RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Observing the Role of Inflammation in Peripheral Artery Disease and Its Impact on Heart and Mobility Health: PANACEA-O.

This Canadian study, called PANACEA-O, is collecting information from people with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) who are able to walk and live at home. Researchers want to get a clear picture of these patients when they first start receiving care at heart clinics. They'll look at their general health, how much inflammation they have (using blood tests), and how well they can move around. The study hopes to show that many PAD patients have high inflammation and may struggle with physical activities. This information will help doctors understand PAD better, identify patients earlier, and guide future research towards new treatments, especially those that might help reduce inflammation.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Cardiology Research UBC

Enrolment target

Start

25 Sep 2025

Estimated completion

01 Jul 2026

Peripheral Vascular Disease

What is this study about?

Imagine your arteries are like pipes that carry blood around your body. With Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), these pipes, especially in your legs, can get narrowed or blocked. This can make walking painful or difficult, as not enough blood reaches your muscles. This study, called PANACEA-O, is like a detailed survey for people in Canada who have PAD and are being seen in heart clinics, but are still able to walk and live independently. Researchers want to learn more about what these patients are like when they start their treatment, focusing on their overall health, how much inflammation they have in their bodies (inflammation is the body's response to injury or infection), and how well they can move and do everyday activities.

The main goal is to build a clearer picture of PAD in today's heart clinics. For example, they believe that many people with PAD in these clinics might have high levels of inflammation and some difficulty with physical tasks. The information gathered will be really useful for doctors to understand PAD better, spot it earlier in patients, and improve the care they provide. It will also help guide future research into new treatments, particularly those that could help reduce harmful inflammation in people with PAD. This study is not testing a new medicine; it's about collecting information to help us understand the condition better.

Ultimately, by getting a good understanding of what PAD looks like in real-world settings, the study aims to highlight the need for regular checks for PAD in heart clinics. This way, patients can be identified sooner, potentially leading to new and more effective treatments being offered down the line, especially treatments that focus on reducing inflammation. The findings could pave the way for a healthier future for people living with PAD.

Key takeaways

This study collects information, not new treatments, for people with PAD.
It aims to understand the link between inflammation, PAD, walk ability, and heart health.
Data will help doctors better diagnose and treat PAD in the future.
Focuses on Canadian patients still active and living at home.
Participation involves sharing health information from routine clinic visits.
The ultimate goal is to improve care and find new treatments for PAD.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you would need to be at least 19 years old and be able to understand the study and agree to take part. You must have Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) that causes pain or cramping in your leg muscles when you walk, but this pain should ease when you rest. Specifically, your walking problem should not be so severe that you can't walk more than about 200 meters (or 656 feet) without stopping.

There are also some medical checks needed to confirm your PAD, such as a test called an Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) showing it's 0.90 or lower, or having had scans that show narrowed arteries, or a past procedure to improve blood flow in your legs.

However, you couldn't join if you've recently had certain drug treatments that affect your immune system (within the last 3 months), or if your walking problems are due to something other than PAD. You also wouldn't be able to join if you're planning major leg surgery, or if you've had a procedure to improve blood flow in your legs within the last 6 months. Recent heart attacks, strokes, severe chest pain, or some types of heart failure would also mean you couldn't take part, nor would signs of very severe PAD like leg sores or pain at rest.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 19 years old or older?
Do you have Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) that causes leg pain when walking?
Can you walk about 200 meters (roughly two football fields) without stopping due to leg pain?
Do you currently receive care for your heart or arteries at a clinic?
Have you *not* had any major leg surgery planned or a procedure to improve leg blood flow in the last 6 months?
Are you *not* limited in your walking by conditions other than PAD?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study is a registry, meaning it collects detailed information about your health over time rather than testing a specific treatment. If you qualify and choose to take part, you'll provide informed consent. This involves an initial visit where researchers will collect information about your general health, your medical history, and how well you can move and do daily activities. They will also take blood samples to measure your inflammation levels, specifically a marker called CRP. There are no study medications to take, and no specific study visits beyond what you would normally have for your PAD care. The researchers will simply collect data that is already part of your ongoing medical treatment in Canadian heart clinics. The total duration of your participation is not specified as an active 'trial' but rather an ongoing collection of data from your routine care.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in this study primarily involves providing information about your health through your routine medical care. There are no new treatments or procedures involved, so direct risks are very low. The main 'risk' would be the time taken for any forms or blood tests that are part of the study but not strictly part of your usual care, although the aim is to integrate it with your existing clinic visits. The potential benefit is that the information collected will help doctors and researchers better understand Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), potentially leading to earlier diagnosis and improved treatments in the future for people like you. You are completely free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason, and this will not affect your ongoing medical care.

Locations (1)

Vancouver General Hospital
Verified postcode
Vancouver, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)?

PAD happens when the arteries (blood vessels) that carry blood to your legs and feet become narrowed or blocked, often causing pain when you walk.

What does 'inflammation' mean in this study?

Inflammation is your body's natural response to injury or infection. In PAD, it can play a role in how the disease develops and progresses. The study will measure it using blood tests.

Will I receive new medicine by joining this study?

No, this study is a 'registry,' meaning it's about collecting information from standard care, not testing new medicines or treatments.

What is a 'registry' study?

A registry collects detailed health information from a group of people with a specific condition over time. It helps researchers understand the condition better in real-world settings.

Who is eligible to take part?

Adults (19+) with PAD causing leg pain when walking, who are still able to walk about 200 metres, and meet certain medical criteria, are being considered.

How to find out more

Jackie Chow, BSN

jackie.chow@vch.ca 604 875-5324 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.