IntroductionHome-based walking exercise is first-line therapy for peripheral artery disease (PAD), but benefits of home-based walking exercise are variable. This study evaluated whether specific clinical characteristics were associated with greater improvement after home-based walking exercise or with higher rates of serious adverse events (SAEs). MethodsData were combined from two randomized clinical trials comparing home-based walking exercise to control in PAD. The home-based exercise interventions used behavioral interventions to help participants adhere to exercise. The primary outcome was the proportion of PAD participants who improved 6-minute walk (6MW) by at least 20 meters. Serious adverse events consisted of overnight hospitalizations or death that occurred during the randomized clinical trial. ResultsOf 376 PAD participants [69.6 years, 54.5% Black, 49.5% women], 217 were randomized to exercise and 159 to control. Home-based exercise improved 6MW by at least 20 meters in 100 (54.9%) participants, compared to 37 (28.0%) in control (Odds Ratio 3.13 (95% CI: 1.94,5.06), P< 0.001. Age, sex, race, comorbidities, baseline 6MW, and income did not significantly alter the effect of home-based exercise on improved 6MW. SAEs occurred in 28.1% and 23.3% of participants randomized to exercise and control, respectively (p=0.29). There were statistically significant interactions, indicating that home-based exercise increased SAE rates, compared to control, in Black compared to non-Black participants (P interaction <0.001), in those with vs. without coronary artery disease (CAD) (P interaction<0.001), and in people with vs. without history of heart failure (P interaction=0.005). ConclusionAmong people with PAD, home-based exercise improved 6MW by at least 20 meters in 54.9% of people. Older age, female sex, Black race, and specific comorbidities were not associated with lower rates of attaining meaningful improvement in 6MW following home-based exercise. Further study is needed to establish whether certain patient characteristics, such as history of coronary artery disease, may affect SAE rates in PAD patients participating in home-based exercise.
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