Exercícios físicos na doença arterial obstrutiva periférica

Are Vascular Parameters Associated with Walking Impairment in Patients with Claudication?

BACKGROUND

The mechanisms underlying functional impairments in symptomatic PAD patients are controversial and poorly understood. Endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness have been proposed as potential mechanisms related to functional impairment in symptomatic PAD patients, however, more studies are needed to confirm these associations.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association between vascular function and walking impairment in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and symptoms of claudication.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study that included 68 patients with symptomatic PAD. All patients underwent an objective (Six-minute walk test [6MWT], 4-meter walk test) and a subjective (Walking Impairment Questionnaire [WIQ]) measurement of walking impairment. Vascular parameters measured were pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Multiple linear regression was performed to investigate the association among walking impairment variables with vascular function parameters.

RESULTS

No significant associations between the claudication onset distance (PWV: b=.060, P = 0.842; FMD: b=-.192, P = 0.456), 6MWT (PWV: b=.007, P = 0..975; FMD: b=.090, P = 0.725), WIQ distance (PWV: b=.337, P = 0.117; FMD: b=-.025, P = 0.895) WIQ speed (PWV: b=.320, P = 0.181; FMD: b=-.028, P = 0.497), WIQ stairs (PWV: b=.256, P = 0.204; FMD: b=-.228, P = 0.230), 4-meter usual walk (PWV: b=-.421, P = 0.107; FMD: b=-.338, P = 0.112), 4-meter fast walk (PWV: b=-.496, P = 0.063; FMD: b=-.371, P = 0.086) and vascular function were found.

CONCLUSIONS

In symptomatic PAD patients, vascular function is not associated to walking impairment, even when adjusting for comorbid conditions and diabetes.

Intermittent Massage as a Therapeutic Option for Compartment Syndrome after Embolectomy of the Lower Limbs

The case of a 54-year-old cardiac patient is reported, who was admitted to hospital with a complaint of sudden pain in the legs associated with edema, paresthesia, and coldness. Arterial embolism of the lower limbs was diagnosed and the patient was submitted to bilateral embolectomy. The patient evolved with a burning sensation, hypersensitivity in the right leg, swelling, and difficulty bending and stretching the sole of the foot and the knee. A physical examination detected edema and increased tension in the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments. Treatment using intermittent massage of the leg during the evaluation of the patient was chosen in an attempt to stimulate lymphatic and venous drainage. After a few minutes of stimulation, there was significant improvement in the pain and edema. In 40 minutes, there was total reduction of the pain in the posterior and lateral compartments and improvement of over 50% in the anterior compartment. After this, the patient started to bend the knee without pain and bend the sole of the foot with slight pain. On the following day, the patient was walking around the hospital ward without difficulty. It seems that intermittent massage is a therapeutic option in selected cases of compartment syndrome.

Physiotherapeutic intervention in peripheral arterial disease by functional hyperemia in diabetic patients

Abstract Introduction : Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is conceptualized as a public health problem with varying degrees of morbidity. The physical and functional alternatives for the treatment of circulatory complications of diabetes, such as intermittent claudication, are poorly explored. This indicates the need to search for ancillary techniques that can be used in the physical therapy treatment of diabetic patients. Objective : To investigate the effects of functional hyperemia on peripheral arterial disease in patients with diabetes. Materials and methods: This study was conducted with a group of five volunteers from the Diabetics Association of Parana (Associação Paranaense do Diabético , APAD ), who suffered from peripheral vascular disorders in the lower limbs. All subjects attended 10 sessions (twice weekly). Functional hyperemia was induced by programmed exercise therapy that consisted of walking on a treadmill. Results : There was a significant increase in mean activity time (F9,36 = 13.710; p < 0.001 ), mean walking distance (F9,36 = 27.689 ; p < 001), and mean speed (F9,36 = 15.638 ; p < .001). No statistically significant differences in the ankle-brachial index were noted. Conclusion : There was a significant increase in walking distance, time, and speed for diabetic subjects. Our findings indicate the importance of physical therapists in the supervised treatment of peripheral vascular disorders in diabetic patients.