Comparison between subjective and objective methods to assess functional capacity during clinical treatment in patients with intermittent claudication.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze if there is any relation between functional capacity assessed by subjective and objective methods regarding the current state and after clinical treatment in patients with intermittent claudication.


METHODS
A total of 500 patients with intermittent claudication were enrolled. All patients underwent clinical examination and a functional evaluation by subjective (clinical visit) and objective method (treadmill test). Additionally, 50 patients were selected to evaluate the effect of clinical treatment by subjective and objective methods in relation to functional capacity.


RESULTS
Out of 500 patients, only 60 (12.0%) had similar results in both methods. The remaining, that is 440 patients (88.0%) had subject values in disagreement with stress test findings. Regarding the clinical effect of the treatment on the functional outcomes, results were similar in both methods (χ²=1.7; p=0.427).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the subjective method overestimates the functional capacity when compared to the objective method, no significant differences were observed between both methods when analyzing the effect of clinical treatment. Thus, the subjective method provides similar information as compared with objective method, in monitoring the clinical treatment of patients with intermittent claudication.
Gabriel Grizzo
GG
Cucato
Antônio Eduardo
AE
Zerati
Marcel da Rocha
Mda R
Chehuen
Raphael Mendes
RM
Ritti-Dias
Glauco
G
Saez
Luciana
L
Ragazzo
Pedro
P
Puech-Leão
Nelson
N
Wolosker
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D016138:Walking