title: Walking Capacity Is Positively Related with Heart Rate Variability in Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease.
abstract: The aim was to investigate the association between walking capacity and HRV in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD).
  
  
  
  This was a cross sectional study. Ninety-five patients were recruited. Patients undertook a supine position for 20 minutes, with the final 10 minutes used to examine for resting HRV. Time domain, frequency domain, and non-linear indices were evaluated. A maximal treadmill test (Gardner protocol) was performed to assess maximal walking distance (MWD) and claudication distance (CD) in groups of PAD patients based upon their walking abilities (low, moderate, high). Differences between PAD patient groups were examined using non-parametric analyses, and Spearman rank correlations identified the relationship between MWD and CD, and HRV parameters.
  
  
  
  Symptomatic PAD patients with high MWD exhibited significantly greater HRV than patients with low MWD. Furthermore, MWD was positively associated with time domain and non-linear indices of HRV (all p < .05). However, no statistically significant correlations were observed between CD and HRV parameters or between PAD groups.
  
  
  
  A greater walking capacity is associated with better HRV in symptomatic PAD patients.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: aluisiolima@live.com.
authors.forename: A H R A
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education, University of Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: A H G
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Cucato
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Science, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Leicht
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: F G M
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wolosker
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ritti-Dias
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cardiac autonomic modulation; Cardiovascular risk; Intermittent claudication; Maximal walking distance