Lillian Celic

Sex differences in peripheral arterial disease: Leg symptoms and physical functioning

OBJECTIVES:LTo compare lower extremity functioning and leg symptoms between women and men with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Depressive symptoms and lower extremity functioning in men and women with peripheral arterial disease.

AbstractOBJECTIVE: Factors associated with impaired functioning in patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between depressive symptoms and objective measures of lower extremity functioning in persons with PAD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred twenty-three men and women with PAD identified from 3 Chicago area medical centers. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: PAD was defined as ankle brachial index (ABI) <0.90. The Geriatric Depression Scale short form (GDS-S) (0–15 scale, 15 = worst) was completed by all participants. A clinically significant number of depressive symptoms was defined as a GDS-S score ≥6. Six-minute walk distance and usual-and fast-pace walking velocity were determined for all participants. A GDS-S score ≥6 was present in 21.7% of participants with PAD. Adjusting for age, increasing numbers of depressive symptoms were associated with an increasing prevalence of leg pain on exertion and rest (P=.004). Adjusting for age, sex, race, ABI, number of comorbidities, current smoking, and antidepressant medications, increasing numbers of depressive symptoms were associated with shorter 6-minute walk distance (P<.001), slower usual-pace walking velocity (P=.005), and slower fast-pace walking velocity (P=.005). These relationships were attenuated slightly after additional adjustment for presence versus absence of leg pain on exertion and rest and severity of exertional leg symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Among men and women with PAD, the prevalence of a clinically significant number of depressive symptoms is high. Greater numbers of depressive symptoms are associated with greater impairment in lower extremity functioning. Further study is needed to determine whether identifying and treating depressive symptoms in PAD is associated with improved lower extremity functioning.

Lower Extremity Performance Is Associated with Daily Life Physical Activity in Individuals with and without Peripheral Arterial Disease

OBJECTIVES To determine whether persons with poorer lower extremity functioning have reduced physical activity levels. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING Three Chicago-area medical centers. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred twenty-five people with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and 121 individuals without PAD. MEASUREMENTS The summary performance score (SPS) was determined for all participants. The SPS combines data on walking velocity, time for five repeated chair rises, and standing balance. Each test is scored on a 0 to 4 scale (4 = best). Scores are summed to create the SPS (0-12 scale, 12 = best). All participants wore a vertical accelerometer for 7 days to measure physical activity. RESULTS The SPS was associated linearly with 7-day physical activity levels of participants with (P< .0001) and without PAD (P< .0001). This relationship was maintained even after restricting analyses to subsets of participants who reported that they could walk a quarter of a mile and up and down stairs without difficulty (P< .001) and were able to walk for 6-minutes without stopping (P< .001). In multiple linear regression analyses, the SPS was associated with physical activity in participants with (P< .01) and without PAD (P< .001), adjusting for age, sex, race, comorbidities, ankle brachial index, neuropathy, and leg symptoms. CONCLUSION In people with and without PAD who have impaired lower extremity performance, reduced physical activity levels may contribute to subsequent disability. Future study is needed to determine whether interventions to increase physical activity can prevent functional decline in persons with a low SPS.