The fate of the claudicant--a prospective study of 1969 claudicants.
A prospective study of 1969 patients with intermittent claudication receiving placebo medication for a minimum of 1 year is reported. Patients were carefully monitored and only four patients were lost to follow-up. Annual mortality was 4.3%. Thirty-six patients developed a definite myocardial infarction, 27 a major stroke, 32 required a major amputation and 111 required surgical or radiological intervention for deteriorating ischaemia of the leg. The entry characteristics of the patients were analysed as a predictor of serious cardiovascular events. The most sensitive predictors of total mortality were age, history of coronary heart disease and an ankle/arm pressure ratio below 0.5. Of the laboratory measurements performed only the initial white cell count was a significant predictor of myocardial infarction, stroke and vascular deaths.
Dormandy
J A
JA
St George's Hospital, London, U.K.
Murray
G D
GD
D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D010919:Placebos; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D010919:Placebos