Six-Minute Walk Is a Better Outcome Measure Than Treadmill Walking Tests in Therapeutic Trials of Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease
L ower-extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects 8 million people in the United States and >200 million men and women worldwide. 1,2 PAD will become increasingly common as the US population survives longer with chronic disease. Although intermittent claudication is the most frequent classic symptom of PAD, many patients with PAD are asymptomatic or have exertional leg symptoms other than intermittent claudication. Patients with PAD have slower walking speed, poorer walking endurance, and substantially lower physical activity levels compared with people without PAD. ]