Effects of long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser on telangiectasias and reticular veins: a human in-vivo histological study.

BACKGROUND: Telangiectasias and reticular veins are associated with aesthetic disorders. Sclerotherapy is the gold standard treatment, but long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser (LP1064 laser) is also used. No data on the human histological effects of these lasers are reported. The objective was to test different LP1064 laser parameters and their histological effects on the dermis, collagen, telangiectasias, and reticular veins. METHODS: This was a single-center, prospective, single-arm, case-control, human study. During surgery (dermolipectomy), the abdominal section of 10 female patients was irradiated with 6 different transdermal LP1064 laser parameters after anesthesia. Ten pieces with areas of varying irradiation were evaluated according to the characteristics of the vessels identified by area. In each piece, two irradiation areas were performed per group, totaling 12 irradiation areas per piece, with 120 regions later analyzed at the end of the ten samples. After removing the surgical product, histological sections were extracted, and the dermis, telangiectasias, and reticular veins were analyzed. RESULTS: Histological analysis showed that exposition to six different parameters from LP1064 laser led to significant dermal layer separation and collagen alterations. The effects were inconsistent on the loss of endothelial cells, intravascular thrombus formation, and fusion of vascular walls for both telangiectasias and reticular veins. In reticular veins, effects on intravascular thrombus formation and vascular wall fusion were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: The LP1064 laser in monotherapy with fixed settings did not lead to a consistent vascular lesion to promote immediate occlusion in telangiectasias and reticular veins. This strategy may not work as monotherapy for small vein treatment, but the possible late response to the LP1064 laser cannot be ruled out and require further investigation.

The impact of dermatoscopy on the pretreatment assessment of lower limbs telangiectasias: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Telangiectasias treatment can lead to skin hyperpigmentation, and pretreatment evaluation with dermoscopy was never performed. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of dermatoscopy before telangiectasias treatment. METHODS: A prospective study evaluating patients of both sexes (18 to 60 years old), with telangiectasias (venous disease C2-C3 CEAP) of the lower limbs treated at outpatient clinics. Subjects who had never undergone previous interventional treatment for CVI and Fitzpatrick Classification up to phototype III, were included. Patients were submitted to both naked and dermoscopy evaluations of their skin and blindly evaluated by three vascular surgeons and an experienced dermatologist. Agreement by naked eye versus dermoscopy and among examiners was performed using Kappa correlation. Agreement by naked eye among patients and the examiners consensus were performed. RESULTS: There was a more significant agreement between the most experienced examiners in the naked eye assessment. With the dermatoscopic device, the highest agreement was maintained among the more experienced examiners, with a predominance of choice of the purple pigment in 29 of the 38 limbs, which represents a simple agreement of 76.3% (95% CI: 62.8-89.8%) with a Kappa concordance Index of 0.178. There was an agreement between the patient and the consensus of the naked eye examiners in 41.2% (95% CI: 24.7-57.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The dermatoscopy was not decisive for diagnosing skin pigmentation in areas of telangiectasia that had never been treated. The diagnostic accuracy was directly related to the clinical experience of the examiner. Dermatoscopy did not help in aligning expectations with treatment between physicians and patients.

Erysipelas as an aggravating factor for impaired lymphatics in saphenectomy patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate lymphoscintigraphic changes in patients who developed erysipelas after saphenous vein stripping. METHODS: Lymphoscintigraphic changes related to erysipelas were evaluated in a retrospective, cross-sectional and quantitative study of 21 saphenectomy patients. Patients with infections, those weighing over 120 kg, with chronic arterial disease or heart failure were excluded from the study. A control group was formed of 21 patients submitted to saphenectomies matched by age and gender but with no history of erysipelas. All patients underwent lymphoscintigraphy of both legs. The Fisher's Exact and χ2 tests were used for statistical analysis with an alpha error of 5% being considered acceptable. RESULTS: Associations of dermal reflux and popliteal lymph nodes with erysipelas were observed in operated patients compared to non-operated patients (P value= 0.002 and 0.03, respectively). Semiquantitative analysis showed a variation in the Kleinhans transport indexes of 0.15 to 20.5 for the entire sample. Group I showed a mean semiquantitative index of 2.42 (0.3 to 14.5), group II of 3.15 (0.225 to 15.125) and group III of 10.2 (0.15 to 38.25). The comparison of semiquantitative indexes of the groups by χ2 analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the first two groups (I and II) and group III (P value <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Erysipelas is a synergistic mechanism of injury of the lymphatic system in patients submitted to saphenectomies.

