Sixty-six male patients were screened for the study,
but 41 were excluded based on one or more of the
following prospectively defined criteria: leg pain at
rest, ischemic ulceration, gangrene, or a resting ankle
blood pressure less than 50 mm Hg. Patients who
were unable to walk on the treadmill at a speed of at
least 2 mph or whose exercise capacity was limited by
symptoms of angina, congestive heart failure, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, or arthritis were also
excluded from the study. Diabetics were excluded
because glycemic control may affect the response to a
conditioning program,27 and these patients often
have a severe and distal distribution of arterial
occlusive disease.28 Patients taking long-term medications
continued these drugs without changes in
dosage. Patients taking ,3-adrenergic-blocking drugs
or pentoxifylline were excluded because of the possible
effects of these drugs on exercise training.29
Finally, patients who had undergone vascular surgery
or angioplasty within the previous year were also
excluded from the study.