Predictive factors of vascular intima media thickness in HIV-positive subjects.

Background: The predictive factors of intima media thickness (IMT) in the HIV-infected population are still poorly understood.

Patients And Methods: We studied three groups of subjects, aged 30-50 years, to find potential predictive factors of carotid and/or femoral thickening (IMT > 1 mm in at least one area): healthy controls (G1, n = 54), HIV-infected naive (G2, n = 53) and highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART)-treated subjects (G3, n = 133). All the subjects underwent ultrasonography of the carotid and femoral vessels to evaluate IMT.

[Surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Factors affecting mortality and morbidity].

In this report, based on a 5 year experience, 76 operation were performed electively for intact abdominal aortic aneurysm and 55 were emergency procedure for ruptured aneurysm. Factor affecting mortality and morbidity in the cases are analysed. Three patients died of cardiac causes following elective aneurysm repair, a mortality rate of 3.

[Treatment of the abdominal aorta combined with a second surgical procedure].

The synchronous performance of aortic graft with a second surgical procedure should be avoided because of the risk of subsequent graft infection. The Authors reported the experience of 21 patients who underwent synchronous aortic graft with second surgical procedure. No graft infection occurred and it is concluded that such combined operation may be safer to perform than staged surgery in elderly patients.

[Transection of the popliteal artery caused by exostosis].

Two cases of post-traumatic transection of the popliteal artery in patients with exostosis of the lower extremities are reported. This complication does not seem to have been previously described in the literature. The pathogenetic, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects are analysed.