Clinical trial NCT02607046: Exercise Rehabilitation in Veterans With PAD
Official title: Post-revascularization Rehabilitation to Improve Function in Veterans With PAD
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Peripheral Arterial Disease
Intermittent Claudication
Keywords: rehabilitation
exercise training
Lead sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Sponsor class: FED
First posted: 2015-11-17
Enrollment: 56
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 50
Maximum age (years): 80
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) results in blockages of arteries (blood vessels) and decreased blood flow to the legs. This may cause difficulty or pain with walking or other activities that use leg muscles. Exercise may help improve blood flow in the legs and improve the ability to walk. This research project will be conducted patients with PAD that require revascularization. The goal is to examine the effects of 3 months of exercise rehabilitation or neuromuscular stimulation on leg blood flow, physical function, quality of life and general health.

Detailed description: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) and its associated declines in physical function impair quality of life (QOL) in nearly 20% of older Veterans and result in substantial VA health care costs. Revascularization addresses the anatomical pathology, but does not restore mobility function and QOL. Optimal therapy may require post-revascularization rehabilitation to address lingering defects in skeletal muscle that limit function; however, the current standard of care after revascularization does not include rehabilitation. Exercise training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) may enhance function by increasing muscle perfusion to improve outcomes in older Veterans with PAD after revascularization.

The investigators will enroll Veterans (50-80 years of age) with PAD who are planned for percutaneous revascularization. Participants will complete research testing consisting of: a) Assessment of mobility function and QOL; and b) Treadmill tests to assess ambulatory capacity, and calf muscle perfusion. Participants will undergo screening prior to revascularization and will have baseline testing 2-3 weeks after revascularization. After post-revascularization testing, patients will be randomized to Exercise-only or NMES-only. After completion of the 3-month intervention, participants will repeat all tests to determine the effects of the interventions.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease; or ankle-brachial index \<0.9.
* Planned to undergo endovascular revascularization within 6 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Cancer under active treatment
* Planned for lower extremity bypass surgery
* Body mass index \> 45 kg/m2
* Critical limb ischemia or lower extremity gangrene

Primary outcomes:
measure: Modified Physical Performance Test
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: Six-minute Walk Distance
timeFrame: 3 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Muscle Perfusion Measured by Ultrasound Scan
timeFrame: 3 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Baltimore
country: United States
facility: Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
state: Maryland
Study officials:
affiliation: Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
name: Steven J. Prior, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Kundi R, Prior SJ, Addison O, Lu M, Ryan AS, Lal BK. Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Reveals Exercise-Induced Perfusion Deficits in Claudicants. J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2017;2(1):9. doi: 10.21767/2573-4482.100041. Epub 2017 Mar 6.
citation: Addison O, Prior SJ, Kundi R, Serra MC, Katzel LI, Gardner AW, Ryan AS. Sarcopenia in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Prevalence and Effect on Functional Status. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2018 Apr;99(4):623-628. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.10.017. Epub 2017 Nov 11.
citation: Addison O, Kundi R, Ryan AS, Goldberg AP, Patel R, Lal BK, Prior SJ. Clinical relevance of the modified physical performance test versus the short physical performance battery for detecting mobility impairments in older men with peripheral arterial disease. Disabil Rehabil. 2018 Dec;40(25):3081-3085. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1367966. Epub 2017 Aug 23.
citation: Prior SJ, Chrencik MT, Christensen E, Kundi R, Ryan AS, Addison O, Lal BK. An exercise stress test for contrast-enhanced duplex ultrasound assessment of lower limb muscle perfusion in patients with peripheral arterial disease. J Vasc Surg. 2024 Feb;79(2):397-404. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2023.10.005. Epub 2023 Oct 14.