Functional status measured by walking impairment questionnaire and cardiovascular risk prediction in peripheral arterial disease: results of the Peripheral Arteriopathy and Cardiovascular Events (PACE) study

Pathophysiological interactions between sarcopenia and type 2 diabetes: A two-way street influencing diagnosis and therapeutic options

This review will try to elucidate the interconnected pathophysiology of sarcopenia and type 2 diabetes (T2D) and will try to identify a common pathway to explain their development. To this end, the PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for articles published about the underlying pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of both sarcopenia and T2D. The medical subject heading (MeSH) terms 'sarcopenia' AND 'diabetes mellitus' AND ('physiopathology' OR 'diagnosis' OR 'therapeutics' OR 'aetiology' OR 'causality') were used. After screening, 32 papers were included. It was evident that sarcopenia and T2D share multiple pathophysiological mechanisms. Common changes in muscle architecture consist of a shift in myocyte composition, increased myosteatosis and a decreased capacity for muscle regeneration. Further, both diseases are linked to an imbalance in myokine and sex hormone production. Chronic low-grade inflammation and increased levels of oxidative stress are also known pathophysiological contributors. In the future, research efforts should be directed towards discovering common checkpoints in the development of T2D and sarcopenia as possible shared therapeutic targets for both diseases. Current treatment for T2D with biguanides, incretins and insulin may already convey a protective effect on the development of sarcopenia. Furthermore, attention should be given to early diagnosis of sarcopenia within the population of people with T2D, given the sizeable physical and medical burden it encompasses. A combination of simple diagnostic techniques could be used at regular diabetes check-ups to identify sarcopenia at an early stage and start lifestyle modifications and treatment as soon as possible.

Objective assessment of functional capacity in patients with peripheral artery disease: a narrative review

INTRODUCTION

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients with claudication symptoms exhibit impaired functional capacity, which has been associated with disease severity, worse quality of life and higher risk of cardiovascular events. Different tests have been used to assess functional capacity in PAD patients. Therefore, understanding the characteristics, strengths and limitations of these tests are important to support the choice of tests to be used in clinical practice.

AREAS COVERED

This review summarizes the main methods to assess functional capacity in PAD patients, discussing their psychometric properties, applications, and limitations.

EXPERT OPINION

Robust evidence supports the use of treadmill and six-minute walk tests in PAD patients, as their results are associated with clinically meaningful outcomes, adequate psychometric properties and are sensitive to effects of interventions. On the other hand, other functional tests (Shuttle-walk test, outdoor walking capacity test, timed-up and go, four-meter walk test, heel-rise test, short physical performance battery and modified physical performance battery) are related to activities of daily living and do not require sophisticated equipment and can be easily used in clinical practice. However, these other tests still need evidence regarding their clinical relevance, reliability, and ability to detect long-term intervention changes, providing further investigation directions.

Asia-Pacific Consensus Statement on the Management of Peripheral Artery Disease: A Report from the Asian Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Disease Asia-Pacific Peripheral Artery Disease Consensus Statement Project Committee

BACKGROUND

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is the most underdiagnosed, underestimated and undertreated of the atherosclerotic vascular diseases despite its poor prognosis. There may be racial or contextual differences in the Asia-Pacific region as to epidemiology, availability of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, and even patient treatment response. The Asian Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Diseases (APSAVD) thus coordinated the development of an Asia-Pacific Consensus Statement (APCS) on the Management of PAD.

OBJECTIVES

The APSAVD aimed to accomplish the following: 1) determine the applicability of the 2016 AHA/ACC guidelines on the Management of Patients with Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease to the Asia-Pacific region; 2) review Asia-Pacific literature; and 3) increase the awareness of PAD.

METHODOLOGY

A Steering Committee was organized to oversee development of the APCS, appoint a Technical Working Group (TWG) and Consensus Panel (CP). The TWG appraised the relevance of the 2016 AHA/ACC PAD Guideline and proposed recommendations which were reviewed by the CP using a modified Delphi technique.

RESULTS

A total of 91 recommendations were generated covering history and physical examination, diagnosis, and treatment of PAD-3 new recommendations, 31 adaptations and 57 adopted statements. This Asia-Pacific Consensus Statement on the Management of PAD constitutes the first for the Asia-Pacific Region. It is intended for use by health practitioners involved in preventing, diagnosing and treating patients with PAD and ultimately the patients and their families themselves.

