Predictors of change in walking distance in patients with peripheral arterial disease undergoing endovascular intervention.
BACKGROUND
Endovascular treatment of peripheral artery disease is becoming frequent, yet the clinical factors which predict ambulatory outcomes are not known.


OBJECTIVE
To identify predictors of change in walking distance in patients who underwent endovascular intervention for their lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD).


METHODS
A total of 134 patients underwent lower extremity peripheral arterial intervention, 52 patients were contacted via phone between 1 and 36 months (a mean of 22 mo) after their initial procedure. The remaining 82 patients were excluded due to the following reasons: death (n = 13), contact information was not available (n = 50), and refusal to participate in the follow-up (n = 19).


RESULTS
The patients were 63 +/- 12 years old (mean +/- standard deviation [SD]), 46% were male, 47% were diabetics, 49% had coronary artery disease, of whom 29% had prior revascularization, and 22% had coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG). The disease severity described by Fontaine classification were as follows: 44.2% were in stage II, 15.4% were in stage III, and 40.4% were in stage IV. Walking distance was improved in 21% of patients, worsened in 73% of patients, and unchanged in 6% of patients. Stepwise multiple regression demonstrated that patients who started to walk or exercise (R = 0.372, P < 0.012) and who had a prior history of CABG (R = 0.467, P < 0.006) were the only independent predictors of the change in walking distance at follow-up. Those who started to walk reported worse walking distance at follow-up, while those with a history of CABG reported better walking distance at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
CABG prior to endovascular intervention is predictive of favorable change in walking distance in patients with PAD at follow-up. Therefore, post-CABG patients are good candidates for exercise rehabilitation and risk factor modification.
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Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73190, USA.
Patel
J H
JH
Gardner
A W
AW
Hennebry
T A
TA
D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D016342:Angioplasty, Laser; D017073:Atherectomy; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003452:Cryosurgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking