Journal of vascular surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effect of supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication on lower limb lean mass.
Supervised exercise is currently recommended for the first-line treatment of intermittent claudication based on improvement in walking capacity. However, the promotion of skeletal muscle atrophy by repetitive ischemia-reperfusion caused by treadmill-based programs remains a concern. Because preservation of skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and lean mass (LM) is integral to functional capacity and longevity, this study measured the effect of standard treadmill-based supervised exercise on SMM and regional lower limb LM in patients with intermittent claudication. ⋯ Twelve weeks of standard treadmill-training for intermittent calf claudication did not result in loss of calf LM; however, a significant decrease in bilateral thigh LM was observed, even in patients with unilateral symptoms. Further research on optimum exercise modalities and end points are required to determine the pathophysiology and effects of these changes on function and survival.
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Both open surgery and endovascular peripheral interventions have been shown to effectively improve outcomes in patients with peripheral arterial disease, but minimal data exist comparing outcomes performed at and below the knee among patients with diabetes (DM) specifically. The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes following open bypass (lower extremity bypass [LEB]) and peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) at and below the knee in patients with DM vs patients without DM (non-DM) with critical limb ischemia. ⋯ Critical limb ischemia resulting from arterial occlusive disease at or below the knee can be treated successfully with either open surgical bypass or endovascular interventions in both DM and non-DM patients. Aggressive attempts at limb salvage among patients with critical limb ischemia should be pursued regardless of DM status.
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Current threshold recommendations for elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair are based solely on maximal AAA diameter. Peak wall stress (PWS) has been demonstrated to be a better predictor than AAA diameter of AAA rupture risk. However, PWS calculations are time-intensive, not widely available, and therefore not yet clinically practical. In addition, PWS analysis does not account for variations in wall strength between patients. We therefore sought to identify surrogate clinical markers of increased PWS and decreased aortic wall strength to better predict AAA rupture risk. ⋯ We demonstrate that AOO, PAD, and COPD in AAA are associated with rAAAs at smaller diameters. AOO appears to increase PWS, whereas COPD and PAD may be surrogate markers of decreased aortic wall strength. We therefore recommend consideration of early, elective AAA repair in patients with AOO, PAD, or COPD to minimize risk of early rupture.