Effects of Walking Exercise at a Pace With Versus Without Ischemic Leg Symptoms on Functional Performance Measures in People With Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease: The LITE Randomized Clinical Trial

Background In people with peripheral artery disease, post hoc analyses of the LITE (Low Intensity Exercise Intervention in Peripheral Artery Disease) randomized trial were conducted to evaluate the effects of walking exercise at a pace inducing ischemic leg symptoms on walking velocity and the Short Physical Performance Battery, compared with walking exercise without ischemic leg symptoms and compared with a nonexercising control group. Methods and Results Participants with peripheral artery disease were randomized to: home‐based walking exercise that induced ischemic leg symptoms; home‐based walking exercise conducted without ischemic leg symptoms; or a nonexercising control group for 12 months. Outcomes were change of walking velocity over 4 m and change of the Short Physical Performance Battery (0–12, with 12=best) at 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐up. A total of 264 participants (48% women, 61% Black race) were included. Compared with walking exercise without ischemic symptoms, walking exercise that induced ischemic symptoms improved change in usual‐paced walking velocity over 4 m at 6‐month (0.056 m/s [95% CI, 0.019–0.094 m/s]; P