The treadmill test in the assessment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Results of a study using the treadmill test on 32 patients with peripheral Fontaine's stage II arterial disease are described. The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of the test in assessing useful information concerning the site of the lesion. Patients were divided in three classes depending on the arterial segment involved (iliac-femoral, femoro-popliteal, associated lesions) as resulted from the velocimetric and angiographic evaluation. Ankle pressure and WI, at rest and after stress test, PFWD and RT were evaluated. The authors conclude that data achieved with the dynamic test are related to the arterial involvement, allowing to differentiate obstructive and stenotic lesions, but do not give information concerning the site of the lesion. Nevertheless it is a valuable means of highlighting arterial lesions well compensated at rest and with normal pressure values.