Mitochondrial Targeted Antioxidant Intake Improves Vascular Function And Exercise Tolerance In Peripheral Artery Disease Patients

Abstract

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a manifestation of atherosclerosis in the lower leg arteries, which causes reduced blood flow and leg pain. This may be in part due to excessive mitochondria-produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and attenuated mitochondrial respiratory function. Mitoquinol mesylate, a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, has been shown to scavenge ROS and improve vascular function in older adults and animal models. However, the impacts of mitoquinol on vascular function in patients with PAD are unknown. PURPOSE: To examine the impacts of acute mitoquinol intake (80mg) on endothelial function (flow mediated dilation, FMD), resting heart rate (RHR), blood pressure (BP), arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV), and exercise tolerance in patients with PAD. METHODS: 10 patients with PAD (stage II-III) received either mitoquinol or placebo in a randomized crossover design. At each visit, measurements of RHR, central and peripheral BP, brachial and popliteal artery FMD, PWV, augmentation index (AIx), maximal walking capacity, and time to claudication (COT) were measured before and after mitoquinol and placebo. RESULTS: There were significant group by time interactions (p<0.05) for brachial FMD, popliteal FMD, and COT, which significantly increased (p<0.05). There were trends for decreases in diastolic BP (p=0.10), carotid-to-ankle PWV (p=0.08), and increases in maximal walking time (p=0.06), and maximal walking distance (p=0.06). There were no changes in RHR, systolic BP, central BP, deceleration time, max dP/dt, carotid-to-radial PWV, carotid-to-femoral PWV, or AIx (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mitoquinol intake may be an effective strategy for targeting mitochondrial ROS, which may be useful for treating endothelial dysfunction, leg pain, and improving walking time in patients with PAD.