Leg Symptoms in Peripheral Arterial Disease

Abstract

Context  Persons with lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are often asymptomatic or have leg symptoms other than intermittent claudication (IC).Objective  To identify clinical characteristics and functional limitations associated with a broad range of leg symptoms identified among patients with PAD.Design, Setting, and Participants  Cross-sectional study of 460 men and women with PAD and 130 without PAD, who were identified consecutively, conducted between October 1998 and January 2000 at 3 Chicago-area medical centers.Main Outcome Measures  Ankle-brachial index score of less than 0.90; scores from 6-minute walk, accelerometer-measured physical activity over 7 days, repeated chair raises, standing balance (full tandem stand), 4-m walking velocity, San Diego claudication questionnaire, Geriatric Depression Score Short-Form, and the Walking Impairment Questionnaire.Results  All groups with PAD had poorer functioning than participants without PAD. The following values are for patients without IC vs those with IC. Participants in the group with leg pain on exertion and rest (n = 88) had a higher (poorer) score for neuropathy (5.6 vs 3.5; P