This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with painful walking and low quality of life. Claudication pain is due to low blood flow to the legs and feet in PAD. Lipoic acid (LA), a nutritional antioxidant, may act to increase blood flow and lower pain symptoms with walking, although this is unclear at the present time. This study examined whether or not LA supplementation (600 mg/day) improves leg blood pressures and walking tolerance during two walking tests (6-minute walk, 4-meter walk). Walking tolerance measures included walking distance, time and distance to leg pain onset, distance walked with leg pain, and peak levels of pain. The 4-meter walk was determined in seconds. Quality of life was measured using surveys that asked questions about mood, feelings about health, and level of difficulty of activities of daily living, which each study participant completed. Persons 50 years and older with PAD (foot blood pressures of 30-90% of normal), who were non-smokers, were included in the study. LA (600mg/day) or matched placebos were administered for 12 weeks. Foot blood pressures, blood measures of inflammation and oxidative stress, walking tolerance, and quality of life were measured at the start of the study and at weeks 4, 8, and 12 to determine whether or not these measures changed over time. The primary analysis included detection of any differences between groups regarding walking tolerance and leg pain.
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