One treadmill exercise session increased plasma levels of ICAM‐1 (285 ± 15 at rest to 317 ± 16 ng/ml after exercise, P < 0.01) and VCAM‐1 (671 ± 45 to 751 ± 47 ng/ml, P < 0.05) in PAD patients, while no modifications were observed in controls. The gene discussed is VCAM1; the disease is peripheral arterial disease.