RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Peripheral artery disease i g

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleker of systemic atherosclerosis, and often leads to signifi-cant morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients with ESRD [2]. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of 1999–2000 reported that PAD affects approximately 5 million adults, includ-ing 12-20 % of Americans aged 65 years and older [3]. The prevalence of PAD increases dramatically with age, patients. Despite the high prevalence of PAD and its association with increased cardiovascular disease, few PAD patients are given treatment for this condition, because most are asymptomatic [5]. PAD often progresses silently until the onset of the most common symptom, intermittent claudication [2]. However, in the general population, only about 10 % of patients with PAD develop this classic symptom, about 40 % have no complaint of leg pain, and about 50 % have diverse leg symptoms that are not typ-ical of classic claudication [4]