'Space pants' could treat painful leg condition

Special pants used by astronauts to regulate their body temperature in space can be used to help people with peripheral artery disease (PAD), Researchers at Purdue University in Indiana say.

Peripheral artery disease occurs when the buildup of fat and other substances in blood narrows or blocks arteries, restricting blood flow to the limbs and extremities. It can cause legs to hurt and cramp while walking and can lead to painful ulcers and infections, or amputation of the toes or feet. 

PAD is a common cause of chronic disability and mobility limitations in the elderly.

Roseguini and his team used the 'space pants,' which are made of elastic fabric and plastic tubing that connects to a water pump, to circulate warm water over PAD patients' legs. They found that a single session wearing the pants reduces blood pressure and increases leg blood flow in patients with symptomatic PAD.

"We saw reductions in blood pressure that lasted for more than an hour after the treatment was applied. We saw substantial changes in blood flow to their most symptomatic leg, which is one of the primary goals of this therapy, to restore blood flow to the affected limbs," Roseguini said of the study, which was published in the American Physiological Society journal.

Based on those initial findings, Roseguini is leading a clinical trial to see if the 'space pants' can provide long-term relief.

The research subjects in the trial, which is being conducted at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, undergo six weeks of treatment and are evaluated to see if walking is less painful afterwards.

"We enrolled five patients so far and we have basically two years more to go to enroll an additional 25 or 26 patients to get to our initial conclusion on whether this could be helpful in terms of restoring walking function in these patients."

Eventually, Roseguini hopes the 'space pants,' fitted with a smaller, battery-operated pump, could be worn by patients to achieve relief from their PAD symptoms at home. — Reuters