Treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease

1 . A method for treating peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) in a patient in need thereof by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to treat PAOD in said patient.

2 . A method for increasing the peak walking time (PWT) in a patient in need thereof by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to increases the PWT.

3 . A method for increasing the painless walking distance (PWD) in a patient in need thereof by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to increases the PWD.

4 . A method for reducing the occurrence and/or severity of intermittent claudication in a patient in need thereof by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to reduce the occurrence and severity of intermittent claudication.

5 . A method for reducing the functional impairments associated with the progression of PAOD in a patient by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to reduce the functional impairments accompanying the progression of PAOD.

6 . A method for reducing the number and/or frequency of vascular interventions over time and related clinical complications over time in a patient having PAOD as compared with an untreated age-, risk-, and diseased-matched patient, by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to reduce the number and/or frequency of vascular interventions over time and related clinical complications over time in said patient.

7 . A method for reducing the number and/or frequency of cardiovascular complications over time in a patient having PAOD as compared with an untreated age-, risk-, and diseased-matched patient, by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to reduce the number and/or frequency of cardiovascular complications over time in said patient.

8 . A method for reducing localized inflammation in an atherosclerotic plaque in a patient having PAOD by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to reduce localized inflammation in a plaque.

9 . A method for reducing the size of an atherosclerotic plaque in a patient having PAOD by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to reduce the size of an atherosclerotic plaque.

10 . A method of reducing the level of an inflammatory biomarker in a patient having PAOD by administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to reduce the level of said inflammatory biomarker.

11 . A method of reducing the clinical complications associated with angioplasty and/or stent placement in a patient having PAOD by administering to said patient an effective amount of a rifamycin.

12 . A method of reducing intimal hyperplasia and in-stent and peri-stent restenosis that occur after stent placement in a patient having PAOD by administering to said patient an effective amount of a rifamycin.

13 . A method of reducing vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and/or the cellular and molecular products of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in a patient having PAOD by administering to said patient an effective amount of a rifamycin.

14 . A method of restoring endothelial function and capability in a patient having PAOD by administering to said patient an effective amount of a rifamycin.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said patient has been diagnosed as having PAOD.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said patient has not been diagnosed as having a bacterial infection that can be treated by administration of a rifamycin.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said patient has been diagnosed as not having a bacterial infection that can be treated by administration of a rifamycin.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said patient has been diagnosed as having an infection of C. pneumoniae.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said patient is seropositive for Chlamydia pneumoniae.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said rifamycin is rifalazil.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said rifalazil is administered to said patient in an amount of between 12.5 and 50 mg, at a frequency of once per week for 4-10 weeks.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said rifalazil is administered to said patient in an amount of 12.5-25 mg, at a frequency of once per week for 4-10 weeks.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said rifalazil is administered to said patient in an amount of 12.5-25 mg, at a frequency of once per week for 8 weeks.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said rifalazil is administered to said patient in an amount of between 12.5 and 50 mg, at a frequency of once per week for 4-10 weeks.

25 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising repeating said method every three to twelve months for at least six months and up to the lifetime of said patient.

26 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said rifalazil is administered at an initial dose of 2.5 to 100 mg once a week, for a period of two to 16 weeks, followed by a dose of 2.5 to 50 mg once a week, once each two weeks, once a month, or once each two months, for a period of at least six months and up to the lifetime of said patient.

27 . The method of claim 1 further comprising administering to said patient one or more additional agents such as anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; e.g., detoprofen, diclofenac, diflunisal, etodolac, fenoprofen, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, meclofenameate, mefenamic acid, meloxicam, nabumeone, naproxen sodium, oxaprozin, piroxicam, sulindac, tolmetin, celecoxib, rofecoxib, aspirin, choline salicylate, salsalte, and sodium and magnesium salicylate) and steroids (e.g., cortisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, prednisone, triamcinolone)), antibacterial agents (e.g., azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, roxythromycin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, amoxicillin, or metronidazole), platelet aggregation inhibitors (e.g., abciximab, aspirin, cilostazol, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, eptifibatide, ticlopidine, or tirofiban), anticoagulants (e.g., dalteparin, danaparoid, enoxaparin, heparin, tinzaparin, or warfarin), antipyretics (e.g., acetaminophen), or lipid-lowering agents (e.g., cholestyramine, colestipol, nicotinic acid, gemfibrozil, probucol, ezetimibe, or statins such as atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, lovastatin simvastatin, pravastatin, cerivastatin, and fluvastatin).

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said additional agents are administered within 14 days, 7 days, 1 day, 12 hours, or 1 hour of administration of a rifamycin, or simultaneously therewith.