Low Walking Impairment Questionnaire score after a recent myocardial infarction identifies patients with polyvascular disease

Objectives

To evaluate whether the Walking Impairment Questionnaire score could identify patients with polyvascular disease in a population with recent myocardial infarction and their association with cardiovascular events during two-year follow-up.

Design

A prospective observational study.

Setting

Patients admitted to the acute coronary care unit, the Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University Hospital.

Participants

Patients admitted with acute Non-STEMI- or STEMI-elevation myocardial infarction.

Main outcome measures

The Walking Impairment Questionnaire, developed as a self-administered instrument to assess walking distance, speed, and stair climbing in patients with peripheral artery disease, predicts future cardiovascular events and mortality. Two hundred and sixty-three patients with recent myocardial infarction answered Walking Impairment Questionnaire. Polyvascular disease was defined as abnormal findings in the coronary- and carotid arteries and an abnormal ankle–brachial index. The calculated score for each of all three categories were divided into quartiles with the lowest score in first quartile.

Results

The lowest (worst) quartile in all three Walking Impairment Questionnaire categories was associated with polyvascular disease, fully adjusted; distance, odds ratio (OR) 5.4 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8–16.1); speed, OR 7.4 (95% CI 1.5–36.5); stair climbing, OR 8.4 (95% CI 1.0–73.6). In stair climbing score, patients with the lowest (worst) score had a higher risk for the composite cardiovascular endpoint compared to the highest (best) score; hazard ratio 5.3 (95% CI 1.5–19.0). The adherence to medical treatment was high (between 81.7% and 99.2%).

Conclusions

The Walking Impairment Questionnaire is a simple tool to identify myocardial infarction patients with more widespread atherosclerotic disease and although well treated medically, stair climbing predicts cardiovascular events.

Acupuncture Combined with Hydrotherapy in Diabetes Patients with Mild Lower-Extremity Arterial Disease: A Prospective, Randomized, Nonblinded Clinical Study

Background

The aim of this pragmatic study was to explore the intervention of acupuncture combined with hydrotherapy and perceived effects in type 2 diabetic patients with recently diagnosed, mild, lower-extremity arterial disease (LEAD) in comparison with a control group.

Material/Methods

One hundred twenty-six diabetes patients who were diagnosed mild LEAD according to ankle-brachial blood pressure index (ABPI) and peripheral neuropathy symptom were randomly assigned to either an experimental (n=64) or control group (n=62). The experimental group attended and completed (1) a 30-min session of acupuncture in certain selected points, and (2) a 30-min hydrotherapy exercise every 2 days for 15 weeks. The outcome parameters were assessed at baseline, after intervention, and at 6-week follow-up.

Results

The intervention was associated with an improvement in leg flow conductance and partial physical capacities, including chair-sit-and-reach, the walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ), and physical component summary score (PCS), compared to the control group. The treatment benefits were sustained throughout the 6-week follow-up endpoint. There was no difference in fasting glucose levels, Hb1Ac, blood pressure, or BMI after the intervention. At the endpoint of 6-week follow-up, acupuncture plus hydrotherapy appeared to reduce inflammatory response by decreasing IL-6, TNF-α, malondialdehyde, and SOD, and increasing glutathione.

Conclusions

Acupuncture plus hydrotherapy, without significant glycemic-controlling effects in the type 2 diabetic patients with mild LEAD, exerts a measurable benefit in disease-specific physical functions and health-related quality of life. Our results suggest that the combined therapy regulates the inflammatory process and oxidative stress and contributes to immune protection.

Validation of the Korean version of the walking impairment questionnaire in patients with peripheral arterial disease

Purpose

Intermittent claudication is the most common early symptom of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ) is a short, inexpensive, easy-to-complete questionnaire to assess intermittent claudication and can provide data of usual walking. The purpose of this study is to validate the new Korean version of WIQ.

Methods

Total 51 patients with claudication were enrolled. While 4 patients were dropped out, 47 patients with claudication into were divided groups based on the treatment received: surgery (n = 33) and medication (n = 14). The surgery group was subdivided into the bypass (n = 13) and intervention (n = 20) groups. WIQ score, ankle-brachial index (ABI), and treadmill test scores were assessed initially and after 12 weeks.

