Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a link between complex pedal ulcers and poor clinical results after infrainguinal surgical revascularization.

Background: Our aim was to evaluate the influence of preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on patency and clinical results after infrainguinal surgical revascularization for chronic limb ischemia.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 150 infrainguinal autologous bypasses performed to infragenicular popliteal artery or tibial vessels in 140 (93%) patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and in 10 (7%) with disabling claudication. NLR was calculated using blood samples obtained 24 hours preoperatively.

Effect of Simvastatin Treatment on "In Vitro" NLRP1 Inflammasome Expression in Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Background: Inflammatory stress stimuli in the plasma of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are able to trigger the expression of NLRP1 inflammasome in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Our objective was to elucidate the effect of simvastatin treatment on NLRP1 inflammasome expression in endothelial cells exposed to the plasma of PAD patients.

Methods: The study included 81 patients with PAD, 24 of them treated with simvastatin (20 mg/day) and 57 without statin therapy.

Elevated levels of triglycerides and vldl-cholesterol provoke activation of nlrp1 inflammasome in endothelial cells.

Background: Soluble stimuli present in the plasma of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are capable of directly stimulating intracellular signalling in endothelium. Oxidized-LDL (oxLDL) induces NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages. However, it is not clear how lipid profile affect NLRP1 inflammasome gene expression in endothelial cells.

Effect of Bosentan on Claudication Distance and Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in Hispanic Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Endothelin (ET) is involved in the etiopathogenesis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We hypothesized that ET antagonism might improve the endothelial function, inflammatory status, and symptoms in PAD. This pilot randomized clinical trial was designed to determine the clinical efficacy, pleiotropic effects, and safety of dual ET-receptor antagonist bosentan in Hispanic patients with PAD presenting intermittent claudication.

C-reactive protein and endovascular treatment of lower limb peripheral artery disease: an independent prognostic factor.

Purpose: To determine if C-reactive protein (CRP) can predict the outcomes of lower extremity endovascular therapy (EVT) in patients with peripheral artery disease and to calculate a cutoff value that may be useful in identifying patients with a higher risk of EVT failure at 1 year.

Methods: In this prospective single-center study, 121 patients (94 men; mean age 67.7±9.

Attenuation of early atherosclerotic lesions by immunotolerance with β2 glycoprotein I and the immunomodulatory effectors interleukin 2 and 10 in a murine model.

Objective: This study assessed the effect of cellular and humoral autoimmune response inhibition after immunization with β2-glycoprotein I (β2-GPI) and the effect of immunomodulation with interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 in the development of early atherosclerotic vascular lesion in a murine model. Atherosclerosis is increasingly considered a chronic inflammatory disease with pathogenic autoimmune processes. Regulatory T cells, and their cytokines, have been implicated in the inhibition of the development of atherosclerotic lesions and involved in the immunologic tolerance induction.

Results of infrapopliteal endovascular procedures performed in diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia and tissue loss from the perspective of an angiosome-oriented revascularization strategy.

Our aim was to describe our experience with infrapopliteal endovascular procedures performed in diabetic patients with ischemic ulcers and critical ischemia (CLI). A retrospective study of 101 procedures was performed. Our cohort was divided into groups according to the number of tibial vessels attempted and the number of patent tibial vessels achieved to the foot.

Circulating anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies of peripheral arterial disease patients trigger a genomic overexpression of Toll-like receptor 4 in endothelial cells.

Objective: Circulating anti-β2-glycoprotein I (ABGPI) antibodies are associated with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and induce the expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines by endothelial cells. Our aim is to study a transcriptional activation pathway of the innate immune system through the cellular signalling cascade triggered by receptors Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) of endothelial cells after the exposure of these cells to seropositive ABGPI human serum obtained from PAD patients.

Methods: We obtained serum samples from PAD patients and controls without PAD.

Circulating anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies are associated with endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and high nitrite plasma levels in patients with intermittent claudication.

Our aim is to investigate a possible association of circulating anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies (ABGPI) with the endothelial dysfunction, nitric oxide bioactivity dysregulation, and the inflammatory status that surrounds peripheral arterial disease. We carried out an observational translational study, including 50 male patients with intermittent claudication and a healthy control group of 10 male subjects, age and sex matched with the cases. Flow-mediated arterial dilatation (FMAD) was assessed as a surrogate of endothelial dysfunction, and C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was determined as a marker of inflammation.

