 Patients were included in the study if they met the following criteria: Fontaine stage II peripheral arterial disease, symptoms of IC for at least 6 months, anklebrachial index ABI at rest 0.90 in 1 or 2 legs, reduction of ABI after treadmill test, and exercise tolerance limited by IC. Patients were excluded under the following conditions: presence of chronic lung disease, inability to obtain ABI measurement due to noncompressible vessels, exercise tolerance limited by factors other than claudication eg, dyspnea or orthopedic problems, poorly controlled blood pressure, presence of electrocardiogram response suggestive of myocardial ischemia during the exercise test, and history of revascularization in the previous year. 