Introduction:

Lower limb´s peripheral artery disease is a health problem as being the cause of more than 40% of non-traumatic amputations in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Stem cells could contribute positively to their treatment by participating in the angiogenic process.

Objective:

Describe claudication distance and ankle-arm´s pressure index in patients with arterial insufficiency treated with stem cells.

Methods:

A quasi-experimental, prospective and analytical study was carried out in 36 patients diagnosed with arterial insufficiency, attended in the Angiology service of "Dr. Carlos J. Finlay" Central Military Hospital. Patients were treated with autologous mononuclear cells obtained from peripheral blood, and they were used intramuscularly. The studied variables were: age, sex, risk factors, occlusive pattern, claudication distance and ankle-arm´s pressure index.

Results:

Male sex (63.9%), age group of 65 years and older (44.4%), and white skin (61.1%) predominated. The most common risk factors were: smoking habit (72.2%), and high blood pressure (69.4%). In 77.7% of the cases, the pain while walking disappeared (p < 0.01). The claudication distance increased (p< 0) at the end of the sixth month (397.2 ± 118.8 meters: IC 95 %: 357; 437.4). There was a highly significant increase (p< 0) of the ankle-arm´s pressure index of the dorsalis pedis artery.

Conclusions:

Autologous mononuclear cells are effective in treating arterial insufficiency as they eliminate pain during exercise, increase distance while walking, and increase ankle-arm´s pressure rates.

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