We determined whether a greater exercise pressor response during a constant-load treadmill test was associated with lower peak walking time (PWT) and claudication onset time (COT) measured during a graded maximal treadmill test in 304 patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). The exercise pressor response was assessed by measuring heart rate and blood pressure (BP) at rest and during a constant-load treadmill test (speed = 2 mph, grade = 0%). After only 2 minutes of walking, mean heart rate increased by 26 beats/min from rest and mean systolic BP increased by 16 mm Hg. In adjusted analyses, increases in systolic BP (P = .021), heart rate (P = .002), mean arterial pressure (P = .034), and rate–pressure product (P < .001) from rest to 2 minutes of constant-load exercise were negatively associated with COT. Similarly, increases in heart rate (P = .012) and rate–pressure product (P = .018) from rest to 2 minutes of constant-load exercise were negatively associated with PWT. A greater exercise pressor response observed after only 2 minutes of walking at no incline was independently associated with impaired claudication outcomes in patients with symptomatic PAD. The implication is that the exercise pressor response is an important and easily obtained clinical measurement that partially explains differences in PWT and COT.
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