Natural history of intermittent claudication in the Japanese.

The natural history of intermittent claudication (IC) was surveyed in 59 limbs of 44 patients. The mean follow-up period was 3 years (1 to 8.3 years). During the follow-up period, 72.0 per cent of the limbs with a solitary arterial lesion improved or remained unchanged. However, detailed analysis showed that 53.3 per cent of limbs with iliac artery stenosis and 50.0 per cent of those with femoropopliteal artery stenosis worsened, whereas only 18.7 per cent of limbs with iliac artery occlusion and no limbs with femoropopliteal artery occlusion had worsening of symptoms. Of limbs with multiple arterial lesions, 62.5 per cent worsened. Although the natural history of IC is relatively favorable, IC due to a solitary arterial stenosis tends to worsen, whereas IC due to a solitary arterial occlusion will, in more than 80 per cent of cases, improve or remain unchanged. In cases of arterial stenosis, therefore, more careful follow-up, including control of risk factors, is mandatory.