A novel view to varicose veins pathogenesis: Proteomic profiling suggests a pivotal role of extracellular matrix degradation.

Introduction: Although morphological and anatomical studies indicate that venous wall weakening and subendothelial fibrosis characterize varicose veins (VV), the pathogenesis of VV remains poorly understood. The aim of this study is to obtain protein expression profiles in patients with VV and thereby get a step closer to understanding the pathogenesis of VV.

Methods: Specimens were obtained from total of 10 patients, that is, from 5 patients undergoing VV surgical stripping and from 5 non-VV patients undergoing bypass surgery.

Measurement of Revascularization Effect Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Below the Knee Arteries.

Background: Current methods evaluating tissue ischemia are based mainly on evaluating blood flow and not tissue perfusion. However, diabetes mainly affects small vessels and blood flow evaluation is insufficient. The aim of the trial was to evaluate the feasibility of NIRS in measuring perfusion changes during chronic total occlusion (CTO) revascularization in below the knee (BTK) arteries.

Value of Routine Flexible Sigmoidoscopy and Potential Predictive Factors for Colonic Ischemia after Open Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

: colonic ischemia (CI) after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. CI may be detected by using flexible sigmoidoscopy, but routine use of flexible sigmoidoscopy after rAAA is not clearly proven. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of routine flexible sigmoidoscopy in detecting CI after rAAA repair, and to identify potential hemodynamic, biochemical, and clinical variables that can predict the development of CI in the patients who underwent rAAA surgery.

Peripheral artery disease patients are poorly aware of their disease.

. We hypothesized, that patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are less aware of risk factors and possible outcomes of the disease compared to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), which are similar. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate awareness of and attitudes towards PAD and CAD among patients, who are already diagnosed with either disease.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Growth Is Associated With High Concentrations of Plasma Proteins in the Intraluminal Thrombus and Diseased Arterial Tissue.

Objective- Porosity of the intraluminal thrombus (ILT) is believed to convey biologically active components from the bloodstream toward the aneurismal wall. Accumulation of molecules in the abdominal aortic aneurysmatic tissue may influence vascular protein turnover and regulate abdominal aortic aneurysm growth. We sought to identify proteins with concentrations in the ILT and the abdominal aortic aneurysm wall which associate with aneurysmal expansion rate.