Surgical Outcomes for Occluded Venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome following Transaxillary First Rib Resection.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical decompression via transaxillary first rib resection (TFRR) is often performed in patients presenting with venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS). We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of TFRR based on chronicity of completely occluded axillo-subclavian veins in VTOS. METHODS: We performed a retrospective institutional review of all patients who underwent TFRR for VTOS and had a completely occluded axillo-subclavian vein between 2003 to 2022. Patients were categorized into three groups based on the time of inciting VTOS event to TFRR acuity of their venous occlusion: <4 weeks, 4-12 weeks and >12 weeks. We evaluated the association of TFRR timing with one-year outcomes including patency and symptomatic improvement. We used Chi-square test to compare baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, 103 patients underwent TFRR for VTOS with a completely occluded axillo-subclavian vein (median age 30.0 years, 42.7% female, 8.8% non-White), of which 28 patients had occlusion < 4 weeks, 36 patients had occlusion 4-12 weeks, and 39 patients had occlusion >12 weeks. Postoperative venogram performed 2-3 weeks after TFRR demonstrated that 78.6% in the <4 weeks group, 72.2% in the 4-12 weeks group and 61.5% in the >12 weeks group had some degree of recanalization (p=0.76). Postoperative balloon angioplasty was successfully performed in 60 patients with stenosed/occluded axillo-subclavian vein at the time of postoperative venogram. At 10-14-month followup, 79.2% in the <4 weeks group, 73.3% in the 4-12 weeks group, and 73.3% in the >12 weeks group had patent axillo-subclavian veins based on duplex ultrasound (p=0.86). Among patients who underwent postoperative balloon angioplasty, 80.0%, 85.0% and 100% in the <4 weeks, 4-12 weeks and >12 weeks groups respectively demonstrated patency at 10-14 months (p=0.31). Symptomatic improvement was reported in 95.7% in the < 4 weeks group, 96.7% in the 4-12 weeks group and 93.5% in the >12 weeks group (P=0.84). CONCLUSION: TFRR offers excellent postoperative outcomes for symptomatic VTOS patients, even in cases of completely occluded axillo-subclavian veins, regardless of the chronicity of the occlusion. By 14 months, 95.2% of patients experienced symptomatic improvement, and 75% attained venous patency.

Coordinated expression of galectin-3 and caveolin-1 in thyroid cancer.

Galectin-3 (Gal3) is the single most accurate marker for the diagnosis of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Gal3 overrides the tumour suppressor activity of caveolin-1 (Cav1) and functions in concert with Cav1 to promote focal adhesion turnover and tumour cell migration and invasion. To study their coordinated role in progression of a human cancer, we investigated the expression of Gal3 and Cav1 in specimens of human benign thyroid lesions, DTC and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Gal3 and Cav1 expression is significantly associated with DTC and ATC, but not benign nodules. Essentially all Cav1-positive DTC cancers express Gal3, supporting the synergistic activity of these two proteins in DTC progression. Similarly, coordinated elevated Gal3/Cav1 expression was observed in three DTC-derived cell lines (papillary TCP1 and KTC1 and follicular FTC133) but only one (ACT1) of five ATC-derived cell lines. Using siRNA knockdown, Gal3 and Cav1 were shown to be required for RhoA GTPase activation, stabilization of focal adhesion kinase (FAK; a measure of focal adhesion signalling and turnover) and increased migration of the DTC cell lines studied, but not the ATC cell lines, including ACT1, which expresses elevated levels of Gal3 and Cav1. Co-expression of Gal3 and Cav1 in the T238 anaplastic cell line stabilized FAK-GFP in focal adhesions. Gal3 and Cav1 therefore function synergistically to promote focal adhesion signalling, migration and progression of DTC.

Peripheral Artery Disease: Overview of Diagnosis and Medical Therapy.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects approximately 230 million people worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular and limb events. Even though this condition is considered a cardiovascular equivalent, it remains an underrecognized and undertreated entity. Antiplatelet and statin therapy, along with smoking cessation, are the foundations of therapy to reduce adverse events but are challenging to fully implement in this patient population. Race and socioeconomic status also have profound impacts on PAD outcomes.

