The effect of exercise intensity on the response to exercise rehabilitation in patients with intermittent claudication.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this randomized trial was to compare the efficacy of a low-intensity exercise rehabilitation program vs a high-intensity program in changing physical function, peripheral circulation, and health-related quality of life in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients limited by intermittent claudication.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients randomized to low-intensity exercise rehabilitation and 33 patients randomized to high-intensity exercise rehabilitation completed the study. The 6-month exercise rehabilitation programs consisted of intermittent treadmill walking to near maximal claudication pain 3 days per week at either 40% (low-intensity group) or 80% (high-intensity group) of maximal exercise capacity. Total work performed in the two training regimens was similar by having the patients in the low-intensity group exercise for a longer duration than patients in the high-intensity group. Measurements of physical function, peripheral circulation, and health-related quality of life were obtained on each patient before and after the rehabilitation programs.


RESULTS
After the exercise rehabilitation programs, patients in the two groups had similar improvements in these measures. Initial claudication distance increased by 109% in the low-intensity group (P < .01) and by 109% in the high-intensity group (P < .01), and absolute claudication distance increased by 61% (P < 0.01) and 63% (P < .01) in the low-intensity and high-intensity groups, respectively. Furthermore, both exercise programs elicited improvements (P < .05) in peak oxygen uptake, ischemic window, and health-related quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
The efficacy of low-intensity exercise rehabilitation is similar to high-intensity rehabilitation in improving markers of functional independence in PAD patients limited by intermittent claudication, provided that a few additional minutes of walking is accomplished to elicit a similar volume of exercise.
Gardner
Andrew W
AW
CMRI Metabolic Research Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73117, USA. Andrew-gardner@ouhsc.edu
Montgomery
Polly S
PS
Flinn
William R
WR
Katzel
Leslie I
LI
D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011336:Probability; D011788:Quality of Life; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome