Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “INTERMITTENT CLAUDICATION”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,549 records · Page 86Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Changes in ankle brachial index in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects in the general population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine changes over time in the ankle brachial index (ABI) among subjects with and without intermittent claudication in the general population. DESIGN OF STUDY: Population cohort study. SETTING: General population in Edinburgh, Scotland. SUBJECTS: A total of 1592 men and women aged 55 to 74 years selected at random from age-sex registers of 11 general practices and followed up over 12 years. Main outcome measures Changes in ABI for each leg recorded at baseline in 1988 and at subsequent 5-year and 12-year clinical examinations. RESULTS: Overall, 695 subjects (348 men and 347 women) had valid ABI measurements on both legs at all three examinations. At baseline, the ABI was on average.03 higher in the right leg than the left (P < or =.001). Men had a mean ABI that was.07 higher than women (P < or =.001). Mean ABI in the worse leg showed little change over 12 years in both men and women. However, in the whole population, the ABI in the better leg showed a significant drop, 1.15 to 1.08 (P < or =.001). A total of 179 cases of intermittent claudication were identified during the 12-year follow-up. At baseline, ABI in the worse leg of the claudicants was significantly lower than in healthy subjects (.99 vs 1.08; P < or =.01). In claudicants, mean ABI in the worse leg fell by.04 over 5 years (P < or =.05) and in the better leg showed a highly significant drop of.09 (P < or =.001) to levels similar to those of the worse leg. CONCLUSIONS: The mean ABI in the worse leg of study subjects showed little progression over 12 years. Individuals with intermittent claudication experienced a greater decline in both legs compared with those without claudication. Deterioration occurred more rapidly in the limb with a higher ABI at baseline, which possibly indicates a systemic tendency to atherosclerosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Clinical analysis of two-level compression of the cauda equina and the nerve roots in lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

STUDY DESIGN: This study is a prospective, clinical study assessing the efficacy of selective decompression of the responsible level in two-level stenosis in accordance with neurologic findings defined by the gait load test, and functional diagnosis based on selective nerve root block. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the clinical features of two-level stenosis regarding the neurologic level responsible for the symptoms, neurogenic intermittent claudication, and the outcome of selective decompression. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Experimental studies have indicated that double-level compression of the cauda equina induces a more severe impairment of nerve function than does single-level compression. However, few studies have focused on the clinical importance of two-level stenosis. The clinical effects of two-level stenosis on the cauda equina and nerve roots are unknown. METHODS: A total of 81 patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis due to spondylosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis were divided into two groups, two-level stenosis at L3-L4 and L4-L5, and one-level stenosis at L4-L5, based on myelography. The types of neurogenic intermittent claudication, the level responsible for neurologic findings, and the postsurgical outcome were compared between both groups. The level responsible for the symptoms in two-level stenosis was determined in accordance with neurologic findings on the gait load test and functional diagnosis based on a selective nerve root block. All patients underwent a prospective, selective decompression at the neurologically responsible level only. The average follow-up period was 4.6 years (range, 1-8 years). RESULTS: The patients with two-level stenosis more frequently had cauda equina symptoms than those with one-level stenosis, except patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis. It was therefore assumed that two-level stenosis was associated with cauda equina impairment, Changes in neurologic condition before and after the gait test were observed in four patients with two-level stenosis. Finally, for 28 patients with two-level stenosis, the levels responsible for the neurologic symptoms were the caudal level (L4-L5) in 22 patients, the cranial level (L3-L4) in 1 patient, and both cranial and caudal levels (L3-L4 and L4-L5) in 5 patients. All stenotic levels on the myelogram were not always symptomatic in two-level stenosis. However, in one-level stenosis, all of the responsible levels completely corresponded to the myelogram. Selective decompression only at the neurologically responsible level improved neurogenic intermittent claudication in all patients. The asymptomatic levels at which the stenotic condition was left unchanged at surgery did not become symptomatic at follow-up; in addition, there was no significant difference in the postoperative outcome between two-level stenosis and one-level stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: Two-level stenosis in patients with lumbar spondylosis is associated with production of cauda equina lesions. The gait load test provides information regarding changes in symptoms and neurologic condition during exercise. The responsible levels should be determined based on neurologic findings after the gait load test and a selective nerve root block. It is uncommon for both stenotic levels to be symptomatic in patients with two-level stenosis. Less invasive surgery such as selective decompression for the responsible level in patients with two-level stenosis is a useful technique with a good potential for long-term success.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Atheroembolic renal failure requiring dialysis: potential for renal recovery? A review of 43 cases.

AIMS: Our objectives were to review the characteristics of patients who developed atheroembolic renal disease requiring dialysis as well as their renal function recovery and survival rates. METHODS: All cases of atheroembolic disease with renal failure severe enough to require dialysis were reviewed from January 1984 to December 2000 in two centers. The diagnosis of atheroemboli was based on clinical presentation and/or biopsy. Acute renal failure was defined as a serum creatinine >200 micromol/l if normal at baseline or doubling from baseline if chronic renal failure, whereas renal function recovery was the ability to discontinue renal replacement therapy for >or=3 months. RESULTS: Forty-three cases were identified (37 males and 6 females; mean age 67 +/- 5 years); the average time to acute renal failure and to diagnosis was similar at 36 days. The majority of patients had at least one precipitating factor identified (58% coronary angiography, 26% angiography, 16% vascular surgery, 2% anticoagulation); 1 had a spontaneous presentation whereas 7 had more than one factor. More than 90% had underlying hypertension and chronic renal dysfunction with a baseline creatinine of 195 +/- 81 micromol/l, approximately 80% had coronary artery disease, 80% were smokers, 60% had a history of abdominal aorta aneurysm, >50% presented with intermittent claudication, and 56% were anticoagulated at the time of the event. Most patients were nonoliguric (80%), had increased hypertension (71%), blue toes (67%), livedo reticularis (52%), whereas abdominal pain and central nervous system symptoms were present in 33 and 7% of the cases, respectively. Eosinophilia was found in 88%, while hypocomplementemia was present in less than 15%. When compared to the 12 patients with recovery of renal function (after a mean delay of 409 +/- 336 days), the 31 patients who did not recover function presented with more severe intermittent claudication and underlying chronic renal dysfunction (p < 0.05). Indeed, the only variable found to unfavorably influence renal function recovery was the presence of intermittent claudication. Patients were mainly treated by intermittent hemodialysis except for 5 (2 on CRRT and 3 on peritoneal dialysis). Renal function recovery was associated with a higher chance of survival; 33% of patients died in the first year after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Atheroembolic renal disease carries a high mortality rate reflective of the extensive cardiovascular disease of affected patients; nevertheless, the potential for renal function recovery appears greater than for other vascular causes of renal failure.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1983

Impedance plethysmography. Noninvasive diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis and arterial insufficiency.

The versatility of impedance plethysmography (IPG) in the diagnosis of arterial and venous disease was evaluated in the clinical setting. Eighty-eight consecutive patients suspected of acute or chronic deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and undergoing ascending venography were evaluated using IPG. Venous capacitance (VC) and venous outflow (VO) were expressed as a per cent impedance change (% delta I). The evaluation was considered as abnormal if the VC was less than 1.85% delta I and the VO less than 0.95% delta I. The overall accuracy was 90 per cent with a sensitivity of 92 per cent and specifity of 93 per cent. Arterial blood flow (ABF) was measured in normal volunteers (20 limbs) and patients with intermittent claudication (20 limbs) and rest pain (16 limbs). Resting ABF (cc/100 ml/min) did not differ (P greater than 0.05) in the normal volunteer (4.3 +/- 0.4) and patients with intermittent claudication (4.6 +/- 0.5), but both were significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than ABF in patients with rest pain (3.2 +/- 0.2). Peak ABF during reactive hyperemia (RH) was significantly greater (P less than 0.001) in normal volunteers (24.8 +/- 1.6) than in claudicators (10.5 +/- 1.3), and both flows were significantly greater (P less than 0.0001) than the peak ABF in patients with rest pain (5.3 +/- 0.5). IPG may be used in the assessment of arterial and venous disease. It provides a sensitive test with which to screen patients with suspected DVT. In addition, it is a valuable adjunct in differentiating normal limbs from those with intermittent claudication and/or rest pain.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗
PubMed2001

Indobufen: an updated review of its use in the management of atherothrombosis.

UNLABELLED: Indobufen inhibits platelet aggregation by reversibly inhibiting the platelet cyclooxygenase enzyme thereby suppressing thromboxane synthesis. Clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of oral indobufen in the secondary prevention of thromboembolic complications in patients with or without atrial fibrillation, in the prevention of graft occlusion after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and in the treatment of intermittent claudication. In the secondary prevention of thromboembolic events indobufen 200 mg once or twice daily was significantly more effective than no treatment although not as effective as ticlopidine 250 mg once or twice daily, during 1-year nonblind clinical trials. Compared with placebo, indobufen 100 mg twice daily significantly reduced the risk of stroke in a small 28-month trial of patients at increased risk of systemic embolism (50% had atrial fibrillation). Furthermore, in patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation and a recent cerebrovascular event enrolled in the 1-year Studio Italiano Fibrillazione Atriale (SIFA) trial, indobufen 100 or 200 mg twice daily was as effective as warfarin (titrated to produce an international normalised ratio of 2.0 to 3.5) in the secondary prevention of thromboembolic events; the incidences of the composite end-point of major vascular events (10.6 vs 9.0%) and recurrent stroke (5 vs 4%) were similar between treatments. In 2 large 12-month trials, the Studio Indobufene nel Bypass Aortocoronarico (SINBA) and the UK study, indobufen 200 mg twice daily was as effective as aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) 300 or 325 mg plus dipyridamole 75 mg 3 times daily in the prevention of early and late occlusion of saphenous grafts in patients after CABG surgery. Indobufen 200 mg twice daily for 6 months significantly improved walking capacity compared with placebo, and caused a more pronounced improvement in both pain-free and total walking distance than either pentoxifylline 300 mg or aspirin 500 mg twice daily in separate 6- and 12-month studies of patients with intermittent claudication. Oral indobufen up to 200 mg twice daily was generally well tolerated in >5000 patients with atherosclerotic disease. Adverse events (predominantly gastrointestinal), reported by 3.9% of patients, rarely required withdrawal from treatment. In the SINBA and UK studies, fewer adverse events and less gastrointestinal bleeding were seen with indobufen than with aspirin plus dipyridamole treatment, while in the SIFA trial, noncerebral bleeding events occurred significantly less frequently in indobufen than warfarin recipients (0.6 vs 5.1%) and major bleeding events occurred only in the warfarin group. CONCLUSION: Indobufen is as effective as warfarin in the prophylaxis of thromboembolic events in at risk patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation, as aspirin plus dipyridamole in the prevention of CABG occlusion and may be more effective than aspirin or pentoxifylline in improving walking capacity in patients with intermittent claudication. The improved tolerability profile of indobufen (favourable gastric tolerance and reduced haemorrhagic complications) compared with aspirin 300 to 325 mg 3 times daily or warfarin, in addition to a similar antiplatelet effect, suggests indobufen can be considered a drug with a definite role in the management of atherothrombotic events. In particular, indobufen may be an effective alternative for at risk patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation in whom anticoagulant therapy is contraindicated or who are at higher risk of bleeding.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Medical management of peripheral arterial disease: a therapeutic algorithm.

Over half of the people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) may be asymptomatic. The most common symptom of mild-to-moderate PAD is intermittent claudication, present in about one third of symptomatic patients. Patients with intermittent claudication often have severely impaired functional status. Despite the high prevalence of the disease and the strong association with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, patients with PAD are less likely to receive appropriate treatment for their atherosclerotic risk factors than are those being treated for coronary artery disease. The goals of treatment are to prevent progression of systemic atherosclerosis and its associated morbidity and mortality, to prevent limb loss, and to improve functional capacity for symptomatic patients. For claudicating patients, medical management includes symptomatic treatment with cilostazol or pentoxifylline. For all patients, it is equally important to pursue risk reduction through exercise programs and promotion of smoking cessation, as well as with the use of statins, antiplatelet therapies, antithrombotic strategies, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, and attention to homocysteine levels. Because not all patients are symptomatic, medical management of peripheral arterial disease may proceed along an algorithmic pathway that recognizes 3 types of patients: those requiring risk reduction only, symptomatic patients with minimal lifestyle limitation, and symptomatic patients with significant lifestyle impairment.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2001

Incidence of and risk factors for asymptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease: a longitudinal study.

The current study describes the age- and sex-specific incidence rates and risk factors for asymptomatic and symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) among 2,327 subjects and the incidence of intermittent claudication in asymptomatic PAOD subjects. The study population was selected from 18 general practice centers in the Netherlands. PAOD was assessed with the ankle-brachial blood pressure index, and intermittent claudication was assessed with a modified version of the Rose questionnaire. After 7.2 years, the overall incidence rate for asymptomatic PAOD, using the person-years method, was 9.9 (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.3, 18.8) per 1,000 person-years at risk. The rate was 7.8 (95% CI: 4.9, 20.3) for men and 12.4 (95% CI: 7.7, 24.8) for women. For symptomatic PAOD, the incidence rate was 1.0 (95% CI: 0.7, 7.5) overall, 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3, 10.0) for men, and 1.8 (95% CI: 1.0, 10.3) for women. Multivariate analyses showed that increasing age, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were the most important risk factors. The overall incidence rate for intermittent claudication among PAOD subjects who were asymptomatic at baseline was 90.5 per 1,000 person-years at risk (95% CI: 36.4, 378.3). The incidence of asymptomatic PAOD was higher than the incidence of symptomatic PAOD, with women developing PAOD more often than men. In the development of preventive strategies, modification of atherosclerotic risk factors, such as smoking, hypertension, and diabetes, should be the main goals.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Pathophysiology and diagnosis for arteriosclerosis obliterans].

Patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans, or peripheral arterial disease have been conventionally diagnosed and treated from only the viewpoint of peripheral arterial circulation. These concepts may have improved the quality of life for patients, but could not contribute the prognosis of life, because peripheral arterial disease is associated with an increased risk of the coronary disease and cerebrovascular disease. Intermittent claudication, the most common symptom of peripheral arterial disease, results from flow-reducing lesions in the arteries of the lower extremity that cause exercise-induced muscle ischemia. In order to evaluate intermittent claudication, many kinds of noninvasive diagnostic studies, including ABPI (ankle brachial pressure index) and the measurement of claudication distance, et al have been proposed. We have used the recovery time of the ischemic reaction at foot sole, plethysmography, thermography, laser doppler flowmetry, or NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) after walking test, rather than ABPI. These examinations will be superior to ABPI to evaluate effects after ergotherapy or pharmacotherapy for patients with intermittent claudication. Carotid artery sclerosis may be a good marker of systemic atherosclerosis. By our assessment of risk factors, the progression of atherosclerotic change in carotid artery was strongly correlated with two risk factors, such as smoking and systolic blood pressure. In the cholesterol analysis, Lp (a) was only high risk factor for atherosclerotic change of carotid artery. Recent technical advances, adequate evaluation of systemic atherosclerosis, and reduction of risk factors should improve the prognosis of patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Arteriosclerosis Obliterans↗
PubMed2001

Duplex scan surveillance during the first year after infrainguinal autologous vein bypass grafting surgery: costs and clinical outcomes compared with other surveillance programs.

PURPOSE: In this study we assessed the costs and clinical outcomes of duplex scan surveillance during the first year after infrainguinal autologous vein bypass grafting surgery and compared duplex scan surveillance, ankle-brachial index surveillance, and clinical follow-up. METHODS: In a clinical study, 293 patients (mean age, 70.1 years; 58.7% men) with peripheral arterial disease were observed in a duplex scan surveillance program after infrainguinal autologous vein bypass grafting surgery. Costs were calculated from the health care perspective for surveillance and subsequent interventions from 30 days to 1 year postoperatively. All costs are presented in 1995 US dollars per patient. In a simulation model, we estimated the costs and amputations of duplex scan surveillance, ankle-brachial index surveillance, and clinical follow-up conditional on the indication for surgery. The main outcome measure was the incremental cost per major amputation per patient avoided during the first postoperative year. RESULTS: Duplex scan surveillance was the least expensive ($2823) and resulted in the fewest major amputations (17 per 1000 patients examined), compared with ankle-brachial index surveillance ($5411 and 77 amputations per 1000 patients) and clinical follow-up ($5072 and 77 amputations per 1000 patients). In patients treated for critical limb ischemia, duplex scan surveillance was the least expensive ($2974) and resulted in the fewest major amputations (19 per 1000 patients). Under all surveillance programs, 13 major amputations per 1000 patients treated for intermittent claudication were performed, and clinical follow-up had the lowest costs ($1577). In a sensitivity analysis that assumed that duplex scan surveillance could have avoided six major amputations per 1000 patients treated for intermittent claudication compared with the other programs, duplex scan surveillance had an incremental cost of $80,708 per major amputation per patient avoided compared with clinical follow-up. CONCLUSION: Duplex scan surveillance is highly effective for patients treated for critical limb ischemia, leading to a reduction of major amputations and consequently to a reduction in costs compared with other surveillance programs. In patients treated for intermittent claudication, the evidence supporting duplex scan surveillance is less firm, but if duplex scan can avoid six major amputations per 1000 patients examined, the incremental costs are justified.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Polymorphisms of platelet glycoproteins in relation to macrovascular disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We set out to determine the genotype distributions of the PI(A) polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIIa, the HPA-3 polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIb, and the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein Ib in subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) with (n = 125) and without (n = 90) a clinical history of macrovascular disease. In 215 white European subjects with Type 2 DM, presence of coronary artery disease was determined as a clinical history of angina, myocardial infarction (MI), coronary angioplasty or coronary artery by-pass grafting. Presence of peripheral vascular disease was defined as a clinical history of intermittent claudication with confirmatory vascular ultrasound or angiography, intermittent claudication with undetectable foot pulses and no history of arthralgia or surgery for leg ischaemia, confirmed by reference to medical case notes. Polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA. There was no difference in the genotype distributions of subjects with and without macrovascular disease. In subjects with a first MI before the age of 60 years (n = 26), there was a 38% incidence of PI(A2) compared to 29% in subjects free from clinically evident macrovascular disease, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. This study does not support the hypothesis that polymorphisms of platelet glycoproteins, in particular the PI(A) polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIIa, play an important role in the pathogenesis of macrovascular disease in subjects with Type 2 DM.

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1992

The Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire: an improved version of the WHO/Rose Questionnaire for use in epidemiological surveys.

The WHO/Rose Questionnaire on intermittent claudication was developed in 1962 for use in epidemiological surveys, and has been widely used. Several population studies have shown, however, that it is only moderately sensitive (60-68%), although highly specific (90-100%). In this study, reasons for the poor sensitivity and good specificity were determined following its application to 586 claudicants and to 61 subjects with other causes of leg pain. The results showed two important findings: firstly, that over half of the false negatives were produced by one question alone; and secondly that only three questions were required to maintain the specificity of the questionnaire. This knowledge, in conjunction with the pre-testing of additional questions, enabled a new questionnaire to be constructed: the "Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire". This questionnaire was tested on 300 subjects aged over 55 years attending their general practitioner, and found to be 91.3% (95% CI 88.1-94.5%) sensitive and 99.3% (95% CI 98.9-100%) specific in comparison to the diagnosis of intermittent claudication made by a physician. The repeatability of the questionnaire after 6 months was excellent (kappa = 0.76, p < 0.001). These results suggest that this revised version of the WHO/Rose Questionnaire should be adopted for use in future epidemiological surveys of peripheral vascular disease.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Experimental model of pain-free treadmill training in patients with claudication.

OBJECTIVE: Treadmill training in claudication is often based on walking exercise to a pain threshold or longer to the maximum muscle pain of the lower limbs. This kind of exercise may cause an inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to determine whether pain-free treadmill training using walking exercise to 85% of the distance to onset of claudication pain can significantly improve pain-free walking distance in patients with intermittent claudication and to evaluate whether this kind of program may induce an inflammatory response leading to the progression of atherosclerosis. DESIGN: A total of 98 patients aged 50-70 yrs with stable intermittent claudication were randomized into a supervised treadmill training program or a comparison group. Patients in the treatment group participated in 12 wks of supervised treadmill training. We examined the effects of 12 wks of pain-free treadmill training on pain-free walking distance, total leukocyte count, neutrophil count, and microalbuminuria in patients with claudication. RESULTS: A total of 80 participants completed the program. Exercise rehabilitation increased the time to onset of claudication pain by 119.2%, from 87.4 +/- 38 m to 191.6 +/- 94.8 m (P < 0.001). There was no increase in total leukocyte count, neutrophil count, or microalbuminuria after 12 wks of treadmill exercise (P > 0.05) CONCLUSION: A pain-free training program can be used in the treatment of claudication as a low-risk program, increasing walking ability without potential harmful effects of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Preexisting cardiovascular conditions and long-term prognosis after initial myocardial infarction: the Framingham Study.

Preexisting cardiovascular conditions (angina pectoris, intermittent claudication, stroke or transient ischemic attack, and congestive heart failure) were evaluated in relation to long-term prognosis after an initial MI in 828 subjects from the Framingham Heart Study. Preexisting angina pectoris and intermittent claudication in men were associated with increased risk of coronary mortality and recurrent MI, whereas congestive heart failure increased coronary mortality. In women, prior angina pectoris increased the risk of recurrent MI and congestive heart failure increased the coronary mortality. Adjusting for the major cardiovascular risk factors measured before MI, these results held for men but no significant adverse effects persisted in women. Among subjects who survived to return for subsequent examinations, only prior congestive heart failure in men increased the risk after adjusting for post-MI risk factors. In women who returned, angina pectoris and intermittent claudication were associated with poor post-MI prognosis. These results suggest that atherosclerosis is a diffuse disease of the circulatory system, and one in which post-MI prognosis is influenced by the presence of other preexisting cardiovascular conditions. Hence a patient who has an MI after prior expression of cardiovascular disease requires more vigorous preventive management.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

A double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre trial of ticlopidine in patients with peripheral arterial disease in Argentina. Design, organization and general characteristics of patients at entry. The EMATAP Group.

Patients with atherosclerotic disease of the lower limbs are at high risk of thrombotic events not only in the peripheral circulation, but also in the coronary and cerebral arteries. Ticlopidine, a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation, can reduce the incidence of arterial thrombosis in patients suffering from intermittent claudication, as shown by a meta-analysis performed in 1987. In order to confirm these findings, we undertook a randomized, stratified, placebo-controlled, double-blind multicentre trial in Argentina in two parallel groups of patients suffering from intermittent claudication. Twenty-one clinical centres participated in the trial and 615 patients were enrolled. Patients were eligible if they had presented obstructive arterial disease of the upper part of the lower limb (popliteal or above) for at least 12 months, confirmed by either angiography or Doppler studies, and intermittent claudication (stage II) assessed by treadmill testing. Non insulin treated diabetic patients were eligible if they fulfilled the other inclusion criteria and two strata, diabetic and non diabetic, were established. Patients enrolled were treated with either ticlopidine (500 mg/day) or placebo for 24 weeks. In this paper, we report the design and organization of the study and the baseline characteristics of the patient population at inclusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Giant cell arteritis in a 20-year-old black man: a cause of intermittent calf claudication.

Giant cell arteritis in a young black man is an extremely unusual occurrence. A 20-year-old black man came for treatment of bilateral leg claudication that had been present for a 2-month period. His medical and angiographic evaluation led to an arterial biopsy that demonstrated giant cell arteritis. The patient was treated with corticosteroids and his condition has subsequently improved. Unusual variants of giant cell arteritis are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Experimental models of chronic lower extremity arterial occlusive disease: lessons for drug development.

