Prolonged administration of doxycycline in patients with small asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms: report of a prospective (Phase II) multicenter study.

Background: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate compliance, side effects, and safety associated with prolonged administration of doxycycline in patients with small asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). A secondary goal was to determine how treatment with doxycycline influences circulating levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in this patient population.

Methods: Thirty-six patients with AAAs (30 men and 6 women; mean age, 69 +/- 1 years) were enrolled into a 6-month phase II study to evaluate treatment with doxycycline (100 mg orally twice a day).

Doxycycline in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms and in mice: comparison of serum levels and effect on aneurysm growth in mice.

Objective: Doxycycline has been shown to inhibit aneurysm formation in a rodent model of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The doses necessary for this inhibition (6 mg/kg) are much higher than the standard antibiotic doses (1 to 1.5 mg/kg) used in humans.

Angioplasty with stenting is effective in treating blue toe syndrome.

Blue toe syndrome is a manifestation of distal embolization associated with significant pain and risk of tissue loss. The recommended treatment options for this problem include endarterectomy or bypass with exclusion of the source of emboli. Although focal arterial stenosis can be effectively treated with angioplasty,it is unclear whether performing angioplasty in a lesion suspected of causing distal embolization might actually worsen the condition or what long-term effects this would have in preventing future embolization.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) secondary to subdural hematoma.

Subdural hematomas many sometimes clinically resemble Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA's). We present three cases which were initially evaluated for, diagnosed as having and were treated for TIA's, but later were found to have subdural hematomas. As in case one, patients with subdurals may have antecedent head trauma which they may or may not recall.