According to the American Heart Association, up to 12 million people have a condition known as peripheral arterial disease, or PAD.
In PAD, fatty deposits build up in the inner linings of the artery walls. These blockages restrict blood circulation, mainly in arteries leading to the kidneys, stomach, arms, legs and feet.
In its early stages, a common symptom is cramping or fatigue in the legs and buttocks during activity. Such cramping often stops when a person stands still. Patients with PAD often have fatty buildup in the arteries of the heart and brain. Because of this, most patients with PAD have a higher risk of death from a heart attack or stroke.
Doctors often diagnose PAD with a physical exam, ultrasound, X-ray angiography and magnetic resonance imaging angiography (MRI).
Most people with PAD can be treated with lifestyle changes or medications. Doctors often recommend lifestyle changes such as controlling blood pressure and diabetes, increasing physical activity, following a low-fat diet and quitting smoking. Smokers are up to 25-times more likely to be diagnosed with PAD.
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Stem cells
Stem cells have a positive effect on fixing peripheral arterial disease.
 
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Some common drugs to treat the condition include medications such as cilostazol and pentoxifylline, which help improve walking distance, antiplatelet agents, and cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. Some patients may also require angioplasty or surgery.
Angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure that widens narrowed or blocked peripheral arteries.
Researchers from Duke University Medical Center are studying whether stem cells can help patients with PAD. The procedure involves isolating specialized stem cells and then injecting those cells into tissue that is starved of blood supply.
"We designed the project to take adult stem cells isolated from a patient's own bone marrow and inject them into the leg … We are hopeful that ultimately this approach will stimulate growth of new blood vessels to restore circulation to these starved muscles. This is the last option [for some patients], short of amputation,” Dr. Jeffrey Lawson, of Duke, said.
So far, two patients at Duke have had the procedure, and both have shown improvement. A recent study in Japan showed 39 out of 45 patients saw improvements in limb perfusion after undergoing the procedure. Duke researchers say those results, along with what they are finding in this new study are encouraging.
"What we learn from this trial could possibly apply to other areas of the body, such as the heart. While leg muscle is different than cardiac muscle, the leg can be a safe place to be doing such promising work," Duke researcher Dr. Michael Murphy said.
