Resting energy expenditure in subjects with and without intermittent claudication

Subjects with peripheral arterial disease and intermittent claudication have ischemia of the lower extremities, but little is known how this influences resting energy expenditure. The objective of the study was to compare the resting energy expenditure of subjects with and without intermittent claudication. One hundred six subjects limited by intermittent claudication and 77 controls who did not have peripheral arterial disease and intermittent claudication participated in this study. Subjects were assessed on resting energy expenditure, body composition, ankle/brachial index (ABI), and calf blood flow. Subjects with intermittent claudication had a lower resting energy expenditure (1585 ± 251 vs 1716 ± 277 kcal/d, P = .019), higher body fat percentage (33.4% ± 10.7% vs 29.6% ± 7.7%, P = .016), higher fat mass (29.6 ± 10.6 vs 24.2 ± 8.9 kg, P = .011), and lower ABI (0.66 ± 0.20 vs 1.19 ± 0.12, P < .001). Resting energy expenditure was predicted by fat-free mass (P < .001), ABI (P = .027), and calf blood flow (P = .040). Resting energy expenditure remained lower in the subjects with intermittent claudication after adjusting for clinical characteristics plus fat-free mass (1611 ± 171 vs 1685 ± 209 kcal/d, P = .035), but was no longer different between groups after further adjustment for ABI and calf blood flow (1622 ± 165 vs 1633 ± 185 kcal/d, P = .500). Subjects with intermittent claudication have lower resting energy expenditure than controls, which is partially explained by ABI and calf blood flow.