Abstract: Adhesion molecules play a relevant role in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. In 21 patients with intermittent claudication and 18 sex‐ and age‐matched control subjects, we measured plasma levels of the circulating form of the adhesion molecules E‐selectin, P‐selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) alongside von Willebrand factor (vWF), at rest, at maximally tolerated exercise and 5, 15 and 30 min after exercise. In controls, plasma sICAM‐1 levels did not change with exercise, while in claudicants they increased from 285±15 to 317±16 ng/ml (p<0.01). Also for sVCAM‐1 exercise did not modify plasma levels of sVCAM‐1 in controls but increased it in claudicants from 671±45 to 751±47 ng/ml (p<0.05). Similarly, vWF did not change with exercise in controls, but increased in claudicants from 100±9% to 111±8% of value for pooled normal plasma (p<0.05). Exercise‐induced changes in sICAM‐1 negatively correlated with the maximal tolerated walking time, which is an index of disease severity. These findings indicate that, in claudicants, exercise is associated with increase in plasma levels of sICAM‐1 and sVCAM‐1.
