Physiological responses during walking in men and women with intermittent claudication.

Background: Miyasato et al. show that peak oxygen consumption, walking economy, anaerobic threshold, and cardiovascular responses (heart rate, blood pressure, and rate pressure product) during walking were similar between men and women with peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication. There were no differences in the physiological responses to walking between men and women with intermittent claudication. Sex per se is not a factor that demands changes in walking prescription for patients with intermittent claudication.

Objective: Peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), anaerobic threshold, walking economy, and cardiovascular responses during walking are used to guide and monitor walking training in patients with peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication. Women with peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication present greater impairments than men, and evaluating training markers according to sex for decisions regarding walking prescription in this population is important. This study aimed to compare VO2peak, walking economy, anaerobic threshold, and cardiovascular responses during walking in men and women with peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication.

Methods: Forty patients (20 men and 20 women with similar baseline characteristics) underwent a cardiopulmonary treadmill test (3.2km/h and 2% increase in slope every 2 minutes until maximal leg pain). The VO2 and rate-pressure product were assessed. Data from men and women were compared using t-tests.

Results: There were no significant differences between men and women (VO2peak: 15.0±4.8 versus 13.9±2.9mL∙kg-1∙min-1, p=0.38; walking economy: 9.6±2.7 versus 8.4±1.6mL∙kg-1∙min-1, p=0.09; anaerobic threshold: 10.5±3.2 versus 10.5±2.2mL∙kg-1∙min-1, p=0.98; rate pressure product at 1st stage: 13,465± 2,910 versus 14,445±4,379bpm∙mmHg, p=0.41; and rate pressure product at anaerobic threshold:13,673±3,100 versus 16,390±5,870bpm∙mmHg, p=0.08 and rate pressure product at peak exercise: 21,253±6,141 versus 21,923±7,414bpm∙mmHg, p=0.76, respectively).

Conclusion: Men and women with peripheral artery disease and similar baseline characteristics presented similar responses to walking, suggesting that decisions regarding walking prescription and monitoring can be made regardless of sex in this specific population.