Applicability of global positioning system for the assessment of walking ability in patients with arterial claudication

ObjectiveThis study determined for the first time the clinical applicability of a global positioning system (GPS)-monitored community-based walking ability assessment in a large cohort of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).MethodsA multicenter study was conducted among PAD patients who complained of intermittent claudication. Patients equipped with a GPS device performed a community-based outdoor walk. We determined the number of technically satisfactory GPS recordings (attempt No. 1). Patients with unsatisfactory GPS recordings were asked to perform a second attempt (attempt No. 2). From the satisfactory recordings obtained after attempts No. 1 and No. 2, we analyzed several GPS parameters to provide clinical information on the patients' walking ability. Results are reported as median (interquartile range).ResultsA total of 218 patients performed an outdoor walk. GPS recordings were technically satisfactory in 185 patients (85%) and in 203 (93%) after attempts No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The highest measured distance between two stops during community walking was 678 m (IQR, 381-1333 m), whereas self-reported maximal walking distance was 250 m (IQR, 150-400 m; P < .001). Walking speed was 3.6 km/h (IQR, 3.1-3.9 km/h), with few variations during the walk. Among the patients who had to stop during the walk, the stop durations were <10 minutes in all but one individual.ConclusionsGPS is applicable for the nonsupervised multicenter recording of walking ability in the community. In the future, it may facilitate objective community-based assessment of walking ability, allow for the adequate monitoring of home-based walking programs, and for the study of new dimensions of walking in PAD patients with intermittent claudication.