Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Maximum/pain-free walking distance
Systematic review	94 people with chronic, stable intermittent claudication 4 RCTs in this analysis	Mean increase in initial claudication distance 3 to 12 months with exercise programmes with usual care or placebo Absolute results not reported	Common difference of the mean (not further defined) 139 metres 95% CI 31 m to 247 m	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
Systematic review	409 people 8 RCTs in this analysis	Increase in pain-free walking distance with supervised exercise therapy with usual care Absolute results not reported	WMD 81.29 m 95% CI 35.45 m to 127.14 m P = 0.0005	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
RCT	57 men with stable intermittent claudication	Change in pain-free walking distance 12 weeks From 147 m to 225 m with 12-week supervised arm-crank exercise programme From 177 m to 192 m with control group	P = 0.03	Effect size not calculated	Arm-crank exercise programme
Systematic review	322 people 6 RCTs in this analysis	Mean increase in pain-free walking distance with exercise with usual care or placebo Absolute results not reported	Mean difference 82.19 m 95% CI 71.73 m to 92.65 m	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
Systematic review	115 people 5 RCTs in this analysis	Mean increase in absolute claudication distance 3 to 12 months with exercise programmes with usual care or placebo Absolute results not reported	Common difference of the mean (not further defined) 179 m 95% CI 60 m to 298 m	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
Systematic review	499 people 9 RCTs in this analysis	Increase in maximum walking distance with supervised exercise therapy with usual care Absolute results not reported	WMD 155.79 m 95% CI 80.84 m to 230.74 m P <0.0001	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
Systematic review	391 people 6 RCTs in this analysis	Mean increase in maximal walking distance with exercise with usual care or placebo Absolute results not reported	Mean difference 113.2 m 95% CI 94.96 m to 131.43 m	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
RCT	57 men with stable intermittent claudication	Change in maximum walking distance 12 weeks From 496 m to 661 m with 12-week supervised arm-crank exercise programme From 600 m to 626 m with control group	P = 0.01	Effect size not calculated	Arm-crank exercise programme
RCT 3-armed trial	156 people	Increase in walking distance (assessed by a 6-minute walk test; change from baseline) 6 months +20.9 m with supervised treadmill exercise (3 times/week) –15.0 m with control	Difference 35.9 m 95% CI 15.3 m to 56.5 m P <0.001 for treadmill v control	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
RCT 3-armed trial	156 people	Increase in walking distance (assessed by a 6-minute walk test; change from baseline) 6 months –2.6 m with resistance training (3 times/week) –15.0 m with control	Difference +12.4 m 95% CI –8.42 m to +33.3 m P = 0.24 for resistance training v control		Not significant
Walking time
Systematic review	255 people 7 RCTs in this analysis	Mean change in walking time 136 minutes with exercise 119 minutes with usual care or placebo	WMD 5.12 minutes 95% CI 4.51 minutes to 5.72 minutes	Effect size not calculated	Exercise
RCT 4-armed trial	52 people with intermittent claudication	Increase in walking duration from baseline 6 months From 804 seconds to 2020 seconds with pole-striding exercise plus placebo From 612 seconds to 623 seconds with placebo	P value not reported for pole-striding v placebo