Factors Associated with Sedentary Behavior in Patients with Intermittent Claudication

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Exercise Physiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Sedentary behavior is linked to negative health outcomes, particularly cardio-metabolic risks.
• Patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) are particularly vulnerable to these risks.
• Understanding factors contributing to sedentary behavior in PAD is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify demographic, clinical, and functional factors associated with sedentary time in patients with symptomatic PAD.
• To provide insights for targeted interventions to reduce sedentary behavior in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 297 patients with symptomatic PAD.
• Sedentary behavior was measured using a step activity monitor and categorized into tertiles.
• Data collected included demographics, body mass index, comorbidities, and PAD severity markers (e.g., ankle-brachial index, peak oxygen uptake, walking economy).

Main Results:

• Patients in the highest sedentary tertile exhibited higher body mass index and greater prevalence of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.
• Conversely, those with more sedentary time had lower peak walking time, peak oxygen uptake, and walking economy.
• Multiple regression analysis identified male sex, higher body mass index, shorter peak walking time, and poorer walking economy as significant factors associated with increased sedentary time.

Conclusions:

• Greater sedentary time in symptomatic PAD patients is associated with male sex, higher body mass index, and reduced physical function (peak walking time and walking economy).
• These findings highlight specific characteristics of PAD patients who are more sedentary, informing potential targeted interventions.