[Immediate, medium- and long-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention with very long drug eluting stent : An observational multicentric study]. / Les résultats immédiats, à moyen et à long terme de l'angioplastie coronaire par stent actif très long : à propos d'une étude multicentrique observationnelle.

INTRODUCTION: Very long coronary lesions account for 20% of coronary stenoses in the real world. There are few data on the effectiveness of angioplasty of these lesions with very long active stents (DES) in the literature. We conducted this study to assess the long-term outcomes of angioplasty with DES length ≥ 40 mm in a population with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, multicenter, descriptive, and prognostic study, conducted between January 2015 and January 2020, in four Tunisian centers, including all patients who underwent angioplasty with a DES of length ≥ 40 mm with a follow-up of at least one year. The primary outcome was a combined criteria (major cardiovascular and Cerebral events: MACCE) (stroke, acute coronary syndrome, revascularization of the target lesion: TLR, cardiovascular death: CVD). RESULTS: We included 480 procedures. More than half of the patients had at least three risk factors. The prevalence of high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking were 61.1%, 56.6% and 60.4%, respectively. The treated lesions were complex: 23.54% calcified lesions, 8.75% chronic occlusions, 25% bifurcation lesions and 12.08% ostial lesions. The average length of the stents was 47.72 mm. We noted 17 cases of per-procedural complications (3.55%). The median follow-up was 35 months (extremes 1-60 months). The rate of stent thrombosis was 0.83%. The incidence of MACCE, TLR and CVD were respectively 16.25%, 8.12% and 5.2%. In multivariate analysis, diabetes (HR = 1.7, 95% CI [1.01-2.9]), dyslipidemia (HR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.3-3.3]), familial coronary artery disease (HR = 1.9, 95% CI [1.01-3.6]), left ventricle dysfunction (HR = 2.07, 95% CI [1.1-3.6]) and bifurcation lesions (HR = 1.9, 95% CI [1.2-3.14]) were the independent predictors of MACCE, while statin intake (HR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.19-0.78]) was a protective factor. CONCLUSION: Angioplasty with very long DES is associated with low levels of MACCE, TLR, stent thrombosis and CVD in our population. Therefore, it could be an interesting alternative to cardiac surgery. Randomized comparative studies of the two treatment options are needed.

Endovascular therapy for steno-occlusive subclavian artery disease early and long-term outcomes in a multicentric Tunisian study.

AIM: To evaluate the outcomes of endovascular therapy in patients with subclavian steno-occlusive disease over the short and long term in a Tunisian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent endovascular treatment of subclavian artery (SCA) steno-occlusive disease between 2013 and 2019 in three Tunisian centers were evaluated retrospectively. After treatment, patients were follow-up was scheduled at 1, 3, 6, 12 months postoperatively and annually afterwards by Doppler ultrasound and clinical findings. Primary outcomes included technical, clinical procedural success rates and limb salvage rate. Secondary outcomes included the occurrence of periprocedural complications and primary patency rates. RESULTS: 56 patients (33 males, 58.9%) were evaluated. Patients' mean age was 61.5 + years. Technical success rate was 94.6 %, being 100% in case of stenosis and 78.5% in case of occlusion. The technical success rate was 94.6%. The clinical success rate was 100% and the upper limb salvage rate was 100%. Minor amputations were performed on 5 patients. Perioperative mortality and morbidity rates were 0% and 8.9% respectively. Mean follow-up was 26.7±16.4 months (range 12-86 months). Two in-stent restenosis occurred (at 12 and 15 months) and one case of thrombosis at the 16th month. The primary patency rates were 88.7%+4.3% at the end of the first year and 78.7%+6.1% at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment can be considered as a safe and effective treatment of SCA steno-occlusive disease, with low perioperative complication rates and a good patency rates over long term. KEY WORDS: Subclavian artery stenosis, Subclavian artery occlusion, endovascular, subclavian revascularization.

Increased epicardial adipose tissue thickness correlates with endothelial dysfunction in spondyloarthritis.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in spondyloarthritis (SpA) patients compared to healthy controls. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study including SpA patients aged ≤ 50 years without traditional cardiovascular risk factors and healthy controls matched for age and gender. Baseline characteristics, laboratory data, and SpA-related parameters were recorded. All participants underwent ultrasound examination with measurement of EAT thickness, FMD, and cIMT by both an experienced cardiologist and radiologist blinded to clinical data. The relationships between the ultrasound measurements were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient and Person correlation. RESULTS: The study included 94 subjects (47 SpA and 47 healthy controls). The sex-ratio was 2.35; the median age of patients was 36 years (IQR: 28-46), and the median disease duration was 11 years (IQR: 5-16). Compared to the control group, SpA patients had significantly higher values of EAT thickness (p = 0.001) and cIMT (p < 0.0001). FMD values were significantly lower in SpA patients compared to controls (p = 0.008). The univariate analysis detected a significant negative association between EAT thickness and FMD (p = 0.026; r = - 0.325), and between left cIMT and FMD (p = 0.027; r = - 0.322). No association was found between EAT thickness and cIMT. CONCLUSION: EAT thickness, FMD, and cIMT were significantly impaired in SpA patients compared with healthy controls supporting evidence of accelerated atherosclerosis in SpA. EAT thickness was correlated to endothelial dysfunction suggesting the role of EAT in predicting the early reversible stages of atherosclerosis. Key Points • Spondyloarthritis is associated with impaired subclinical atherosclerosis markers accurately increased epicardial fat and carotid intima-media thickness and endothelial dysfunction. • Increased epicardial fat thickness is correlated with impaired endothelial function in spondyloarthritis patients.

[Maladies cardiaques et Ramadan : revue de la littérature]. / Cardiovascular disease and Ramadan. A literature review.

We review the literature on the safety of fasting in cardiac patients. We examined the changes of blood pressure among hypertensive patients and the incidence of cardiac events during Ramadan in patients with coronary disease and heart failure. We also assess the modifications of INR levels in cardiac patients who take oral anticoagulant. We found that Ramadan fasting is safe in stable cardiac patients, even under several drugs. Fasting does not affect blood pressure. There is no difference in regards to cardiac event incidence between Ramadan and the non-fasting-months. The level of INR is slightly higher when fasting, it is thus recommended to monitor patients with high bleeding risk during Ramadan.

Endovascular management of an isolated common iliac artery aneurysm: a case report.

Isolated iliac artery aneurysms are rare, and treatment by conventional surgery gives good results. Endovascular repair of such aneurysms has recently become the preferred form of treatment, provided the appropriate anatomy for endovascular repair exists. We report the case of a 60-year-old man admitted in our department for an aneurysm of the left primitive iliac artery revealed by intermittent claudication and treated by a covered stent after embolization of the hypogastric artery by an Amplatzer Vascular Plug with a good result. This case highlights the importance of preservation of the collaterals of the hypogastric artery when you treat such entity; in order to avoid transient gluteal claudication and sexual dysfunction.

[Assessment of the practices and knowledge among cardiologists regarding radiation protection in Tunisia]. / Évaluation des pratiques et connaissances en radioprotection des cardiologues en Tunisie.

INTRODUCTION: interventional cardiology procedures have become complex and expensive in time with a higher risk of exposure to ionizing radiations. The purpose of our study was to assess radiation protection knowledge and practices among Tunisian cardiologists exposed to X-rays. METHODS: we conducted a descriptive, analytical study in October 2019. An anonymous survey on the knowledge and practices regarding radiation protection was sent to all Tunisian cardiologists exposed to X-rays. RESULTS: among 126 cardiologists exposed to X-rays and having received the survey, 58 physicians responded to the survey (48%), with a male predominance (72%, n=42). Thirty-eight physicians (65%) were public sector workers. Average years of working experience were 12.02 years (SD 6.88 years). Half of doctors had a knowledge score of less than 50%. The average practice score was 43.83 (SD 13.95%). Wearing a lead apron, thyroid shield, dosimeter, lead glasses, lead cap accounted for 100% (n=58), 86.2% (n=50), 30.7% (n=18), 12.1% (n=7) and 1.7% (n=1) respectively. There was no correlation between scores and doctor's age as well as the length of working experience. There was no statistical differences between knowledge scores of males and females (p=0.06) or between public sector and private sector (p=0.9). Practice score was significantly higher among men (0.007) and interventional cardiologists compared to rhythmologists and pediatric cardiologists (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: the level of knowledge and practices among Tunisian cardiologists regarding radiation protection is generally insufficient. Then, health authorities should implement regular training programs.