Peripheral arterial disease is not associated with an increased prevalence of intradialytic cramps in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.
OBJECTIVE
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has been suggested as a contributing factor to the development of intradialytic muscle cramps in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.


METHODS
To test this hypothesis, 122 patients from two dialysis centers were studied. The presence of PAD was determined by measurement of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in the lower extremities of patients pre- and postdialysis. The experience of intradialytic cramps was assessed using patient history and review of medical records.


RESULTS
PAD defined as a predialysis ABI < or =0.90 had an overall prevalence of 16.4% among patients studied. The prevalence of PAD was age-dependent, reaching 37.5% in patients 80-89 years old. Intradialytic muscle cramps were common, with 52.1% of patients reporting cramps within the previous two months, but there was no relationship between cramps during dialysis and PAD (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
PAD was common in hemodialysis patients, but there was no association between the presence of PAD and the prevalence of intradialytic muscle cramps.
Brass
Eric P
EP
Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, Calif. 90502, USA. ebrass@ucla.edu
Adler
Sharon
S
Sietsema
Kathy E
KE
Amato
Antonino
A
Esler
Anne
A
Hiatt
William R
WR
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009120:Muscle Cramp / Q000209:etiology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*