Results

The WIQ scores were significantly correlated with ABI and pain-free walking distance (PFWD) and maximum walking distance (MWD) in all groups (except for MWD in the intervention group). Speed and stair-climb scores (2 WIQ domains) were well correlated with ABI, PFWD, and MWD. Distance scores were mostly correlated with ABI, PFWD, and MWD in all groups except ABI in the bypass and intervention groups and MWD in the bypass group. Reproducibility was observed in all groups (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.8).

Conclusion

The Korean version of the WIQ is valid and reproducible, and can be effectively used to assess Korean patients with intermittent claudication.

The Walking Speed Questionnaire: Assessing Walking Speed in a Self-reported Format

OBJECTIVES

The literature increasingly demonstrates the importance of gait speed (GS) in the frailty assessment of patients aged 60 years and older. Conventional GS measurement, however, maybe contraindicated in settings such as trauma where the patient is temporarily immobilized. We devised a Walking Speed Questionnaire (WSQ) to allow assessment of preinjury baseline GS, in meters per second, in a self-reported manner, to overcome the inability to directly test the patients' walking speed.

DESIGN

Four questions comprise the WSQ, and were derived using previously published questionnaires and expert opinion of 6 physician-researchers.

SETTING

Four ambulatory clinics.

PARTICIPANTS

Ambulating individuals aged 60-95 (mean age, 73.2 ± 8.1 years, 86.1% female, n = 101).

INTERVENTION

Participants completed the WSQ and underwent GS measurement for comparison.

ANALYSIS

WSQ score correlation to true GS, receiver operating characteristics, and validation statistics were performed.

RESULTS

All 4 questions of the WSQ independently predicted true GS significantly (P < 0.001). The WSQ sufficiently predicted true GS with r = 0.696 and ρ = 0.717.

CONCLUSIONS

The WSQ is an effective tool for assessing baseline walking speed in patients aged 60 years and older in a self-reported manner. It permits gait screening in health care environments where conventional GS testing is contraindicated due to temporary immobilization and maybe used to provide baseline targets for goal-oriented post-trauma care. Given its ability to capture GS in patients who are unable to ambulate, it may open doors for frailty research in previously unattainable populations.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Diagnostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Validation of a Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Walking Estimated-Limitation Calculated by History (WELCH)

Background

The Walking Estimated-Limitation Calculated by History (WELCH) questionnaire has been proposed to evaluate walking impairment in patients with intermittent claudication (IC), presenting satisfactory psychometric properties. However, a Brazilian Portuguese version of the questionnaire is unavailable, limiting its application in Brazilian patients.

Objective

To analyze the psychometric properties of a translated Brazilian Portuguese version of the WELCH in Brazilian patients with IC.

Methods

Eighty-four patients with IC participated in the study. After translation and back-translation, carried out by two independent translators, the concurrent validity of the WELCH was analyzed by correlating the questionnaire scores with the walking capacity assessed with the Gardner treadmill test. To determine the reliability of the WELCH, internal consistency and test-retest reliability with a seven-day interval between the two questionnaire applications were calculated.

Results

There were significant correlations between the WELCH score and the claudication onset distance (r = 0.64, p = 0.01) and total walking distance (r = 0.61, p = 0.01). The internal consistency was 0.84 and the intraclass correlation coefficient between questionnaire evaluations was 0.84. There were no differences in WELCH scores between the two questionnaire applications.

Conclusion

The Brazilian Portuguese version of the WELCH presents adequate validity and reliability indicators, which support its application to Brazilian patients with IC.

