title: Benefits of a supervised exercise program after lower limb bypass surgery.
abstract: This study evaluated the efficacy of an exercise program after arterial bypass surgery. Patients undergoing bypass surgery were randomized to a control group (group I), with standard preoperative and postoperative care, or the intervention group (group II) with a supervised exercise program of twice-weekly treadmill assessments from 4 to 10 weeks postoperatively. Ankle-brachial pressure indices and hemodynamic measurements were recorded before and after exercise. The mean increase of maximum walking distance was 3.8% in group I and 175.4% in group II (P = .001). There was a significant difference between group I and II in the mean ankle-brachial pressure indices increase at the second assessment (0.08 versus 0.23; P = .02). A supervised exercise program leads to better improvement after lower limb bypass surgery for ischemia, but the feasibility of a formal exercise program would be undermined by the reluctance of patients to participate, both in the short-term and long-term.
authors.affiliation: Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Department, Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Stephen@Badger.tc
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Badger
authors.forename: Chee V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Soong
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: Colm A G
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Boreham
authors.forename: Kathy E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: McGuigan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000098:blood supply; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures; D016138:Walking