Safety and efficacy outcomes of infrapopliteal endovascular procedures performed in patients with critical limb ischemia according to the Society for Vascular Surgery objective performance goals.

Background: Objective performance goals (OPGs) are a set of standardized end points generated from well documented historical controls against which new therapeutic procedures may be compared in single-arm studies. Recently, the Society for Vascular Surgery suggested a set of OPGs designed from vein bypass controls that could be used to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular devices applied to critical limb ischemia through a noninferiority analysis. Our aim is to analyze the results of infrapopliteal endovascular procedures performed in patients with critical limb ischemia according to these OPG end points.

Inflammatory burden predicts long-term outcomes in endovascular therapy in peripheral arterial disease.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that affects the entire vascular system. Endovascular therapy (EVT) is the first surgical treatment choice in a large number of patients who suffer from this disease. However, late clinical failure after primarily successful interventions, with the need of a new reintervention, is the major drawback of this technique.

Improving Total-Cholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol Ratio Results in an Endothelial Dysfunction Recovery in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients.

Aims. To evaluate the effects of variations of total-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio and the effects of the atorvastatin on endothelial function in peripheral artery disease (PAD). Material and Methods.

Primary nitinol stenting in femoropopliteal occlusive disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and safety of balloon angioplasty (BA) with optional stenting vs. routine stenting with current open cell nitinol stents for femoropopliteal occlusive disease by analyzing the overall results from all available randomized controlled trials.

Methods: A bibliographic search of electronic medical databases (MEDLINE, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) was conducted to identify relevant articles from 1960 to July 2011.

Impact of VEGF polymorphisms on the severity of peripheral artery disease in diabetic patients.

Objective: To determine the potential genotype vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene differences in diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which might be associated with different stages of the vascular disease.

Methods: A study was conducted with type 2 diabetic patients with PAD [n = 70; 32 intermittent claudication and 38 critical limb ischaemia (CLI)]. Genotyping of the VEGF gene insertion/deletion - 2549, - 2578 C/A and +405 G/C polymorphisms was done in both groups and correlated them with the severity of PAD.

Prediction of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm expansion by means of rate of variation of C-reactive protein plasma levels.

Objective: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an independent risk factor for arteriosclerosis, but its role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) expansion remains not completely verified. There are no data about the prognostic significance of rates of variation of the CRP levels in asymptomatic AAAs. This study investigated the association between plasma CRP levels and AAA diameter and assessed the relationship between the gradient of CRP levels and rates of expansion in asymptomatic AAAs.

Enhanced vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in ischaemic skin of critical limb ischaemia patients.

Objectives. To perform a quantitative analysis of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene transcription in the skin of ischemic legs and provide information for VEGF in the pathogenesis in critical limb ischemia (CLI). Methods.

Treatment of thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) with bosentan.

Background: This study assessed the effectiveness and safety of bosentan when administered to thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) patients.

Methods: A clinical pilot study was designed in which patients with ulcer and/or pain at rest were treated with bosentan p.o.

No clinically significant valvular regurgitation in long-term cabergoline treatment for prolactinoma.

Background: An association between treatment for Parkinson's disease with certain dopaminergic drugs and development of cardiac valve impairment has been reported. Recent studies in hyperprolactinaemic patients treated with cabergoline (CAB) have shown either no significant findings or mild tricuspid regurgitation.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of cardiac valve dysfunction in patients with hyperprolactinaemic conditions chronically treated with CAB or bromocriptine (BR).

Vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms are involved in the late vascular complications in Type II diabetic patients.

Aim: To determine the potential genotype differences in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene in diabetic patients, which might explain the difference in terms of the development of clinical vascular complications: great vessels atherosclerosis vs. retinopathy.

Methods: Genotyping of the VEFG gene insertion/deletion -2549, the C-2578A and the G+405C polymorphisms was done in 40 diabetic patients (26 with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and 14 with diabetic retinopathy (DR)).

Anti-endothelial cell antibodies are associated with peripheral arterial disease and markers of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation.

Our aim is to describe the effect of circulating anti-endothelial cell antibodies on the endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and early structural changes of the vascular wall that surround peripheral arterial disease. For this purpose, an observational translational controlled study was carried out. We included 32 patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease and 16 healthy control individuals with no previous autoimmune disease.