Impact of endovascular therapy on oxidative stress in patients with peripheral artery disease

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerosis is believed to be caused by oxidative stress. Endovascular therapy (EVT) is effective for claudication of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, its effect on oxidative stress in PAD patients is unknown. Here, the impact of EVT on oxidative stress in PAD patients is investigated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Twenty-five PAD patients (Rutherford stage II or III) who underwent EVT were enrolled. The levels of diacron-reactive oxygen metabolite (d-ROM; an oxidative stress marker), ankle-brachial index (ABI), and maximum walking distance at baseline and at 3 months after EVT were measured. As compared with baseline values, the maximum walking distance and ABI improved significantly after EVT (109.9±104.2 vs. 313.7±271.8m, P<0.0001; 0.61±0.15 vs. 0.91±0.13m, P<0.0001, respectively). The improved exercise capacity and arterial flow induced a significant decrease in d-ROM levels (from 472.8±64.8 to 390.2±46.7U.CARR; P<0.0001). The decrease in d-ROM levels after EVT was more prominent in PAD patients with a high baseline d-ROM level. The increased ABI (r=0.524, P=0.0007) and maximum walking distance (r=-0.416, P=0.039) after EVT were significantly correlated with the decreased d-ROM levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The improved exercise capacity and peripheral blood flow induced by EVT decreases oxidative stress in PAD patients.

Validation of the English version of the Walking Estimated-Limitation Calculated by History (WELCH) questionnaire in patients with intermittent claudication

The Walking Estimated-Limitation Calculated by History (WELCH) questionnaire has recently been proposed as a valid and simple instrument for assessing walking limitation in patients with intermittent claudication. The aim of this study was to validate an English version of the WELCH questionnaire in an English native population. Thirty-nine patients (ankle–brachial index 0.59 ± 0.16, age 65 ± 11 years, 82% male) completed an English version of the WELCH questionnaire. Maximum walking distance was measured objectively using the Gardner–Skinner treadmill test and the 6-minute walk test. The median WELCH score was 24 (9–39). Maximum walking distances were 412 m (149–675 m) for the treadmill test and 381 ± 88 m for the 6-minute walking test. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient was ρ = 0.59 between the WELCH score and treadmill distance ( p < 0.001) and ρ = 0.82 between the WELCH score and 6-minute walk distance ( p < 0.001). These findings suggest that the English version of the WELCH questionnaire is a valid instrument for assessing walking impairment in patients with intermittent claudication.

Walking impairment questionnaire improves mortality risk prediction models in a high-risk cohort independent of peripheral arterial disease status

BACKGROUND

The Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) is a subjective measure of patient-reported walking performance developed for peripheral arterial disease. The purpose of this study is to examine whether this simple tool can improve the predictive capacity of established risk models and whether the WIQ can be used in patients without peripheral arterial disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS

At baseline we assessed the walking distance, stair-climbing, and walking speed WIQ category scores among individuals who were undergoing coronary angiography. During a median follow-up of 5.0 years, there were 172 mortalities among 1417 study participants. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models showed that all 3 WIQ categories independently predicted future all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, including among individuals without peripheral arterial disease (P<0.001). Compared with the cardiovascular risk factors model, we observed significantly increased risk discrimination with a C-index of 0.741 (change in C-index, 0.040; 95% confidence interval, 0.011-0.068) and 0.832 (change in C-index, 0.080; 95% confidence interval, 0.034-0.126) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively. Examination of risk reclassification using the net reclassification improvement index showed a 48.4% (P<0.001) improvement for all-cause mortality and a 77.4% (P<0.001) improvement for cardiovascular mortality compared with the cardiovascular risk factors model.

CONCLUSIONS

All 3 WIQ categories independently predicted future all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Importantly, we found that this subjective measure of walking ability could be extended to patients without peripheral arterial disease. The addition of the WIQ scores to established cardiovascular risk models significantly improved risk discrimination and reclassification, suggesting broad clinical use for this simple, inexpensive test.

Physical activity intensity and cardiovascular risk by ankle-brachial index

A low ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events and mortality. Physical inactivity in individuals with a low ABI may further increase their risk for cardiovascular events. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the intensity of free-living physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by ABI status. During 2003-2004, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey included an accelerometer module and collected ABI data. Individuals were classified as having a normal (1-1.4) or low (< 1) ABI. The Framingham risk score (FRS) was used to determine CVD risk. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the association of total accelerometer counts and time spent at various physical activity intensity levels with FRS by ABI groups. Individuals with a low ABI spent less time engaging in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) (9.1 min/day vs 13.2 min/day; p = 0.06) when compared to those with a normal ABI. There were no differences in light intensity physical activity (LPA) or sedentary behavior between ABI groups. Total accelerometer counts were inversely related to FRS. MVPA, but not LPA, was inversely related to FRS in both normal and low ABI groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, these findings suggest that even modestly higher levels of physical activity may be beneficial for secondary risk prevention in this high-risk group.

