One treadmill exercise session increased plasma levels of ICAM‐1 (317 ± 4 at rest to 421 ± 10 ng/ml after exercise), VCAM‐1 (485 ± 14 to 576 ± 16), TNF‐α (14 ± 3 to 27 ± 5) and IL6 (12 ± 1 to 16 ± 2) in PAD patients. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is peripheral arterial disease.