title: The effect of pain-free treadmill training on fibrinogen, haematocrit, and lipid profile in patients with claudication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of pain-free treadmill training on changes of plasma fibrinogen, haematocrit, lipid profile, and walking ability in patients with claudication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized control trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight patients with peripheral obstructive arterial disease and intermittent claudication (Fontaine stage II) were randomly assigned into the treadmill training (repetitive intervals to onset of claudication pain, three times a week) or a control group (no change in physical activity) over 3 months. Both groups performed treadmill test to assess pain-free walking time (PFWT) and maximal walking time (MWT) and had blood analyses [for haematocrit, fibrinogen, triglycerides, and cholesterol: total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)] done at baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total and LDL cholesterol levels in the training group decreased (p < 0.05) by 14.8% and 20,5%, respectively. Significant (p < 0.05) HDL cholesterol increased (14.6%) and triglycerides decreased (19%) in the training group but changes of all these lipids were insignificant in the control group over the 3 months. Haematocrit and fibrinogen changes were insignificant in both groups. PFWT was prolonged by 109% and MWT increased by 54% in the training group (p < 0.01), but not in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improvement in walking time over 3 months of pain-free treadmill training parallels with progressive normalization of lipid profiles in patients with claudication.
authors: Department of Clinical Rehabilitation, University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland. piotrmika@poczta.fm
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Mika
authors: Boguslaw
authors: B
authors: Wilk
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Mika
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Marchewka
authors: Rafał
authors: R
authors: Nizankowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol