Upper- versus lower-limb aerobic exercise training on health-related quality of life in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of upper- and lower-limb aerobic exercise training on disease-specific functional status and generic health-related quality of life (QOL) in patients with intermittent claudication.

METHODS:

The study recruited 104 patients (mean age, 68 years; range, 50-85) from the Sheffield Vascular Institute. Patients were randomly allocated to groups that received upper-limb (ULG) or lower-limb (LLG) aerobic exercise training, or to a nonexercise control group. Exercise was performed twice weekly for 24 weeks at equivalent limb-specific relative exercise intensities. Main outcome measures were scores on the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) for disease-specific functional status, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form version 2 (SF-36v2), and European Quality of Life Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS) for health-related QOL. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, and at 6, 24, 48, and 72 weeks.

RESULTS:

After 6 weeks, improvements in the perceived severity of claudication (P = .023) and stair climbing ability (P = .011) vs controls were observed in the ULG, and an improvement in the general health domain of the SF-36v2 vs controls was observed in the LLG (P = .010). After 24 weeks, all four WIQ domains were improved in the ULG vs controls (P ≤ .05), and three of the four WIQ domains were improved in the LLG (P < .05). After 24 to 72 weeks of follow-up, more consistent changes in generic health-related QOL domains were apparent in the ULG.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings support the use of alternative, relatively pain-free forms of exercise in the clinical management of patients with intermittent claudication.

• Authors: John M Saxton, Irena Zwierska, Milisa Blagojevic, Sohail A Choksy, Shah Nawaz, A Graham Pockley
• Journal: Journal of vascular surgery (J Vasc Surg) Vol. 53 Issue 5 Pg. 1265-73 (May 2011) ISSN: 1097-6809 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21215558 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• England
• Exercise Therapy
• Female
• Humans
• Intermittent Claudication (etiology, physiopathology, psychology, therapy)
• Lower Extremity
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Muscle, Skeletal (physiopathology)
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (complications, physiopathology, psychology, therapy)
• Quality of Life
• Recovery of Function
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Upper Extremity
• Walking