Red Light Treatment in Peripheral Artery Disease

Summary

Subjects with a known diagnosis of peripheral artery disease as measured by an abnormal ankle brachial index (\<.9 or \>1.1) will undergo a single 5 min exposure of 670 nm light, 1 cm above the gastrocnemius muscle. Blood flow will be measured by infusion of ultrasound contrast and subsequent acquisition of ultrasound images. 2 blood samples will be collected for measurement of nitric oxide metabolites.

Detailed Description

The intent of this protocol is to measure blood flow in the gastrocnemius muscle in patients with documented peripheral artery disease before and after exposure to 670 nm light energy. The study consists of one visit. Blood flow measurement will be performed using contrast enhanced ultrasound, a method by which ultrasound contrast is continuously infused into the blood stream. Ultrasound records images in the area of interest and flow is related to the intensity of the contrast in each image. Blood will be drawn to measure nitric oxide metabolites. The study is designed to consist of one visit. However, if the protocol changes or the data quality initially collected is uninterpretable, subjects may be asked to return to allow for a standard methodology across all participants. In this case, the subjects who are asked to return will be subject to the same informed consent process a second time. The two visits will be at least one week apart to further reduce the already minimal risks of the study. This will also limit the number of study participants required to gather the necessary data to complete the study, thereby limiting the risks of the study to a smaller number of participants.

Eligibility Criteria

Interventions