Effects of Psychological Factors on Exercise Capacity for Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease

Abstract

Patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are strongly recommended to do supervised exercise. Evidence of home-based exercise therapy for PAD, however, is limited. The aim is to explore the effects of psychological factors on continuation of exercise at home and exercise capacity in patients with symptomatic PAD. The study subjects were six patients with symptomatic PAD (Fontaine classification Ⅱ degree, three men, average age 75.5 ± 3.0 years old). At baseline, a treadmill exercise test using the modified Skinner–Gardner protocol was done to measure asymptomatic walking time (AWT) and maximum walking time (MWT), and subjective well-being inventory (SUBI) and health locus of control (HLC) were assessed to evaluate psychological factors. After teaching interval walk program, all the patients were advised to do home-based exercise at least four days a week for one month. All the measurements repeated after the home based exercise program for a month. AWT and MWT at baseline were 566 ±476 sec and 684 ±397 sec, respectively. sense of health and fatigue level of SUBI were 44.3 ± 8.4 points and 51.8 ± 6.31, respectively. HLC internal factor and HLC external factor were 24.3 ± 0.9 points and 61.5, respectively. There was a significant correlation between delta MWT and HLC external factor (r=0.883, p <0.05) even after age-adjusted partial correlation analysis, but not with HLC internal factor. In conclusion, involvement of multiple external factors such as support of family members, friends, and medical stuffs may be a key to increase MWT in patients with PAD.