Data showed improvements secondary to exercise in ' physical function ' and ' general health ' .
The other domains - ' role physical ' , ' bodily pain ' , ' vitality ' , ' social ' , ' role emotional ' , and ' mental health ' - did not show improvement at six months .
Although results showed significant heterogeneity between trials , population s and outcomes were comparable overall , with findings relevant to the claudicant population .
High- quality evidence shows that exercise programmes provided important benefit compared with placebo or usual care in improving both pain-free and maximum walking distance in people with leg pain from IC who were considered to be fit for exercise intervention .
Exercise did not improve ABI , and we found no evidence of an effect of exercise on amputation or mortality .
Exercise may improve quality of life when compared with placebo or usual care .
BACKGROUND Exercise programmes are a relatively inexpensive , low-risk option compared with other , more invasive therapies for treatment of leg pain on walking ( intermittent claudication ( IC ) ) .
This is the fourth up date of a review first published in 1998 .
OBJECTIVES Our goal was to determine whether an exercise programme was effective in alleviating symptoms and increasing walking treadmill distances and walking times in people with intermittent claudication .
Secondary objectives were to determine whether exercise was effective in preventing deterioration of underlying disease , reducing cardiovascular events , and improving quality of life .
Cost-effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with intermittent claudication: supervised exercise therapy versus a 'go home and walk' advice.
OBJECTIVES The Exercise Therapy in Peripheral Arterial Disease ( EXITPAD ) study has shown supervised exercise therapy ( SET ) to be more effective regarding walking distance and quality of life than a ' go home and walk ' advice ( WA ) for patients with intermittent claudication . The present study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of SET versus WA . PATIENTS AND METHODS Data from the EXITPAD study , a 12-month r and omised controlled trial in 304 patients with claudication , was used to study the proportion of costs to walking distance and quality of life . Two different incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ( ICERs ) were calculated for SET versus WA : costs per extra metre on the treadmill test , and costs per quality -adjusted life year ( QALY ) . QALYs were based on utilities derived from the EuroQoL-5 dimensions ( EQ-5D ) . RESULTS Mean total costs were higher for SET than for WA ( 3407 versus 2304 Euros ) , mainly caused by the costs of exercise therapy . The median walking distance was 620 m for SET and 400 m for  WA . QALYs were 0.71 for SET and 0.67 for WA . All differences were statistically significant . The ICER for cost per extra metre on the 12-month treadmill test was € 4.08 . For cost per QALY , the ICER was € 28,693 . CONCLUSION At a willingness-to-pay threshold of € 40,000 per QALY , SET likely is a cost-effective therapeutic option for patients with claudication
Data showed improvements secondary to exercise in ' physical function ' and ' general health ' .
The other domains - ' role physical ' , ' bodily pain ' , ' vitality ' , ' social ' , ' role emotional ' , and ' mental health ' - did not show improvement at six months .
Although results showed significant heterogeneity between trials , population s and outcomes were comparable overall , with findings relevant to the claudicant population .
High- quality evidence shows that exercise programmes provided important benefit compared with placebo or usual care in improving both pain-free and maximum walking distance in people with leg pain from IC who were considered to be fit for exercise intervention .
Exercise did not improve ABI , and we found no evidence of an effect of exercise on amputation or mortality .
Exercise may improve quality of life when compared with placebo or usual care .
BACKGROUND Exercise programmes are a relatively inexpensive , low-risk option compared with other , more invasive therapies for treatment of leg pain on walking ( intermittent claudication ( IC ) ) .
This is the fourth up date of a review first published in 1998 .
OBJECTIVES Our goal was to determine whether an exercise programme was effective in alleviating symptoms and increasing walking treadmill distances and walking times in people with intermittent claudication .
Secondary objectives were to determine whether exercise was effective in preventing deterioration of underlying disease , reducing cardiovascular events , and improving quality of life .