To determine whether a percutaneous vascular intervention (PVI) combined with supplemental supervised exercise therapy (SET) is more effective than a PVI alone in improving walking ability in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD). In this prospective randomized trial, patients with PAD treated with a PVI were eligible. Exclusion criteria were major amputation or tissue loss, comorbidity preventing physical activity, insufficient knowledge of the Dutch language, no insurance for SET, and prior participation in a SET program. All patients received a PVI and subsequently were randomly assigned to either the PVI alone group (n = 35) or the PVI + SET group (n = 35). The primary outcome parameter was the absolute claudication distance (ACD). This trial was registered at Clinical trials.gov, NCT00497445. The study included 70 patients, most of whom were treated for an aortoiliac lesion. The mean difference in ACD at 6 months of follow-up was 271.3 m (95% confidence interval [CI] 64.0-478.6, P = .011) in favor of additional SET. In the PVI alone group, 1 (3.7%) patient finished the complete treadmill test compared with 11 (32.4%) patients in the PVI + SET group (P = .005). Physical health-related quality-of-life score was 44.1 ± 7.8 in the PVI alone group compared with 41.9 ± 9.5 in the PVI + SET group, which was a nonsignificant difference (P = .34). SET following a PVI is more effective in increasing walking distance compared with a PVI alone. These data indicate that SET is a useful adjunct to a PVI for the treatment of PA

Extending the Range of Treadmill Testing for Patients with Intermittent Claudication

NICOLAI, S. P. A., P. LEFFERS, L. M. KRUIDENIER, R. A. DE BIE, M. H. PRINS, and J. A. W. TEIJINK. Extending the Range of Treadmill Testing for Patients with Intermittent Claudication. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 640-645, 2010. Purpose: There is a need to evaluate patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) with a limited or extended walking distance. We aimed to enable an estimation of walking distance as measured on a frequently used "standard" graded (3.2 km.h(-1), 2% increase per 2 min) protocol for walking distances measured on protocols with a lower or higher workload. Methods: Patients with PAD and an absolute claudication distance (ACD) o