Peripheral Artery Disease: Treatment of Claudication and Surgical Management.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects approximately 230 million people worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular and limb events. Even though this condition is considered a cardiovascular equivalent, it remains an under-recognized and under-treated entity. Anti-platelet and statin therapy, along with smoking cessation, are the foundations of therapy to reduce adverse events but are challenging to fully implement in this patient population. Race and socioeconomic status also have profound impacts on PAD outcomes. Exercise therapy is the gold standard treatment of claudication while revascularization procedures are often reserved for patients with limb-threatening ischemia.

The effect of helicobacter pylori eradication on liver fat content in subjects with non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease: a randomized open-label clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The role of Helicobacter pylori (HP) in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of HP eradication on liver fat content (LFC), liver function tests (LFT), lipid profile, and homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) index in NAFLD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Dyspeptic patients with increased serum aminotransferase levels were enrolled in the study. The exclusion criteria were factors affecting serum aminotransferase or HP treatment strategy. Participants with persistent elevated serum aminotransferase level and ultrasound criteria for identification of fatty liver were presumed to have NAFLD. "NAFLD liver fat score" was used to classify NAFLD. Those with "NAFLD liver fat score" greater than -0.64 and positive results for urea breath test (UBT), were included. Lifestyle modification was provided to all participants. HP eradication was performed in intervention arm. LFC, fasting serum glucose (FSG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL), high and low-density lipoprotein (HDL, LDL), and HOMA-IR were checked at baseline and after that, at intervals of eight weeks and twenty four weeks. RESULTS: One hundred (49 males) patients with the mean age of 43.46 (± 11.52) were studied. Repeated measure ANOVA showed a significant reduction in LFC, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory parameters (except for HDL) in the both groups during the study; however, no significant difference was observed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that HP eradication per se might not affect LFC, LFT, lipid profile, and insulin resistance in dyspeptic NAFLD patients.

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy in Iranian patients.

We determined the frequency of clinical thyroid ophthalmopathy in Iranian patients. This cross-sectional study was performed at the Endocrinology Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All patients with documented thyroid disorders from September 2003 to July 2005 were recruited. Eye examinations included evaluation of soft tissue changes, measurement of proptosis, lid width, lagophthalmos, evaluation of eye muscle function, and determination of visual acuity. The activity of ophthalmopathy was scored according to the NOSPECS scale. Among 851 visited patients, 303 cases had thyroid eye disease (TED). The nature of the ophthalmopathy breaks down as follows: 53.4% were hypothyroid (9.3% Hashimoto disease), 5.5% euthyroid and 41.1% had Graves' disease. The prevalence of TED in males was 60% which was nearly 2 times the prevalence of TED in females. There was a significant relationship between presentation of TED and active smoking of the patients (P<0.0001) while no significant relationship with passive smoking was obtained (P=0.181). The most common clinical sign of TED in descending order respectively were proptosis with 63.4%, soft tissue involvement (40.9%), extraocular muscle involvement (22.1%), corneal involvement (12.9%) and optic nerve dysfunction (6.3%). Myasthenia gravis occurred in only 2 patients. In the logistic regression, occurrence of TED was influenced by cardiovascular disease (OR=5.346), Graves' disease (OR=47.507), radioiodine therapy (OR=2.590), and anti-thyroid medications (OR=0.650). Thyroid ophtalmopathy (orbitopathy) is a matter of important health concern among patients with thyroid disorder. Since TED occurred with a high prevalence in all thyroid states, a close collaboration between endocrinologists and ophthalmologists along with timely referrals of patients with any eye complaint is deemed necessary. Also smoking was the most important risk factor for developing TED. Therefore, it is advisable to raise awareness and to strongly encourage smokers with thyroid disorders to quit smoking.