The fate of patients with intermittent claudication managed nonoperatively

Of 100 patients with intermittent claudication, followed an average of six years, a surprising 78 per cent either showed improvement or remained stable regarding the presenting complaint. However, 39 per cent showed evidence of further progression of atherosclerosis. In patients with femoropopliteal occlusion in one leg, almost 40 per cent had occlusion in the one leg, almost 40 per cent had occlusion in the other leg after two to six years. The amputation rate was 7 per cent but six of these seven patients had severe diabetes. This study suggests that we are not causing limb loss by adhering to stringent criteria for bypass grafting. It also suggests that the patient with intermittent claudication without associated grave signs has a better than 50 per cent chance of improving and a better than 60 per cent chance that his disease will not show evidence of significant progression during a five to six year period. Such data should be taken into consideration when patients are considered for arterial reconstruction.