The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and the indicators of quality of life in individuals with intermittent claudication (IC). Forty-two subjects (65.2 ± 8.3 years) with IC of both genders participated in the study. Exercise treadmill test, to assess claudication distance (CD) and total walking distance (TWD), and one repetition maximum knee extension test were used to evaluate physical fitness. The quality of life indicators were obtained from the Medical Outcome Study Questionnaire Short Form, which is composed of eight domains: physical functioning (PF), physical aspects (PA), pain, general health, vitality (VI), social functioning (SF), emotional aspects (EA) and mental health. For statistical analysis Pearson correlation coefficient was used, with p < 0.05. There was a significant correlation between PF and CD and TWD (r = 0.60, p < 0.01 and r = 0.49; p < 0.01, respectively), between RP and TWD (r = 0.46, p < 0.01), between VI and SF and CD (r = 0.34, p = 0.03 e r = 0.33, p = 0.04; respectively), and between EA and CD and TWD (r = 0.43, p = 0.01 and r = 0.44, p = 0.01; respectively). In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that indicators of quality of life, both related to physical health and emotional health, are correlated with the walking capacity in patients with IC
peripheral arterial disease; exercise; rehabilitation
