Effect of Brief Counseling by Allied Health Professionals on Step Count of People With Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Golledge Jonathan , Yip Lisan , Venn Alkira , Leicht Anthony S. , Jenkins Jason S. , Fiatarone Singh Maria A. , Reid Christopher M. , Ademi Zanfina , Parmenter Belinda J. , Moxon Joseph V. , Burton Nicola W. ,   BIP Investigators, Walsh John , Quigley Frank , Norman Paul , Jones Rhondda , Norman Richard , Walker Phil , Salisbury Chloe , Suna Jess , Sealey Cindy , Best Stuart , Pinchbeck Jenna , Hollings Mathew , Haghighi Marjan , Mavros Yorgi , Noble Yian 
Published: February 2023

Importance

It is unclear how to effectively promote walking in people with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Objective

To test whether brief counseling delivered by allied health professionals increases step count in participants with PAD.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this randomized clinical trial, participants with symptomatic PAD were recruited from sites in Australia and randomly allocated 1:1 to the counseling intervention or an attention control. Data were collected from January 2015 to July 2021, and data were analyzed from March to November 2022.

Interventions

Two 1-hour face-to-face and two 15-minute telephone counseling sessions designed to increase walking.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the between-group difference in change in daily step count estimated by accelerometer recordings over 7 days at baseline and 4 months, using imputation for missing values. Other outcomes at 4, 12, and 24 months included step count, 6-minute walk distance, and disease-specific and generic measures of health-related quality of life. Risk of major adverse limb events was assessed over 24 months.

Results

Of 200 included participants, 144 (72.0%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 69.2 (9.3) years. The planned sample of 200 participants was allocated to the counseling intervention group (n = 102) or attention control group (n = 98). Overall, 198 (99.0%), 175 (87.5%), 160 (80.0%) and 143 (71.5%) had step count assessed at entry and 4, 12, and 24 months, respectively. There was no significant between-group difference in the primary outcome of change in daily step count over 4 months (mean steps, 415; 95% CI, −62 to 893; P = .07). Participants in the counseling group had significantly greater improvement in the secondary outcome of disease-specific Intermittent Claudication Questionnaire score at 4 months (3.2 points; 95% CI, 0.1-6.4; P = .04) and 12 months (4.3 points; 95% CI, 0.5-8.1; P = .03) but not at 24 months (1.2 points; 95% CI, −3.1 to 5.6; P = .57). Findings were similar for mean PAD Quality of Life Questionnaire component assessing symptoms and limitations in physical functioning (4 months: 1.5 points; 95% CI, 0.3-2.8; P = .02; 12 months: 1.8 points; 95% CI, 0.3-3.3; P = .02; 24 months: 1.3 points; 95% CI. −0.5 to 3.1; P = .16). There was no significant effect of the intervention on change in mean 6-minute walking distance (4 months: 9.3 m; 95% CI, −3.7 to 22.3; P = .16; 12 months: 13.8 m; 95% CI, −4.2 to 31.7; P = .13; 24 months: 1.2 m; 95% CI, −20.0 to 22.5; P = .91). The counseling intervention did not affect the rate of major adverse limb events over 24 months (12 [11.8%] in the intervention group vs 14 [14.3%] in the control group; P = .68).

Conclusions and Relevance

This randomized clinical trial found no significant effect of brief counseling on step count in people with PAD. Alternate interventions are needed to enable walking.

Trial Registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Identifier: ACTRN12614000592640