The role of pedometers in the assessment of intermittent claudication.
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate the role of pedometers in the assessment of patients with intermittent claudication by comparing them with treadmill testing, post-exercise ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) and physical function questionnaires.


METHODS
fifty patients with intermittent claudication were prospectively assessed by treadmill examination measuring maximum walking distance (MWD) and post-exercise ABPI. Three physical function questionnaires: (1) Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (MOS SF-36), Physical Function (PF). (2) MOS SF-36 Role limitation due to Physical Problems (RP). (3) Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) were completed. Pedometers were used for one week and the daily average number of steps taken by each patient recorded. Pedometers scores were compared with MWD, post-exercise ABPI and physical function questionnaires scores using Spearman correlation test.


RESULTS
pedometers estimation of daily physical activity moderately correlated with MWD (Rho=0.35, p=0.01), post-exercise ABPI (Rho=0.35, p=0.01), MOS-SF 36 PF (Rho=0.31, p=0.02), MOS-SF RP (Rho=0.28, p=0.05) and with WIQ (Rho=0.42, p=0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
they moderately correlate with treadmill testing, post-exercise ABPI, and with physical function questionnaires. Pedometers may provide a simple and cheap alternative for the assessment of physical and functional disability in intermittent claudication.
Nasr
M K
MK
Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK.
McCarthy
R J
RJ
Walker
R A
RA
Horrocks
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology