A RAND/UCLA-Modified VAS Study on Telemedicine, Telehealth, and Virtual Care in Daily Clinical Practice of Vascular Medicine.

Telemedicine is increasingly used in several fields of healthcare, including vascular medicine. This study aimed to investigate the views of experts and propose clinical practice recommendations on the possible applications of telemedicine in vascular medicine. A clinical guidance group proposed a set of 67 clinical practice recommendations based on the synthesis of current evidence and expert opinion.

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.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Need for an Integrated and Equitable Approach: An International Expert Consensus Paper.

Background: One year after the declaration of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and despite the implementation of mandatory physical barriers and social distancing, humanity remains challenged by a long-lasting and devastating public health crisis.

Management: Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) are efficient mitigation strategies. The success of these NPIs is dependent on the approval and commitment of the population.

Laser Doppler imaging evaluation of nitroglycerin patch application in systemic sclerosis patients.

Recent studies suggest the use of topical nitroglycerin (NTG) application in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated Raynaud phenomenon (RP). With the current study, we aimed to characterize for the first time the microvascular response to a NTG patch (Trinipatch 5 mg/24 h) applied to the hand dorsum in patients with SSc using Laser Doppler imaging (LDI) at baseline and following a cold challenge. The study included 21 patients with SSc and 13 controls.

Guidance for the Management of Patients with Vascular Disease or Cardiovascular Risk Factors and COVID-19: Position Paper from VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine.

COVID-19 is also manifested with hypercoagulability, pulmonary intravascular coagulation, microangiopathy, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) or arterial thrombosis. Predisposing risk factors to severe COVID-19 are male sex, underlying cardiovascular disease, or cardiovascular risk factors including noncontrolled diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension, obesity, and advanced age. The VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine draws attention to patients with vascular disease (VD) and presents an integral strategy for the management of patients with VD or cardiovascular risk factors (VD-CVR) and COVID-19.

Thromboprophylaxis in Critically Ill Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients.

It is now reported that coronavirus disease 2019 ICU patients are at increased risk of thrombosis. Expert opinion and scientific societies recommend a higher dose of low-molecular-weight heparin, but definitive data is lacking. We report our adapted thromboprophylaxis practice of low-molecular-weight heparin administration in coronavirus disease 2019 ICU patients.

Microcirculatory assessment of vascular diseases.

The term "microcirculation" refers to the terminal vascular network of the body, which includes arterioles, capillaries, venules as well as initial lymphatic vessels. Additionally, it insinuates to their unique function in thermoregulation, fluid balance, maintenance of cellular exchange, and metabolism. Disturbances of microvascular function were identified to precede macrovascular involvement in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and is the hallmark of terminal disease stages like critical limb or acral ischemia.

Chilblains.

Idiopathic chilblain is a relatively common yet poorly recognized acrosyndrome. This literature review aims to better understand and draw attention to this disorder. Chilblain is a localized inflammation of the skin that occurs on exposure to cold but non-freezing wet weather.

Screening Program of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

In Europe, the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in the elderly population (≥65 year old) has declined in the past decades to <4%. Aneurysmal degeneration of the aorta is a serious and potentially life-threatening vascular disease. Abdominal aortic aneurysms typically develop subclinically and often only become symptomatic when complicated by impending rupture.

Focus on echovascular imaging assessment of arterial disease: complement to the ESC guidelines (PARTIM 1) in collaboration with the Working Group on Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases.

The main goal of the present document is to provide a set of practical recommendations for ultrasound imagers who are interested in artery diseases or for physicians who intend to undertake vascular procedures. This is the first part of the work. It is dedicated to general principles of ultrasonography, cervicoencephalic, subclavian, aortoiliac and lower extremity arteries, abdominal aorta, and popliteal aneurysms.

Arterial stiffness and cardiometabolic phenotype of Cameroonian Pygmies and Bantus.

Background: Pygmies living in the Central African rainforest with a traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle have a low incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Because of progressive loss of traditional habitat and ancestral lands, some Pygmies have migrated to urban areas and adopt specific Bantu lifestyles such as increased salt consumption and a sedentary way of life. We tested the hypothesis that migrant Pygmies could present with hemodynamic and metabolic characteristics different from those of traditional in-situ Pygmies and possibly closer to those of Bantu farmers.

ESVM guidelines - the diagnosis and management of Raynaud's phenomenon.

Regarding the clinical diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon and its associated conditions, investigations and treatment are substantial, and yet no international consensus has been published regarding the medical management of patients presenting with this condition. Most knowledge on this topic derives from epidemiological surveys and observational studies; few randomized studies are available, almost all relating to drug treatment, and thus these guidelines were developed as an expert consensus document to aid in the diagnosis and management of Raynaud's phenomenon. This consensus document starts with a clarification about the definition and terminology of Raynaud's phenomenon and covers the differential and aetiological diagnoses as well as the symptomatic treatment.

"No more amputations": a complex scientific problem and a challenge for effective preventive strategy implementation on vascular field.

Lower limb vascular amputations represent serious problem in the vascular care. As a consequence of critical limb ischemia, often associated with diabetes, it is highly critical to health care service aiming at prevention of limb loss. Understanding of the nature and complexity of amputation scenario is paramount for the effective preventive strategy planning and implementation.

[News in the work-up of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)].

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a component of venous thromboembolism (VTE), the other being pulmonary embolism (PE). Its incidence is 1 to 2/1.000/year and nearly 1/100/year after 80 years.

Stroke and systemic embolism prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation in Belgium: comparative cost effectiveness of new oral anticoagulants and warfarin.

Background And Objective: Management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) focuses on the use of anticoagulation to mitigate the risk of stroke. Until recently, vitamin K antagonist (VKA) treatment was considered the standard of care, with the emergence of non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) shifting treatment practice. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the use of warfarin and the NOACs for stroke prevention in patients with NVAF from the perspective of a Belgian healthcare payer using a cost-effectiveness analysis and the efficiency frontier approach.

Clinical significance of Cryofibrinogenemia: possible pathophysiological link with Raynaud's phenomenon.

Objective: To describe the clinical findings and prevalence of patients with cryofibrinogenemia (CF) and to determine whether CF is associated with primary Raynaud's phenomenon.

Methods: Between June 2006 and December 2009, 227 patients were tested for CF in a single university hospital. Forty-five patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon were tested for CF.

The PANDORA study: peripheral arterial disease in patients with non-high cardiovascular risk.

Few studies are available with sufficient sample size to accurately describe the prevalence of low ankle-brachial index (ABI) in patients at 'non-high' cardiovascular (CV) risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD), as determined by using ABI, in this patient population. A non-interventional, cross-sectional, pan-European study was conducted in patients with ≥1 CV risk factor in addition to age, evaluating the prevalence of asymptomatic PAD (ABI ≤ 0.