Caffeine and nicotine acutely inhibits flow-mediated vasodilation, but not both are necessarily harmful in the long term.

Today, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a standardized test for the non-invasive assessment of vascular endothelial function in humans. The test is often used to assess the influence of various living conditions on the vascular system. Many factors have a short-term effect on FMD and reduce it.

Smoking cessation and harm reduction: a systematic overview of ongoing, randomized controlled trials.

Background: Smoking remains one of the major public health threats, necessitating substantial scientific and societal interest in further developing and implementing systematic, smoking cessation trials. This review examines ongoing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on smoking cessation and harm reduction, focusing on adherence to German S3 guidelines for tobacco dependence and identifying areas needing further research and neglected aspects in the implementation of treatment guidelines for tobacco dependence.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted on the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, comprising multiple trial registries worldwide, to identify ongoing RCTs focusing on smoking cessation and harm reduction.

Risk of venous thromboembolism after discontinuing prophylactic or therapeutic anticoagulation in patients with haematologic malignancies because of thrombocytopenia.

Although the rates of thrombocytopenia in patients with hematologic malignancies are well known, clinical reports of patients with haematological malignancies presenting with thrombocytopenia who developed venous thromboembolism (VTE) are rare. Defining the risk of VTE in patients with hematologic malignancies in whom anticoagulation is discontinued could help to individualize concepts of anticoagulation. We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients with hematologic malignancies and thrombocytopenia grade 3 (25 × 10/L to < 50 × 10/L) or more severe in 2019-2022 in the Department of Haemato-Oncology at HELIOS Klinikum Krefeld.

Aachen smoking cessation and harm reduction (ASCHR) trial study protocol - scientific evaluation of a psychological-telemedical counseling concept for smoking cessation in patients with vascular diseases.

Background: Smoking is a major risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, notably peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Despite this link, research on smoking cessation interventions in PAD patients remains scarce and inconclusive regarding the efficacy of such interventions. Therefore, elucidating it is crucial and should address both individuals who smoke that are motivated to quit and individuals who smoke heavily lacking the motivation to quit.

Oral Anticoagulation and Mortality in Cases with Intracranial Bleeding: Analysis of Nationwide Prescription and Hospitalization Data.

Objectives:  To demonstrate the safety of direct oral anticoagulants in relation to intracranial bleeding (ICB), we compared the number of patients taking anticoagulants in all cases of hospitalization and cases of hospitalization for ICB over time in Germany. We analyzed the intrahospital mortality of ICB cases in relation to long-term use of anticoagulants (LUAs).We performed a retrospective registry analysis of nationwide German hospitalizations including all hospital admissions and admission for ICB in patients aged ≥60 years in the period from 2006 to 2020 and separated for LUAs.

Endovascular treatment of renal artery stenosis in Germany: a retrospective analysis of the DEGIR registry 2018-2021.

Purpose: To provide an overview of endovascular treatment of renal artery stenosis (RAS) using the data of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für interventionelle Radiologie (DeGIR) quality management system.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed. Pre-, peri- and postprocedural data, technical success rates, complication rates, and clinical success rates at dismissal were examined.

Impact of oral anticoagulation on inhospital mortality of patients with hip fracture - Analysis of nationwide hospitalization data.

Objectives: Oral anticoagulation (OAC) may have an impact on mortality in cases hospitalized for hip fracture (HF). We studied nationwide time trends of OAC prescriptions and compared time trends of inhospital mortality of HF cases with and without OAC in Germany DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study SETTING: Nationwide German hospitalization, Diagnosis-Related Groups Statistic PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: All hospital admissions for HF 60 years and older in the years 2006 through 2020.

Intervention: Additional diagnosis with a personal history of long-term use of anticoagulants (ICD code Z92.

How to Treat Type B Aortic Dissections in the Presence of an Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery: A Systematic Review.

An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is the most common congenital variant of the aortic arch. Usually, this variation is largely asymptomatic, but sometimes it may be involved in aortic dissection (AD). Surgical management of this condition is challenging.

[COVID 19 - Hospital Admission in the First and Second Wave in Germany].

Purpose: We analyzed patients' characteristics and hospital admission in Germany's first and second COVID 19 wave.

Methods: We include all patients hospitalized with the proven diagnosis COVID 19 admitted to the HELIOS Hospital Krefeld, Germany, in the first wave (n = 84; from 11.03.

