Exercise Rehabilitation for Peripheral Artery Disease: A REVIEW.
Study Goal
To summarize evidence regarding exercise therapy, specifically supervised treadmill and home-based walking interventions, for improving walking ability in people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Results Summary
Supervised treadmill exercise significantly improved treadmill walking performance (180 m increase in maximal walking distance, 128 m in pain-free distance). Home-based walking with behavioral techniques also improved walking ability, sometimes more than supervised exercise. Upper and lower extremity ergometry also enhanced walking endurance.
Population
Patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Effective Dosage
Supervised treadmill exercise: 36 sessions over 12 weeks; home-based walking: frequency not specified.
Duration
12 weeks for supervised treadmill exercise; home-based intervention duration not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
supervised treadmill exercise | increase | treadmill walking performance | people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) | - | improves | #1 |
supervised treadmill exercise | increase | maximal treadmill walking distance | people with PAD | 180 m | was associated with improvement | #2 |
supervised treadmill exercise | increase | pain-free walking distance | people with PAD | 128 m | was associated with improvement | #3 |
home-based walking exercise interventions that incorporate behavioral change techniques | increase | walking ability | patients with PAD | - | improve | #4 |
home-based walking exercise | increase | the 6-min walk | patients with PAD | - | improves | #5 |
upper and lower extremity ergometry | increase | walking endurance | patients with PAD | - | significantly improved | #6 |
supervised treadmill exercise | increase | walking ability | patients with PAD | - | improve | #7 |
home-based walking exercise | increase | walking ability | patients with PAD | - | improve | #8 |
home-based exercise that incorporates behavioral change technique | neutral | - | patients unwilling or unable to attend 3 supervised exercise sessions per week | - | is an effective alternative | #9 |
PURPOSE: To summarize evidence regarding exercise therapy for people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). METHODS: Literature was reviewed regarding optimal strategies for delivering exercise interventions for people with PAD. Randomized trial evidence and recent studies were emphasized. RESULTS: Randomized clinical trial evidence consistently demonstrates that supervised treadmill exercise improves treadmill walking performance in people with PAD. A meta-analysis of 25 randomized trials (1054 participants) concluded that supervised treadmill exercise was associated with 180 m of improvement in maximal treadmill walking distance and 128 m of improvement in pain-free walking distance compared with a control group. Three randomized trials of 493 patients with PAD demonstrated that home-based walking exercise interventions that incorporate behavioral change techniques improve walking ability in patients with PAD. Furthermore, evidence suggests that home-based walking exercise improves the 6-min walk more than supervised treadmill exercise. Upper and lower extremity ergometry also significantly improved walking endurance in PAD. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently determined that Medicare would cover 12 wk (36 sessions) of supervised treadmill exercise for patients with PAD. CONCLUSIONS: Supervised treadmill exercise and home-based walking exercise each improve walking ability in patients with PAD. The availability of insurance coverage for supervised treadmill exercise for patients with PAD will make supervised treadmill exercise more widely available and accessible. Home-based exercise that incorporates behavioral change technique is an effective alternative for patients unwilling or unable to attend 3 supervised exercise sessions per week.