Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is caused by and is a major complication of systemic atherosclerosis which is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. PAD afflicts 10s of millions in the US alone and hundreds of millions worldwide. The primary problem in PAD is the inability to get adequate perfusion beyond the blockage to the leg(s). Still today for patients with PAD, there are no medications that have been shown to improve blood flow. For some patients with severe disease, open surgical procedures and endovascular techniques may relieve symptoms and prevent amputation; however, in a substantial proportion of patients, surgical and endovascular revascularization is not an option based on a patient's anatomy and/or comorbid diseases. With contributions from leading investigators spanning the domains of surgery and medicine, the issue will cover a host of novel research topics in the area of PAD. Manuscript submissions should cover all aspects including basic science, translational studies and clinical studies.
While some advances in medical therapy have been able to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with PAD, the last drug approved for PAD was the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, cilostazol back in 1999. The research topic will cover a range of emerging therapies that offer the potential to advance care for patients with PAD. All articles will focus on the steps needed to advance therapies for patients. Focus should also be drawn to current and future technology developments which may influence diagnosis and treatment of PAD.
This Research Topic will consider for publication state of the art research articles as well as manuscripts with original, unpublished, data. All manuscript types will be accepted however, case reports should present novel or significant findings. Novel therapeutics will include but are not limited to gene therapy, means of promoting angiogenesis approaches that are distinctive from vascular endothelial growth factor, value of systems biology and big data for the identification and screening of novel therapeutics, and well as biomarkers and new ways to look at "standard" therapeutics.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Dr. Annex is the founder of Merand Pharmaceutical a company established to commercialize miR-93 for PAD. All work related to this publication studies were supported by NIH grants to Dr. Annex. No financial or time support from Merand Pharmaceutical was used.
Dr. Annex was supported by R01 HL121635, R01HL141325, R01HL148590, R01HL101200 (Popel, Johns Hopkins, PI) and R01GM129074 (Mac Gabhann, Johns Hopkins, PI)
Dr. Vazquez-Padron was supported by R01HL152449, IBX004658, R01 DK132888, and 22K07 (Vazquez-Padron, PI).
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is caused by and is a major complication of systemic atherosclerosis which is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. PAD afflicts 10s of millions in the US alone and hundreds of millions worldwide. The primary problem in PAD is the inability to get adequate perfusion beyond the blockage to the leg(s). Still today for patients with PAD, there are no medications that have been shown to improve blood flow. For some patients with severe disease, open surgical procedures and endovascular techniques may relieve symptoms and prevent amputation; however, in a substantial proportion of patients, surgical and endovascular revascularization is not an option based on a patient's anatomy and/or comorbid diseases. With contributions from leading investigators spanning the domains of surgery and medicine, the issue will cover a host of novel research topics in the area of PAD. Manuscript submissions should cover all aspects including basic science, translational studies and clinical studies.
While some advances in medical therapy have been able to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with PAD, the last drug approved for PAD was the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, cilostazol back in 1999. The research topic will cover a range of emerging therapies that offer the potential to advance care for patients with PAD. All articles will focus on the steps needed to advance therapies for patients. Focus should also be drawn to current and future technology developments which may influence diagnosis and treatment of PAD.
This Research Topic will consider for publication state of the art research articles as well as manuscripts with original, unpublished, data. All manuscript types will be accepted however, case reports should present novel or significant findings. Novel therapeutics will include but are not limited to gene therapy, means of promoting angiogenesis approaches that are distinctive from vascular endothelial growth factor, value of systems biology and big data for the identification and screening of novel therapeutics, and well as biomarkers and new ways to look at "standard" therapeutics.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Dr. Annex is the founder of Merand Pharmaceutical a company established to commercialize miR-93 for PAD. All work related to this publication studies were supported by NIH grants to Dr. Annex. No financial or time support from Merand Pharmaceutical was used.
Dr. Annex was supported by R01 HL121635, R01HL141325, R01HL148590, R01HL101200 (Popel, Johns Hopkins, PI) and R01GM129074 (Mac Gabhann, Johns Hopkins, PI)
Dr. Vazquez-Padron was supported by R01HL152449, IBX004658, R01 DK132888, and 22K07 (Vazquez-Padron, PI).