[Venous ulcus cruris-Surgical treatment].

Venous ulcus cruris is usually a chronic disease and an extreme burden for patients and their families. An analysis based on a random statutory health insurance sample of the AOK Hessen/KV Hessen estimated the number of affected people to be 400,000 in Germany. A venous ulcus cruris is always caused by an underlying chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).

[Wound treatment without curative intention: position paper of the Initiative Chronische Wunden (ICW) e. V.].

Today, patients with chronic wounds are treated in many different fields of medicine. Despite this great interdisciplinary and interprofessional importance, there is still a lack of uniformly accepted definitions and classifications. Therefore, a group of experts from the professional society Initiative Chronische Wunden (ICW) e.

Increased aortic repair in Germany correlates with reduction of death caused by aortic aneurysms but not aortic dissections.

Introduction: We asked if there is a significant correlation between the increasing trend in aortic repair (AR) and decreasing aortic aneurysm (AA) and aortic dissection (AD) mortality? Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed all aortic repairs in patients with AA and AD and its correlation with disease-specific death rates and hospitalizations for ruptured AA and AD in Germany.

Methods: We retrieved the number of cases hospitalized for AA and AD as well as the procedures in these cases from the Federal Bureau of Statistics (DRG statistics) and death rates from the national mortality statistic published by the Federal Statistical Office in Germany for the years 2006-2017.

Results: From 2006 to 2017, the total number of hospitalized cases admitted with principal diagnosis of AA increased by 25.

Increasing Use of Anticoagulants in Germany and Its Impact on Hospitalization for Tooth Extraction.

Objectives:  This article aimed to compare nationwide time trends of oral anticoagulant prescriptions with the time trend of hospitalization for tooth extraction (TE) in Germany from 2006 through 2017.

Patients And Methods:  We derived the annual number of hospital admissions for TE from the Nationwide Hospital Referral File of the Federal Bureau of Statistics and defined daily doses (DDD) of prescribed anticoagulants in outpatients from reports of the drug information system of the statutory health insurance.

Results:  From 2005 to 2017, annual oral anticoagulation (OAC) treatment rates increased by 143.

Milestones in thromboangiitis obliterans: a position paper of the VAS-European independent foundation in angiology/vascular medicine.

Even today thromboangiitis obliterans has disease features that remain misunderstood or underappreciated. The epidemiology, etiology and pathophysiology of the disease are still unclear. Biomarkers and disease activity markers are lacking, thus clinical assessment is difficult.

[Diagnosis and therapy of erysipelas: A position paper of the Society Initiative Chronische Wunde (ICW) e. V.].

Erysipelas is a bacterial soft tissue infection caused by β-haemolytic streptococci that spreads proximally along the lymphatic system of the skin. The entry sites of the pathogens can be minor injuries or chronic wounds. The diagnosis of erysipelas is made clinically by the spreading eythema and overheating of the skin, the reduced general condition with fever and chills as well as by means of serological inflammation parameters and must be distinguished from numerous differential diagnoses.

Population impact of different hypertension management guidelines based on the prospective population-based Heinz Nixdorf Recall study.

Objective: Hypertension guidelines strongly differ between societies. The current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline recommends higher proportions of the general population for antihypertensive medication than the previous American and European guidelines. How cardiovascular risk differs between persons with and without antihypertensive medication recommendation has not been examined.

Graduated compression stockings in the prevention of postoperative pulmonary embolism. A propensity-matched retrospective case-control study of 24 273 patients.

Introduction: Recommendations for venous thromboembolism and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis using graduated compression stockings (GCS) is historically based and has been critically examined in current publications. Existing guidelines are inconclusive as to recommend the general use of GCS.Patients/Methods: 24 273 in-patients (general surgery and orthopedic patients) undergoing surgery between 2006 and 2016 were included in a retrospectively analysis from a single center.

[Evidence of compression therapy with special consideration of medical adaptive compression systems].

For several decades, compression therapy, which is associated with few side effects, has been a basis for the conservative treatment of patients with phlebological and lymphological diseases. For the practical implementation of compression therapy, many different materials are available, some with system-specific advantages and disadvantages. Medical adaptive compression systems (MAK) are still a relatively new treatment option in Germany.