Calcium Channel Splice Variant Expression in Cardiovascular Disease and Aging

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Atherosclerosis

Study type: Observational

Funder types: NIH

Identifiers

NCT00251615

AG0058

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to learn what changes in blood vessel contraction may occur as a result of a disease of the vessel that requires surgery. The study will examine the calcium channels present in the vessels being operated on, and the genes that may alter blood vessel function. Possible variation in these genes may change the kind of calcium channels present in blood vessels.

Full description

The goal of this study is to learn more about how blood vessels function and the mechanism that causes them to contract. The study will investigate the natural history of diseased blood vessel tissue and the calcium channels in the muscle part of the blood vessel. The study will also examine how genetics influences cardiovascular disease and its causes and treatments.

Patients scheduled for vascular surgery will be approached to participate in this study. During surgery, tissue fragments of diseased and marginal tissue will be obtained. A blood sample will be obtained at either the time of surgery or consent and genomic DNA will be extracted.

Enrollment: 18 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Ages 21 and older
• Scheduled for vascular surgery

Exclusion criteria

• Unwillingness to be subjected to diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures that are deemed not necessary for clinical management
• Volunteers deemed too fragile to participate in the study by the principal investigator (PI) or the attending physician
• Inability to obtain informed consent from either the volunteer or the responsible party (durable power of attorney [DPA]) for the volunteer, with the volunteer's assent