Utility of a Simplified Iliac Artery Calcium Scoring System to Guide Perioperative Management for Renal Transplantation.

Non-contrast computed tomography scans of the abdomen and pelvis (CTAP) are often obtained prior to renal transplant to evaluate the iliac arteries and help guide surgical implantation. The purpose of this study was to describe the association of iliac calcification scores with operative and clinical outcomes using a simplified scoring system. A retrospective review of 204 patients who underwent renal transplant from 1/2013 to 11/2014 and who had a CTAP within 3 years prior to transplant was performed.

Long-term durability of multibranched endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal and pararenal aortic aneurysms.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the durability of multibranched endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) and pararenal aortic aneurysms by examining the rates of late-occurring (beyond 30 days) complications.

Methods: There were 146 patients who underwent endovascular TAAA repair using a stent graft, with a total of 538 caudally oriented self-expanding branches. Four patients died in the perioperative period and were excluded, leaving 142 patients (mean age, 73 ± 8 years; 35 [24.

An intracellular matrix metalloproteinase-2 isoform induces tubular regulated necrosis: implications for acute kidney injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) causes severe morbidity, mortality, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Mortality is particularly marked in the elderly and with preexisting CKD. Oxidative stress is a common theme in models of AKI induced by ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury.

Two Distinct Isoforms of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Are Associated with Human Delayed Kidney Graft Function.

Delayed graft function (DGF) is a frequent complication of renal transplantation, particularly in the setting of transplantation of kidneys derived from deceased donors and expanded-criteria donors. DGF results from tubular epithelial cell injury and has immediate and long term consequences. These include requirement for post-transplantation dialysis, increased incidence of acute rejection, and poorer long-term outcomes.

Type II endoleak with or without intervention after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair does not change aneurysm-related outcomes despite sac growth.

Objective: There is considerable controversy about the significance and appropriate treatment of type II endoleaks (T2Ls) after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). We report our long-term experience with T2L management in a large multicenter registry.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2010, 1736 patients underwent EVAR, and we recorded the incidence of T2L.

Adherence to endovascular aortic aneurysm repair device instructions for use guidelines has no impact on outcomes.

Objective: Prior reports have suggested unfavorable outcomes after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) performed outside of the recommended instructions for use (IFU) guidelines. We report our long-term EVAR experience in a large multicenter registry with regard to adherence to IFU guidelines.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2010, 489 of 1736 patients who underwent EVAR had preoperative anatomic measurements obtained from the M2S, Inc, imaging database (West Lebanon, NH).

Ferumoxytol-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography is a feasible method for the clinical evaluation of lower extremity arterial disease.

Background: Renal toxicity from conventional, iodinated, intravenous contrast agents is a common complication in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Similarly, the potential for serious side effects prevents the use of gadolinium-based agents in many patients with depressed renal function. Ferumoxytol-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (Fe-MRA) is a novel technique that uses an intravenous, ultrasmall, superparamagnetic, iron oxide preparation, currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adults with chronic kidney disease.

Early and delayed rupture after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in a 10-year multicenter registry.

Objective: Rupture after abdominal endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) is a function of graft maintenance of the seal and fixation. We describe our 10-year experience with rupture after EVAR.

Methods: From 2000 to 2010, 1736 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) from 17 medical centers underwent EVAR in a large, regional integrated health care system.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with mortality and adverse vascular access outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Background: Plasma 25 hydroxycholecalciferol (vitamin D) deficiency has been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in epidemiologic studies. Chronic kidney disease is associated with loss of 1α-hydroxylase and consequently vitamin D deficiency. We hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased mortality and increased vascular access failure in patients undergoing permanent vascular access for end-stage renal disease.

Safety and feasibility of adjunctive dexamethasone infusion into the adventitia of the femoropopliteal artery following endovascular revascularization.