Peripheral vascular disease is the result of chronic vascular insufficiency. As the vascular insufficiency of the lower limbs progressively deteriorates, the condition progresses from intermittent claudication (pain upon exercise) to pain at rest and gangrene. In very severe cases amputation of the leg may be necessary. Whilst dieting, cessation of smoking and physical exercise all beneficially affect the progression of the disorder, the available drug therapy is of limited benefit. Very effective pharmacological agents capable of alleviating the symptoms of chronic peripheral vascular disease have not been developed. In order to mimic the vascular insufficiency of intermittent claudication, an animal model was developed in rats. This involves short-term and long-term 6-10 weeks ligation of the femoral artery of the rat. As demonstrated using measurements of hindlimb skeletal muscle, blood flow, pO2, metabolism and function, a model of intermittent claudication was produced. Using this model, the beneficial effects of physical training was demonstrated. Physical training induced an increase in blood flow and a greater capacity for aerobic metabolism in the partially ischaemic skeletal muscle. The effect of vasodilators has also been examined in this model; in contrast to agents such as Ca2+ antagonists, K+ channel openers appear to improve nutritional blood flow and metabolism in the afflicted skeletal muscle. This model can also be utilized to demonstrate the effects of haemorrheological interventions and of agents modulating muscle metabolism. However, additional effort is required to develop models for the evaluation of efficacy of antiatherothrombotic drugs.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy suggests a mitochondrial defect in claudicating skeletal muscle.

OBJECTIVE: Decreased oxygen supply is generally accepted as the primary cause of muscle dysfunction in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) and intermittent claudication, although reported morphologic changes in the mitochondria of claudicating muscle suggest that impaired energy utilization may also play a role. With the measurement of the phosphate-rich compounds of muscle energy metabolism (adenosinetriphosphate [ATP], adenosinediphosphate [ADP], and phosphocreatine [PCr]) and pH, phosphorus P 31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P MRS) provides a unique, noninvasive method to investigate this hypothesis further. METHODS: Calf muscle bioenergetics were studied in 12 men with moderate claudication (ankle-brachial index >/=0.5 and </=0.8) and 14 normal control subjects with the use of (31)P MRS and standard treadmill testing. Phosphorus MRS evaluation of the superficial posterior calf muscles was carried out with a 90-second submaximal isometric plantar flexion exercise. This mild exercise was chosen to permit in-magnet testing and to allow study of intrinsic mitochondrial efficiency under conditions of unchallenged blood flow. Phosphocreatine and ADP recovery time constants (t.c.), two very sensitive measures of oxidative mitochondrial function, as well as intracellular pH and ATP production via anaerobic glycolysis were determined during three exercise sessions and the results averaged and compared to known values obtained from a control population. RESULTS: During the (31)P MRS protocol, the end exercise intracellular pH (7.11 +/- 0.01 vs 7.11 +/- 0.01) and ATP production by anaerobic glycolysis (0.13 +/- 0.05 vs 0.14 +/- 0.03 mmol/L per second) were no different in PAOD patients versus control subjects, confirming that the protocol exercise did not significantly reduce oxygen supply. Phosphocreatine and ADP recovery t.c. (137 +/- 41 vs 44 +/- 3 seconds and 60 +/- 10 vs 29 +/- 2 seconds, respectively) were significantly slower than normal (P <.05, t test). There was, however, no correlation between these measures of mitochondrial function and any treadmill parameter (P >.5, Pearson moment correlation). CONCLUSIONS: Phosphorus 31 MRS provides the first direct evidence of defective energy metabolism in the mitochondria of claudicating calf muscle. This defect appears to be independent of both arterial flow and the severity of occlusive disease in patients with mild to moderate claudication. Coupled with documented ultrastructural and DNA abnormalities in the mitochondria of claudicating skeletal muscle, these data provide evidence for a secondary cause of muscle dysfunction in intermittent claudication.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1997

Decisions about treatment of aortoiliac claudication: the current practice among Swedish vascular surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: To find out what information vascular surgeons consider before they decide on treatments for intermittent claudication. SUBJECTS: 25 randomly selected vascular surgeons who participate in the Swedish Vascular Registry. METHOD: Interviews about what information and investigations the surgeons would need before they make recommendations for treatment of 6 test cases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The pattern of numbers and types of questions and of recommendations for treatment. RESULTS: Surgeons asked a median of five questions (range 0-13) before they came to a decision. Only 9% of those questions concerned the patients' preferences. Open surgery was recommended in 59 of the 150 consultations (39.3%), for some by none and for others by up to 80% of surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular surgeons primarily consider the patient's history and physical findings when treating claudication. They pay little attention to the preferences of the patients. Vascular surgeons in Sweden differ considerably in their patterns of questioning and do not agree about the treatment of intermittent claudication in individual patients.

Aged↗