Intermittent claudication is a cramping leg pain that develops when walking and is relieved with rest. It is caused by inadequate blood flow to the leg muscles because of atherosclerosis (fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries blocking blood flow). People with mild-to-moderate claudication are advised to keep walking, stop smoking and reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Possible treatments include exercise, drugs, bypass surgery or angioplasty. Angioplasty involves expanding the narrowed artery. This can be done by inflating a 'balloon' inside the artery. Sometimes stents (thin metal sleeves) are inserted to keep the artery open.
The review authors identified two controlled studies in which a total of 104 participants (68 male and 36 female) with intermittent claudication were randomised to receive the same type of endovascular stent (Palmaz) or balloon angioplasty alone. This review found that there is not enough evidence from randomised controlled trials about the effects of using stents with angioplasty over angioplasty alone to treat intermittent claudication.