Ginkgo biloba for intermittent claudication.

Background: People with intermittent claudication (IC) suffer from pain in the muscles of the leg occurring during exercise which is relieved by a short period of rest. Symptomatic relief can be achieved by (supervised) exercise therapy and pharmacological treatments. Ginkgo biloba is a vasoactive agent and is used to treat IC.

Effect of supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: Primary treatment for patients with intermittent claudication is exercise therapy. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a frequently occurring comorbidity in patients with intermittent claudication, and in these patients, exercise tolerance is decreased. However, there is little literature about the increase in walking distance after supervised exercise therapy (SET) in patients with both intermittent claudication and DM.

Additional supervised exercise therapy after a percutaneous vascular intervention for peripheral arterial disease: a randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: To determine whether a percutaneous vascular intervention (PVI) combined with supplemental supervised exercise therapy (SET) is more effective than a PVI alone in improving walking ability in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Materials And Methods: In this prospective randomized trial, patients with PAD treated with a PVI were eligible. Exclusion criteria were major amputation or tissue loss, comorbidity preventing physical activity, insufficient knowledge of the Dutch language, no insurance for SET, and prior participation in a SET program.

Extending the range of treadmill testing for patients with intermittent claudication.

Purpose: There is a need to evaluate patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) with a limited or extended walking distance. We aimed to enable an estimation of walking distance as measured on a frequently used "standard" graded (3.2 km·h(-1), 2% increase per 2 min) protocol for walking distances measured on protocols with a lower or higher workload.

Reliability of treadmill testing in peripheral arterial disease: a meta-regression analysis.

Objective: A meta-regression analysis was conducted to identify the most reliable treadmill protocol for the assessment of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Background: Treadmill testing is the main assessment method to evaluate walking ability in patients with PAD in clinical studies. Reported treadmill protocols are continuous (C) and graded (G) protocols and outcome measurements are initial claudication distance (ICD) and absolute claudication distance (ACD).

The walking impairment questionnaire: an effective tool to assess the effect of treatment in patients with intermittent claudication.

Objective: Assessment of walking distance by treadmill testing is the most commonly used method to evaluate the effect of treatment in patients with peripheral arterial disease. However, treadmill testing is time consuming, relatively expensive, and does not adequately reflect real life functional ability. We hypothesized that the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) could be an alternative tool to assess objective improvement in functional walking ability of patients with intermittent claudication.

Ankle brachial index measurement in primary care: are we doing it right?

Background: The reference standard for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease in primary care is the ankle brachial index (ABI). Various methods to measure ankle and brachial blood pressures and to calculate the index are described.

Aim: To compare the ABI measurements performed in primary care with those performed in the vascular laboratory.

Ginkgo biloba for intermittent claudication.

Background: People with intermittent claudication suffer from pain in the muscles of the leg occurring during exercise which is relieved by a short period of rest. Symptomatic relief can be achieved by (supervised) exercise therapy and pharmacological treatments. Ginkgo biloba is a vasoactive agent and is used to treat intermittent claudication.

Functional claudication distance: a reliable and valid measurement to assess functional limitation in patients with intermittent claudication.

Background: Disease severity and functional impairment in patients with intermittent claudication is usually quantified by the measurement of pain-free walking distance (intermittent claudication distance, ICD) and maximal walking distance (absolute claudication distance, ACD). However, the distance at which a patient would prefer to stop because of claudication pain seems a definition that is more correspondent with the actual daily life walking distance. We conducted a study in which the distance a patient prefers to stop was defined as the functional claudication distance (FCD), and estimated the reliability and validity of this measurement.

Supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication in daily practice.

Objective: This study describes the results and functioning of community-based supervised exercise therapy (SET) at one year of follow-up.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of community-based SET in regional physiotherapeutic practices. Consecutive patients with intermittent claudication referred for community-based SET were included.

Pocket Doppler and vascular laboratory equipment yield comparable results for ankle brachial index measurement.

Background: The ankle brachial index (ABI) is a well-established tool for screening and diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). In this study we assessed the validity of ABI determination using a pocket Doppler device compared with automatic vascular laboratory measurement in patients suspected of PAD.

Methods: Consecutive patients with symptoms of PAD referred for ABI measurement between December 2006 and August 2007 were included.

Supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication in a community-based setting is as effective as clinic-based.

Objective: This cohort study was conducted to determine the effect on walking distances of supervised exercise therapy provided in a community-based setting.

Methods: The study included all consecutive patients presenting at the vascular outpatient clinic with intermittent claudication, diagnosed by a resting ankle brachial index<0.9, who had no previous peripheral vascular intervention for peripheral arterial disease, no major amputation, and sufficient command of the Dutch language.