The Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (Rage) and Its Ligands in Plasma and Infrainguinal Bypass Vein.

Objective: The aim was to investigate whether RAGE and its ligands are associated with infrainguinal bypass outcome in patients with and without diabetes.

Methods: This was a prospective observational cohort. Patients (n = 68) with (n = 38) and without (n = 30) diabetes undergoing infrainguinal vein bypass for peripheral arterial disease were followed for 3 years.

Proteolytically active ADAM10 and ADAM17 carried on membrane microvesicles in human abdominal aortic aneurysms.

The intraluminal thrombus (ILT) of human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has been suggested to damage the underlying aortic wall, but previous work found scant activity of soluble proteases in the abluminal layer of the ILT, adjacent to the aneurysm. We hypothesised that transmembrane proteases carried by membrane microvesicles (MV) from dying cells remain active in the abluminal ILT. ILTs and AAA segments collected from 21 patients during surgical repair were assayed for two major transmembrane proteases, ADAM10 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease-10) and ADAM17.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products and risk of peripheral arterial disease, amputation or death in type 2 diabetes: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes have a high risk for early and extensive development of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and this excess risk is not explained by increased burden of traditional atherosclerotic risk factors. Activation of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) could be one additional mechanism for accelerated PAD and increased risk for amputation and death. We investigated the association between RAGE plasma components and the risk for PAD, amputation and death in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Randomized clinical trial of mast cell inhibition in patients with a medium-sized abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is thought to develop as a result of inflammatory processes in the aortic wall. In particular, mast cells are believed to play a central role. The AORTA trial was undertaken to investigate whether the mast cell inhibitor, pemirolast, could retard the growth of medium-sized AAAs.

Differences in Elastin and Elastolytic Enzymes between Men and Women with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in women differ in some important aspects from those in men. The lower prevalence rate, higher rupture rate and potentially increased growth rate in women with AAA suggest gender to be of importance for aneurysm development and progression. The aim of the study was to analyze wall properties with respect to synthesis and destruction of elastin in men and women with AAA, with and without an intraluminal thrombus.

A novel strategy to translate the biomechanical rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms to their equivalent diameter risk: method and retrospective validation.

Objective: To translate the individual abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patient's biomechanical rupture risk profile to risk-equivalent diameters, and to retrospectively test their predictability in ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms.

Methods: Biomechanical parameters of ruptured and non-ruptured AAAs were retrospectively evaluated in a multicenter study. General patient data and high resolution computer tomography angiography (CTA) images from 203 non-ruptured and 40 ruptured aneurysmal infrarenal aortas.

Multidimensional growth measurements of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Background: Monitoring the expansion of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) is critical to avoid aneurysm rupture in surveillance programs, for instance. However, measuring the change of the maximum diameter over time can only provide limited information about AAA expansion. Specifically, regions of fast diameter growth may be missed, axial growth cannot be quantified, and shape changes of potential interest for decisions related to endovascular aneurysm repair cannot be captured.

The quasi-static failure properties of the abdominal aortic aneurysm wall estimated by a mixed experimental-numerical approach.

Assessing the risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is critical in the management of aneurysm patients and an individual assessment is possible with the biomechanical rupture risk assessment. Such an assessment could potentially be improved by a constitutive AAA wall model that accounts for irreversible damage-related deformations. Because of that the present study estimated the elastic and inelastic properties of the AAA wall through a mixed experimental-numerical approach.

Female and elderly abdominal aortic aneurysm patients more commonly have concurrent thoracic aortic aneurysm.

Background: A recent report unexpectedly revealed that one-fourth of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients also have an aneurysm in the thoracic aorta (TAA). It remains to be investigated which AAA patients have a higher risk of also developing TAAs. The aim of this study was to identify possible differences in the risk factor profile in AAA patients with or without a TAA.

An integrated fluid-chemical model toward modeling the formation of intra-luminal thrombus in abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs) are frequently characterized by the presence of an Intra-Luminal Thrombus (ILT) known to influence their evolution biochemically and biomechanically. The ILT progression mechanism is still unclear and little is known regarding the impact of the chemical species transported by blood flow on this mechanism. Chemical agonists and antagonists of platelets activation, aggregation, and adhesion and the proteins involved in the coagulation cascade (CC) may play an important role in ILT development.

Biomarkers for abdominal aortic aneurysms from a sex perspective.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) differ in men and women. Women are older at diagnosis, have a higher risk of rupture, and worse outcome after surgery compared with men. The higher occurrence of AAAs in men accounts for the dominance of men in biomarker analyses.

Serine protease inhibitor A3 in atherosclerosis and aneurysm disease.

Remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in both atherosclerosis and aneurysm disease. Serine protease inhibitor A3 (serpinA3) is an inhibitor of several proteases such as elastase, cathepsin G and chymase derived from mast cells and neutrophils. In this study, we investigated the putative role of serpinA3 in atherosclerosis and aneurysm formation.

Spatial orientation of collagen fibers in the abdominal aortic aneurysm's wall and its relation to wall mechanics.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals and provides the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) wall with mechanical strength, stiffness and toughness. Specifically, the spatial orientation of collagen fibers in the wall has a major impact on its mechanical properties. Apart from valuable microhistological information, this data can be integrated by histomechanical constitutive models thought to improve biomechanical simulations, i.

Regional variation in the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm in Sweden.

Background: The risk factor profile is similar between patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is more common in the north of Sweden. It is unknown whether similar regional differences in the incidence of AAA exist.

Correlations between clinical variables and gene-expression profiles in carotid plaque instability.

Objective: Strokes, a major cause of disability, are often caused by embolism from unstable carotid plaques. The aim of this study was to validate a biobank of human carotid endarterectomies as a platform for further exploration of pathways for plaque instability. For this purpose, we investigated the relationship between clinical parameters of plaque instability and expression of genes previously shown to be associated with either plaque instability or healing processes in the vessel wall.

Protease activity in the multi-layered intra-luminal thrombus of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Introduction: Rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is the cause of death in approximately 2% of men above 65 years. Most AAAs contain an intra-luminal thrombus (ILT), which is a potential source of proteases capable of degrading the underlying aneurysm wall. The AAA wall covered by a thick ILT shows more signs of matrix degradation compared to the wall free from ILT.

Reproductive history in women with abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Background: The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) differs considerably between the sexes, illustrated by the male/female ratio 4-6:1. Women are also reported to have a higher risk of rupture, and a poorer outcome compared with men. The primary aim of this study was to investigate if women with AAA have a different reproductive history compared with other women.

Imaging the intraluminal thrombus of abdominal aortic aneurysms: techniques, findings, and clinical implications.

Intraluminal thrombus (ILT) is known to influence the natural history of abdominal aortic aneurysms, and its effect on the arterial wall may predict the risks of rupture. The main features of ILT believed to be associated with aneurysm growth and increased rupture risk are size; presence of fissures, dissections, or calcifications in the ILT; and inhomogeneity in its internal structure. Modern imaging allows for detailed depiction of the ILT.

Analysis of aortic wall stress and rupture risk in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm with a gender perspective.

Objective: The most commonly used predictor of rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is the diameter; however, this does not estimate the true risk for each patient. Why women with AAAs have an increased growth rate, weaker aortic wall, and increased risk for rupture is yet unclear. It is likely that geometrical and biomechanical properties contribute to found gender differences.

12- and 15-lipoxygenases in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions: associations with cerebrovascular symptoms.

Lipoxygenase (ALOX) enzymes are implicated in both pro- and anti-atherogenic processes. The aim of this study was to investigate mRNA expression of 12- and 15-lipoxygenases (ALOX12, ALOX12B, ALOX15, ALOX15B) and the atypical ALOXE3 in human carotid atherosclerotic lesions, in relation to cerebrovascular symptoms and risk factors. The Biobank of Karolinska Endarterectomies (BiKE) collection of human carotid plaque tissue and associated clinical data was utilized (n=132).

The impact of intraluminal thrombus failure on the mechanical stress in the wall of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objectives: The role of the intraluminal thrombus (ILT) in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is controversial, and it is still not clear if an ILT increases or decreases AAA rupture risk. Specifically, signs of bleeding in the ILT are considered to increase AAA rupture risk. To further explore this hypothesis, intact AAAs (n = 4) with clear signs of fissures in the ILT, identified by computed tomography angiography (CTA) were investigated.

Mast cells: important players in the orchestrated pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Mast cells (MCs) regulate inflammation and immunity. Their granular content includes heparin, histamine, and several enzymes (tryptase, chymase, carboxypeptidase, and cathepsin G). In addition, activated MCs synthesize and release eicosanoids and a large number of cytokines and chemokines.

Increased expression of leukotriene C4 synthase and predominant formation of cysteinyl-leukotrienes in human abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Leukotrienes (LTs) are arachidonic acid-derived lipid mediators involved in the pathogenesis and progression of diverse inflammatory disorders. The cysteinyl-leukotrienes LTC(4), LTD(4), and LTE(4) are important mediators of asthma, and LTB(4) has recently been implicated in atherosclerosis. Here we report that mRNA levels for the three key enzymes/proteins in the biosynthesis of cysteinyl-leukotrienes, 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), 5-LO-activating protein (FLAP), and LTC(4) synthase (LTC(4)S), are significantly increased in the wall of human abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).