Analysis of the acute systemic and tissue inflammatory response following carotid endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the acute systemic and tissue inflammatory response associated with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and analyze the association between serum and tissue biomarkers and histological features of carotid plaques between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. METHODS: We studied 11 patients (6 symptomatic and 5 asymptomatic) with ≥70% internal carotid stenosis treated with CEA. Serum expression of interleukin (IL) 1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, metalloproteinase (MMP) 8, MMP-9, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured in the preoperative period and 1, 6 and 24 hours after CEA. Assessment of tissue biomarkers (IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MMP-8, MMP-9, TNF-α, and VEGF) and histological analyses were performed on carotid plaques. RESULTS: Peak serum values for MMP-8, MMP-9, IL-6, and IL 10 were observed 6 hours after CEA, whereas for hs-CRP, TNF-α, and VEGF, they were identified 24 hours after the procedure. Symptomatic patients exhibited higher serum concentrations of MMP-8, MMP-9, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-8, hs-CRP and TNF-α and higher tissue concentrations of MMP-8, MMP-9, IL-1ß, IL-6 and VEGF than asymptomatic patients. Significant difference was found between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in tissue IL-6 levels (30.95 pg/mL and 9.33 pg/mL, respectively; P=0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Systemic and tissue inflammatory response occurs even after CEA, being observed important activity of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines at 6 and 24 hours after CEA. Symptomatic patients show higher concentrations of serum and tissue biomarkers in comparison to asymptomatic patients.

Chlamydia pneumoniae and symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaque: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible link between symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaque and Chlamydia pneumoniae. BACKGROUND: Recently, several studies have demonstrated that there may be a possible link between Chlamydia pneumonia and carotid atherosclerosis, however the real role of Chlamydia pneumoniae is not completely understood. METHOD: This is a prospective study with a total of 52 patients analyzed. All patients had been submitted to endarterectomy, and had suffered thrombotic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack up to 60 days prior to the surgery. Every patient presented carotid stenosis over 70%. The plaque was removed during the surgery and the laboratory exams were immediately done. Evaluation of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA was done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The PCR analyses of all 52 patients were negative for Chlamydia pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: These initial results do not show a relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae and symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaque.

Chlamydia pneumoniae and symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaque: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible link between symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaque and Chlamydia pneumoniae. BACKGROUND: Recently, several studies have demonstrated that there may be a possible link between Chlamydia pneumonia and carotid atherosclerosis, however the real role of Chlamydia pneumoniae is not completely understood. METHOD: This is a prospective study with a total of 52 patients analyzed. All patients had been submitted to endarterectomy, and had suffered thrombotic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack up to 60 days prior to the surgery. Every patient presented carotid stenosis over 70 percent. The plaque was removed during the surgery and the laboratory exams were immediately done. Evaluation of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA was done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The PCR analyses of all 52 patients were negative for Chlamydia pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: These initial results do not show a relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae and symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaque.

OBJETIVO: Investigar a possível relação entre placa sintomática de carótidas e Chlamydia pneumoniae. INTRODUÇÃO: Vários estudos têm demonstrado uma possível relação entre Chlamydia pneumonia e aterosclerose carotídea, entretanto o papel definitivo da bactéria não é totalmente conhecido. Há muita especulação: poderia iniciar o processo aterosclerótico, agravá-lo ou desestabilizá-lo. MÉTODO: Estudo prospectivo com um total de 52 pacientes, endarterectomizados e previamente acometidos de acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico ou crise isquêmica transitória, em até 60 dias antes da cirurgia. Todos os pacientes apresentavam estenose carotídea superior a 70 por cento. Os testes laboratoriais foram realizados imediatamente após a endarterectomia. A Chlamydia pneumoniae foi pesquisada através de exame de DNA com reação de polimerização em cadeia (PCR). RESULTADOS: O PCR dos 52 pacientes foram negativos para Chlamydia pneumoniae. CONCLUSÃO: Estes resultados iniciais não mostram relação entre Chlamydia pneumoniae e desestabilização de placa aterosclerótica das carótidas.