The Walking Impairment Questionnaire stair-climbing score predicts mortality in men and women with peripheral arterial disease

OBJECTIVE

The Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) measures self-reported walking distance, walking speed, and stair-climbing ability in men and women with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We determined whether poorer WIQ scores are associated with higher all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in individuals with and without PAD.

METHODS

We identified 1048 men and women with and without PAD from Chicago-area medical centers. Participants completed the WIQ at baseline and were monitored for a median of 4.5 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to relate baseline WIQ scores with death, adjusting for age, sex, race, the ankle-brachial index (ABI), comorbidities, and other covariates.

RESULTS

During follow-up, 461 participants (44.0%) died, including 158 deaths from CVD. PAD participants in the lowest baseline quartile of the WIQ stair-climbing scores had higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.66, P = .02) and higher CVD mortality (hazard ratio, 3.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-7.47, P = .01) compared with those with the highest baseline WIQ stair-climbing score. Among PAD participants, there were no significant associations of lower baseline WIQ distance or speed scores with rates of all-cause mortality (P = .20 and P = .07 for trend, respectively) or CVD mortality (P = .51 and P = .33 for trend, respectively). Among non-PAD participants there were no significant associations of lower baseline WIQ stair-climbing, distance, or speed score with rates of all-cause mortality (P = .94, P = .69, and P = .26, for trend, respectively) or CVD mortality (P = .28, P = .68, and P = .78, for trend, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Among participants with PAD, lower WIQ stair-climbing scores are associated with higher all-cause and CVD mortality, independently of the ABI and other covariates.

Sarcopenia and diabetes: pathogenesis and consequences

Sarcopenia, loss of muscle mass with age, is considered as a major cause of frailty and decreased independence in the elderly population. On the other hand, ageing is associated with an increase in prevalence of diabetes. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiological basis of sarcopenia and its relationship to oxidative stress and insulin resistance state, which contribute to development of glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. We will also discuss some ideas on the consequences and treatment of sarcopenia.

Limitations of self-reported estimates of functional capacity using the Walking Impairment Questionnaire

OBJECTIVE

A potential issue with the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) is that it is relatively complex. We estimated the number of errors made by patients when self-completing the WIQ, and assessed the benefit of correcting missing, duplicate or paradoxical (i.e., reported lower difficulty for a higher-intensity task) answers.

DESIGN

Prospective non-interventional study.

MATERIALS

All consecutive new patients with claudication over a 3-month period.

METHODS

The WIQ was self-completed before patients performed a constant-load treadmill walking test (maximised to 750 m).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

We analysed the coefficient of determination of the linear relationship between overall WIQ score (mean of the available subscales when at least two subscales are available) and treadmill maximal walking distance (MWD), before and after correction of errors.

RESULTS

We studied 73 patients. Thirty-seven questionnaires had to be corrected for one or more errors. The coefficient of determination between the overall WIQ score and MWD was R(2) = 0.391 (n = 56) and R(2) = 0.426 (n = 73) before and after correction, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Supervision of self-completed WIQs detects errors in almost half of the questionnaires, resulting in a missing overall WIQ score in 23% of cases among uncorrected questionnaires. The overall WIQ score correlates only moderately with MWD, even after correction.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NIH database: NCT01114178.

Care of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus: a focus on frailty

The prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) increase with age, and its diagnosis and treatment in older people present a challenge. Applying evidence to elderly patients can be problematic, because older persons with frailty, multiple comorbidities, and functional disabilities are generally excluded from diabetes clinical trials. Frailty is characterized by multisystem decline and vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. Insulin resistance predicts frailty, and DM accelerates muscle strength loss. Geriatric diabetes care guidelines have refocused from risk factor control to geriatric syndromes. The European Diabetes Working Party guidelines for elderly type 2 DM patients consider frailty, recommending a conservative target (hemoglobin A1c <8%). Diabetic care-home residents with physical disabilities, cognitive impairment, tube feeding, and the inability to communicate pose particular challenges. Tight glycemic control for such patients increases the risk of hypoglycemia and significant functional decline; a mean hemoglobin A1c <7% did not protect them from care-home-acquired pneumonia. In conclusion, caring for elderly diabetic patients poses unique challenges. Little is known about diabetes care of elderly people with frailty, disabilities, or multiple comorbidities. The interrelationship between frailty and DM deserves further investigation. Practice guidelines for care-home residents with DM are needed to ensure quality of care.

