Peripheral Artery Disease pain care: how imaging, mind, and nerves shape better comfort
Official title: Peripheral Artery Disease Pain Assessment and Interventions: Vascular Interventions and Biopsychosocial Evaluation
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11227963 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to combine new MRI ways to measure blood flow and tissue health with psychological and clinical factors to understand and reduce PAD pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | August 25, 2026 |
| Project end | November 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $4,170,568 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL173937-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11227963 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with peripheral artery disease experiencing chronic pain who are undergoing or eligible for vascular interventions and who can complete MRI scans and psychosocial assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without PAD or those unable to participate in MRI or psychosocial assessments may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant is about PAD, a common condition where leg pain and poor blood flow cause serious problems. Researchers will use advanced MRI to look at blood vessels, muscles, nerves, and metabolism, and blend this with patients’ emotional and behavioral profiles. They plan to build a biopsychosocial model of PAD pain and test how macro- and microvascular factors, plus psychological data and opioid use, relate to pain experiences. The study will use Bayesian methods to integrate diverse data and lay the groundwork for future personalized care. The overall goal is to improve pain management, reduce opioid use, and preserve limb health for people with PAD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with PAD could receive more precise pain management and better quality of life through personalized approaches.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that combining imaging with clinical factors can inform pain management, but this project is building a novel biopsychosocial model for PAD pain.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smolderen, Kim Germaine — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Smolderen, Kim Germaine
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Low-dose colchicine to reduce vascular risk in people with peripheral artery disease
This project tests whether taking a low-dose anti-inflammatory drug (colchicine) daily can lower heart and limb-related risks for adults with peripheral artery disease.
-
Gamified home walking program to help seniors with peripheral artery disease improve walking and quality of life
A program uses game elements on wearable devices to help people 65+ with peripheral artery disease walk more at home and feel better.
-
Fatty clues in leg arteries: how fat burning in mitochondria affects PAD and muscle health
This project looks at how fat metabolism in leg muscles relates to weakness and tissue damage in people with peripheral artery disease and aims to find new ways to help them.
-
Enhancing muscle energy to help leg function in PAD
A study to boost how muscle mitochondria work in people with peripheral artery disease to improve walking and leg function.
-
Low-dose colchicine for people with peripheral artery disease to reduce heart and limb risks
A large international study will test whether a low daily dose of colchicine can lower heart and limb complications for people with peripheral artery disease.
-
Low-dose colchicine for reducing vascular risk in people with PAD
A large international study will test whether a daily low dose of colchicine can lower heart and limb-related risks for people with peripheral artery disease.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.