Objective: Restenosis following endovascular treatment of the femoropopliteal segment is associated with the inflammatory response produced in the artery wall at the time of the procedure. Although local drug delivery to the superficial femoral and popliteal arteries promises improved patency, data are currently limited. We hypothesized that improved percutaneous delivery of an anti-inflammatory compound into the adventitia of the femoropopliteal at the time of endovascular treatment would be safe, feasible, and decrease the inflammatory response.

Adventitial nab-rapamycin injection reduces porcine femoral artery luminal stenosis induced by balloon angioplasty via inhibition of medial proliferation and adventitial inflammation.

Background: Endovascular interventions on peripheral arteries are limited by high rates of restenosis. Our hypothesis was that adventitial injection of rapamycin nanoparticles would be safe and reduce luminal stenosis in a porcine femoral artery balloon angioplasty model.

Methods And Results: Eighteen juvenile male crossbred swine were included.

Current Status of Drug-Eluting Stents and Drug-Eluting Balloons for the Superficial Femoral Artery.

The endovascular management of symptomatic atherosclerotic superficial femoral artery disease is challenging and requires consideration of unique anatomic, hemodynamic, and biomechanical factors. For innovative local drug delivery technologies to have a cost-effective and clinically meaningful benefit, they must provide patency rates in more complex lesions equivalent or superior to those currently approved devices are able to provide. Several proof-of-concept trials have either been published or been recently presented and many more are in the pipeline suggesting biologic effectiveness of these hybrid devices in reducing restenosis.

Clinical consequence of bare metal stent and stent graft failure in femoropopliteal occlusive disease.

Objective: The optimal role for bare metal stents (BMS) or stent grafts (SG) in femoropopliteal occlusive disease (FPOD) is as of yet undefined. Understanding the clinical consequences of failure can help guide initial treatment decisions. The goal of this study was to define the nature, frequency, and risk factors for adverse clinical events related to BMS and SG failure in FPOD.

Diagnosis and management of peripheral artery disease in women.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the USA. Not only is it a major cause of functional impairment and limb loss, but it is also strongly associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death. Large population studies have demonstrated high rates of PAD in women, but this is not widely recognized by the public or by clinicians.

A role of the (pro)renin receptor in neuronal cell differentiation.

The (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR] plays a pivotal role in the renin-angiotensin system. Experimental models emphasize the role of (P)RR in organ damage associated with hypertension and diabetes. However, a mutation of the (P)RR gene, resulting in frame deletion of exon 4 [Delta4-(P)RR] is associated with X-linked mental retardation (XLMR) and epilepsy pointing to a novel role of (P)RR in brain development and cognitive function.

Epilepsy health promotion - An educational journey.

Few undergraduate health promotion nurse education programmes move beyond hypothetical pieces of course work. This paper focuses on an epilepsy health promotion intervention undertaken by second year adult and mental health nursing students at Leeds Metropolitan University. These students studied collaboratively, facilitated by tutors to design, plan and implement an initiative focussing on epilepsy health promotion in a primary school.

Wartime burn care in Iraq: 28th Combat Support Hospital, 2003.

Introduction: The U.S. Army 28th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), an echelon III facility, deployed to Iraq at the start of military operations in 2003.

Homelessness and drug use - a narrative systematic review of interventions to promote sexual health.

The objective of this research project was to examine the effectiveness of sexual health promotion interventions in homeless drug using populations. The following databases were searched: Medline (1966 to 2003), EMBASE (1980 to 2003), psycinfo (1985 to 2003), CINAHL (1982 to 2003), web of Science (1981 to 2003) and the Cochrane Library (Evidence Based health). Two independent researchers selected studies for inclusion.

Distinct rates of palmitate turnover on membrane-bound cellular and oncogenic H-ras.

H-Ras displays dynamic cycles of GTP binding and palmitate turnover. GTP binding is clearly coupled to activation, but whether the palmitoylated COOH terminus participates in signaling, especially when constrained by membrane tethering, is unknown. As a way to compare COOH termini of membrane-bound, lipid-modified H-Ras, palmitate removal rates were measured for various forms of H-Ras in NIH 3T3 cells.