AEROBIC TRAINING WITH LIMBS INTERMITTENT ISCHEMIA IMPROVES MYOCARDIAL FUNCTION AND WALL STRETCH IN PATIENTS WITH CLAUDICATION

Background: peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a chronic disease determining functional impairment and increased risk of cardiovascular events. Physical training improves cardiac performance and reduces NTproBNP concentration, marker of risk of cardiovascular events, in cardiac patients. Aim: we aimed to examine the effects training conducted till ischemic pain at the leg of PAD patients on myocardial function and peripheral flux.Methods: we enrolled 22 patients affected by peripheral arterial disease without cardiac disease. All patients undergone a physical training of 15 days, with treadmill test at the begin and at the end of training. Results: at the end of training patients increased walking distance (450±180 m vs 250±108 m; p<0.05). We documented at rest, at the end of physical training, an increase in flow volume of common femoral artery of the symptomatic leg (2,55±2,13 L/min vs 1,86±1,30 L/min; p<0.05); NTproBNP concentration at rest was lower al the end of training (210±130 pg/mL vs 188±108 pg/mL; p<0.005), an increase of NTproBNP concentration after maximal exercise on treadmill before treatment, with a reduced increase at the end of training period (24±21 vs 12±10 pg/mL; p<0.0005); a reduction of end-diastolic diameter of left ventricle at rest (48±4 mm vs 50±5 mm; p<0.05). The ejection fraction did not changed, while heart rate reduced after training (66±9 bpm vs 71±12 bpm; p