A MARKED DECLINE IN THE PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE OF INTERMITTENT CLAUDICATION IN ICELANDIC MEN 1968-1986 - A STRONG RELATIONSHIP TO SMOKINGAND SERUM-CHOLESTEROL - THE REYKJAVIK STUDY

The epidemiology of peripheral vascular disease has been studied much less extensively than the epidemiology of coronary heart disease (CHD) . The prospective Reykjavik Study gave an opportunity to monitor secul ar trends from 1968 to 1986 of clinical intermittent claudication (IC) amongst Icelandic males, aged 34-80 and to assess the importance of p ossible risk factors. Both prevalence and incidence of IC decreased sh arply after 1970 in all age groups, and this decline occurred a few ye ars earlier than the decline of CHD in Iceland. The only significant r isk factors for intermittent claudication, in addition to age, were sm oking which increased the risk of IC 8- to 10-fold and serum cholester ol level. Approximately one-half of the striking decline in the incide nce of IC can be explained by decreased smoking and cholesterol levels amongst Icelandic men. A follow-up study verified that IC patients st ood twice the risk of cardiovascular and total mortality as non-IC pat ients, indicating that IC is a high risk group which should receive al l possible preventive measures.