Training fisico ed attivazione piastrinica in pazienti con claudicatio intermittens: effetti in condizioni di riposo e dopo induzione di ischemia.

Training is a documented effective treatment in patients affected from paripheral arterial disease. Platelet activation plays a pivoltal role in atherosclerosis progression and cardiovascular events. In ischemic heart disease, platelet activation is reduced by aerobic traning, while strenuous execise is associated with enhanced activation. Few data can be found for patients with peripheral arterial disease on training. We aimed to evaluate the effects of aerobic training on platelet activation and oxidative stress at rest and after maximal walking exercise. 18 patients with claudication were enrolled and underwent a 15 days aerobic training period (cycling and treadmill exercise under maximal walking capacity). Platelet function (PAF 100, P selectin) and oxidative stress (malondialdehyde) were analyzed at rest and after maximal treadmill test, at the beginning and at the end of the period. At the end of training absolute walking distance increased, malondialdehyde significantly decreased, P-selectin decreased and epinephrine platelet activation improved. Maximal treadmill test increased ADP platelet activation, while it decrease at the end of training. Aerobic supervised training in patients with peripheral arterial disease improves platelets aggregation, oxidative stress and platelets aggregation during ischemia. These data support and help explaining the benefit of training in atherosclerosis.