title: High-intensity interval training for intermittent claudication in a vascular rehabilitation program.
abstract: This article reports an observational study investigating the safety and effectiveness of a high-intensity interval exercise program for patients with peripheral arterial disease. Patients were asked to walk on a treadmill to maximal claudication pain six times in each exercise session, with 3-minute rests in between. Once a patient could walk continuously for 6 minutes without reaching maximal pain, speed and/or grade was increased. To account for the changes in speed and grade, patients' walking ability was measured as a rehabilitation score, calculated as the product of the two. A total of 47 patients were included in the study. Results showed overall improvement in the rehabilitation score with participation in the program, and specifically showed that participation in more exercise sessions led to greater improvement. Moreover, no adverse events occurred in the study patients, suggesting patients with peripheral arterial disease can safely tolerate high-intensity exercise programs.
authors.affiliation: Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital, Dallas, Texas 75246, USA.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ogola
authors.forename: Pamala
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.forename: Phoebus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koutras
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hartman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012146:Rest; D012449:Safety; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013781:Texas; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking