CHRNA4 and peripheral arterial disease: Additionally, PAD patients demonstrated a decreased area per fragment (107.1 ± 3.1 μm2 in PAD patients vs. 195.9 ± 9.2 μm2 in control subjects), a reduced area per nAChR cluster (225.2 ± 5.3 μm2 in PAD patients vs. 369.3 ± 6.7 μm2), and a diminished nAChR cluster area relative to endplate area (55.7 ± 1.1% in PAD patients vs. 75.7 ± 1.6% in control subjects, Figure 5F–H).