Monkey model of peripheral artery disease

National Institute On Aging

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Abstract

We are developing a monkey model of peripheral vascular disease with a unilateral femoral artery occlusion. An adjustable silicone occluder cuff is implanted around the superficial femoral artery and inflated to varying degrees to alter blood flow distal to the occlusion. Blood flow to the muscle is quantified with contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Half of the monkeys will exercise throughout the study. The first cohort of monkeys is walking 30 minutes three times per week. Baseline data collection is on-going and includes: general activity, body composition analysis, serum sampling, maximal force generation and muscle fatigue measures, vascular ultrasound, and muscle biopsies.