The Relation of Peripheral Arterial Disease to Leg Force, Gait Speed, and Functional Dependence among Older Adults

Background. Atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD ), common among older adults, is associated with poor low- extremity functioning. In considering functional status, varying domains exist, including activities of daily living( ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), low- extremity mobility (LEM), and leisure and/or social activities (LSA). However, little is known about how PAD is related to functional status beyond low-extremity functioning. Methods. A total of 1798 participants 60 years old or older was selected from the population- based National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002 in the United States. ADL, IADL, LSA, LEM, and general physical activities (GPA) were obtained by self-report. Peak leg force was obtained from an isokinetic dynamometer. Habitual gait speed was obtained from a 20-foot timed walk. PAD was defined as an ankle-brachial blood pressure index