title: Free-living physical activity as a novel outcome measure in patients with intermittent claudication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a method of event-based analysis that quantifies the fragmented nature of walking bouts in individuals with intermittent claudication [IC] and compare outcomes with age and gender-matched healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  The activPAL™ physical activity monitor.
  
  
  METHODS
  7-day physical activity patterns were compared between individuals with IC (n = 30) and controls matched for age and gender (n = 30). The ratio of the number of walking events to upright events was calculated to provide an event-based claudication index (EBCI) that represented the fragmented nature of walking bouts commonly reported in those with IC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with IC had a greater EBCI than age matched controls indicating a more fragmented walking pattern (5.8 ± 2.0 vs. 7.7 ± 3.1, p < 0.01). The difference between groups was more pronounced when the EBCI was calculated from upright events that included >400 steps (23.4 ± 11.3 vs. 35.8 ± 14.2, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The classic fragmented stop/start walking pattern universally described by individuals with IC can be quantified using the EBCI. This method of measurement potentially provides a novel method of assessing the effectiveness of clinical interventions for this patient group.
authors.affiliation: The School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, Scotland, UK. clare.clarke@gcu.ac.uk
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Holdsworth
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Granat
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy / Q000295:instrumentation; D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking