Author(s): CUCATO, G., WILHELM, E.1, KANEGUSUKU, H.2, WOLOSKER, N.2, CORREIA, M.A.3, RITTI-DIAS, R.M.3, Institution: NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY, Country: UNITED KINGDOM, Abstract-ID: 725

INTRODUCTION:
Arm-crank exercise training (ACT) is an alternative exercise modality for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) due to the attenuation of pain symptoms during the exercise and the benefits on functional capacity. However, the benefits of ACT on cardiovascular function in PAD are unknown.
METHODS:
This is a three-armed randomised, prospective, single-blind data collection, single-centre study. Forty-two patients of both sexes were randomised into 3 intervention groups: ACT, (N=14, age=69±7 years) walking training (WT, N=15, age=68±7 years), and the control group (CO, n=13, age=65±8 years). The ACT and WT performed 2 supervised sessions/week for 12 weeks, 15 to 10 sets of 2 to 5 minutes at 13 to 15 score on the Borg scale. Patients in the CO attended meetings twice a week for 12 weeks with the research team. During these meetings, they engaged in manual tasks using materials, cultural programs, cooking classes, and home care without any exercise components. Before and after 12 weeks of interventions, cardiovascular parameters [office, ambulatory and central blood pressure, heart rate variability (high frequency/low frequency)], and arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity) were obtained. We performed generalised estimating equations and a post hoc pairwise comparison using the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. A level of significance (α)<0.05 was assumed in this study. All data are expressed as mean±SD.
RESULTS:
Compared to baseline, office systolic (ACT =-7.5±18.2; WT=-6.2±14.6 and CO=-7.0±8.8 mm Hg), office diastolic (ACT=-4.0±7.9; WT=-5.0±7.0 and CO=-4.5±4.5 mm Hg), central systolic (ACT =-8.3±18.6; WT=-8.5±18.2; and CO=-11.2±15.9 ) and central diastolic blood pressure (ACT=-5.5±8.6; WT=-4.5±7.7; and CO=-5.0±10.4 ) decreased significantly post-intervention in all groups (time effect p<0.05). In contrast, compared to baseline, there were no changes in all groups for pulse wave velocity (ACT=0.2±0.8; WT=-0.6±2.8 and CO=-0.5±2.3 m/s), high frequency/low frequency (ACT=-0.0±0.6; WT=0.1±0.7 and CO=-0.0±0.7), 24 hours systolic (ACT=-4.8±14.4; WT=1.2±5.3 and CO=-1.1±4.8 mm Hg), 24 hours diastolic (ACT=-4.1±7.0; WT=-2.9±4.6 and CO=-3.4±7.0 mm Hg), and 24 hours mean blood pressure (ACT=-4.4±9.1; WT=2.4±4.3; and CO=-2.7±7.9 mm Hg), all P>0.05
CONCLUSION:
In PAD patients, ACT promotes similar cardiovascular benefits to WT and CO groups. Consequently, ACT can be integrated into broader PAD management strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk in these patients.