In patients with PAD, blood pressure increased continuously and significantly when walking to MCD (dynamic exercise). The level of increase in blood pressure was similar to that caused in response to isometric exercise.

Patients with active RA, but not those in remission, had significantly increased levels of CVD risk markers. These results link inflammatory activity to markers of CVD risk in patients with RA and may indirectly support the notion that remission in RA confers diminished cardiovascular morbidity.

The advantage of conducting a single centre study and adhering to very strict inclusion criteria was illustrated by the homogenous demographic data of the two groups. This partly outweighed the disadvantage of having included a relatively small number of patients. Early intervention with PTA in addition to OMT seems to have a generally more positive effect compared to OMT only, on haemodynamic, functional as well as QoL aspects during the first 2 years in patients with IC.

Patients with RA had more CP compared with controls and patients in CDAI remission, and controls had more stable CP than patients with active disease; these findings point to the importance of achieving remission in RA.