Myocardial function and wall stretch in patients with claudication after aerobic training.

Peripheral arterial disease 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. 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. We relieved at rest, at the end of physical training, an increase in flow volume of common femoral artery of the symptomatic leg, a decrease of NTproBNP concentration and of telediastolic diameter of left ventricle. This trial documented an improvement of hemodynamic and cardiac performance in response of physical training in peripheral arterial disease patients not affected by cardiac disease. Further trials will be necessary to evaluate the use of NTproBNP as a marker of good response to physical training in these patients.