Avaliação da doença aterosclerótica da artéria carótida em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica por lesão do tronco da artéria coronária esquerda / Evaluation of Carotid Artery Atherosclerotic Disease in Patients Submitted to Myocardial Revascularization Surgery with Left Coronary Artery Lesion

Objetivo: Conhecer a prevalência e severidade da doença aterosclerótica da artéria carótida em pacientes com estenose significativa do tronco da artéria coronária esquerda (TCE) submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio.Métodos: A população estudada consistiu em 18 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio no Hospital São José de Criciúma (SC) de fevereiro de 2002 a novembro de 2006 devido à estenose no TCE. A ultra-sonografia (US) foi o exame de eleição para detectar estenose de artérias carótidas, e o cateterismo para detectar estenose do TCE. Resultados: O sexo masculino foi o mais prevalente (77,8%) e a idade média foi de 63,1 anos. O grau de estenose do TCE mais prevalente foi o de 90% em 27,8% dos pacientes. O segmento do TCE predominantemente lesado foi o terço distal em 72,2% dos casos. A US mostrou estenose em 33,3% das carótidas, independente de sua gravidade. Destes, 66,6% tinham, concomitantemente, lesão de carótida direita. Dentre os casos com aterosclerose de carótidas, metade possuía lesão bilateral e significativa (grau de estenose ≥70%). Os segmentos carotídeos mais acometidos foram o bulbo e a carótida interna em 66,6% dos casos. Conclusões: A literatura médica realça uma relação importante da doença aterosclerótica de carótidas com a lesão significativa do TCE. O rastreamento de estenose de carótidas é recomendado a todos os pacientes com aterosclerose de artérias coronárias.

Objectives: Know prevalence and severity of atherosclerotic disease of carotid artery in patients with significative stenosis of left coronary artery (LCA) submitted to myocadial revascularization surgery. Methods: The sample was composed by 18 patients submitted to myocadial evascularization surgery in São José Hospital from Criciúma, South Brazil, between February 2002 to November 2006 due to LCA stenosis. Ultrasonography (US) was the exam of choice to detect stenosis of carotid arteries and the Hearth Catheterization to detect stenosis of LCA. Results: Male sex was the most prevalent (77.8%) and the mean age was 63.1 years old. The LCA stenosis degree most prevalent was of 90% in 27.8% of patients. The LCA segment mainly lesioned was the distal third in 72.2% of the cases. US shows stenosis in 33.3% of carotids, independent of its gravity. Among this patients, 66,6% also had right carotid lesion. Between the cases with carotid atherosclerosis, half had bilateral and significative lesion (stenosis degree ≥70%). The carotid segments most affected was the bulb and internal carotid in 66.6% of the cases.Conclusions: The medical literature enhalces an important relation of carotid atherosclerotic disease with significative lesion of LCA. Screening of carotide stenosis is recommended to all patients with atherosclerosis in coronary arteries.

Pathobiological role of advanced glycation endproducts via mitogen-activated protein kinase dependent pathway in the diabetic vasculopathy

Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) have been reported to play a role in neointimal formation and increase the rate of in-stent restenosis (ISR) in the diabetic coronary artery disease patients treated with stents, but the potential pathogenic mechanisms of AGEs in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation remain unclear. We sought to determine the AGEs related pathobiological mechanism of diabetic vasculopathy. Rat aortic smooth muscle cell (RAoSMC) culture was done with different concentrations of AGEs and proliferation was assessed. Immunohistochemistry for receptor of AGEs (RAGE) was performed with human carotid atheroma. Western blotting was performed to assess the activation of MAP kinase system in the cultured RAoSMC. AGEs increased RAoSMC proliferation and were associated with increased phosphorylation of ERK and p38 kinase by time and dose dependent manner. The MAP kinase activity was decreased by RNA interference for RAGE. AGEs stimulation increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in cultured RAoSMC. From this study it is concluded that AGEs played a key role in RAoSMC proliferation via MAP kinase dependent pathways. Activation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation by MAP kinase system and increased formation of ROS may be the possible mechanisms of AGEs induced diabetic vasculopathy.