The walking impairment questionnaire: an effective tool to assess the effect of treatment in patients with intermittent claudication

OBJECTIVE

Assessment of walking distance by treadmill testing is the most commonly used method to evaluate the effect of treatment in patients with peripheral arterial disease. However, treadmill testing is time consuming, relatively expensive, and does not adequately reflect real life functional ability. We hypothesized that the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) could be an alternative tool to assess objective improvement in functional walking ability of patients with intermittent claudication.

METHODS

This was a validation study. It was conducted through the outpatient clinic for vascular surgery. Patients with intermittent claudication were referred for supervised exercise therapy. Treadmill testing (absolute claudication distance [ACD]), WIQ, and quality of life questionnaires (RAND-36 and EuroQol) were administered at study onset and after 3 months of supervised exercise therapy. Responsiveness was determined by mean changes in and correlation coefficients of WIQ, ACD, and quality of life questionnaires. Patients were categorized into quartiles based on the increase in ACD, which were subsequently related to change in WIQ and quality of life.

RESULTS

The mean pre- and post-treatment total WIQ scores of 91 patients were 0.45 (0.22) and 0.58 (0.22), respectively. The correlation coefficient between the change in total WIQ score and ACD was 0.331 (P = .004). A 0.1 change in total WIQ score corresponded to a change of 345 meters in ACD. Analysis of the four quartiles compared to an increase in ACD showed that a greater increase in ACD corresponded with a greater increase in WIQ score, from 0.06 to 0.25 (P = .011).

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that the WIQ is a valid tool to detect improvement or deterioration in the daily walking ability of patients with intermittent claudication. Hence, the WIQ can be used as an alternative to treadmill testing for objective assessment of functional walking ability, both in daily practice and in clinical trials.

Pharmacologic therapy for intermittent claudication

Peripheral artery disease, defined as atherosclerosis in the lower extremities, affects nearly 8.5 million people in the United States. Due to the frequent asymptomatic manifestation of peripheral artery disease, diagnosis may be delayed and its true incidence underestimated. However, some patients may experience aching pain, numbness, weakness, or fatigue, a condition termed intermittent claudication. Peripheral atherosclerosis is associated with cardiovascular risk and physical impairment; therefore, treatment goals are aimed at decreasing cardiovascular risk, as well as improving quality of life. Little debate exists regarding the management of cardiovascular risk reduction, which consists of both antiplatelet therapy and risk factor modification. Despite recently published guidelines, the treatment of intermittent claudication is less well established and the management remains controversial and uncertain. Exercise remains the first-line therapy for intermittent claudication; however, pharmacologic treatment is often necessary. Although only two prescription drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of intermittent claudication, several supplements and investigational agents have been evaluated. Therapeutic optimization should balance the anticipated improvements in quality of life with the potential safety risks.

The association between physical activity and subclinical atherosclerosis: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Prior reports regarding the association between physical activity and subclinical cardiovascular disease have not been consistent. The authors assessed physical activity and walking pace via questionnaire among 6,482 US adults aged 45-84 years without prior clinical cardiovascular disease participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis from 2000 to 2002. Ankle-brachial index (ABI), coronary artery calcification, and internal and common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. Metabolic equivalent-hours/week of physical activity were calculated. These data were analyzed by using multivariable linear or relative prevalence regression in gender-specific strata. After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, clinic site, education, income, and smoking (model 1), increasing total, moderate + vigorous, and intentional-exercise physical activity were not associated with IMT or coronary artery calcification in either gender. These factors were associated with increased ABI (P<0.05) in women only. Walking pace was associated favorably with common carotid IMT, ABI, and coronary artery calcification in men and with common carotid IMT and ABI in women (all P<0.05) after adjustment for model 1 variables. These associations were attenuated and, for common carotid IMT, no longer significant when lipids, hypertension, diabetes, and body mass index were added to the model. These data suggest that walking pace is associated with less subclinical atherosclerosis; these associations may be mediated by cardiovascular disease risk factors.