Statins influence long term restenosis and cardiovascular events following carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of statins on carotid restenosis (CR) >50% and future cardiovascular events (CVE), in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: 570 consecutive patients (656 CEAs) operated between 1990 and 2009, were included in this retrospective study. The study cohort was followed for an average of 82 months (median 80, range 12- 180 months). Endpoints were the development of CR >50%, the occurrence of CVE (myocardial infarction, stroke) and overall mortality. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were used to assess outcomes. RESULTS: 92 restenosis events were recorded. Freedom from restenosis >50% at 5, 10 and 15 years of follow-up was 92, 82 and 69%, respectively. Compared with statin-receivers, statin-free patients had a significantly higher 15-year restenosis rate (41 vs 10%; P = .001), a significantly higher CVE rate (49 vs 14%; P = .001) and a significantly higher mortality rate (24 vs 18%; P = .034). Adjusting for other covariates statins were independently associated with lower restenosis rate (hazard ratio [HR], 0.52; 95% CI, 0.31-0.88; P= .016), cardiovascular events (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.26-0.61; P < 0.001) and long-term mortality (HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33-0.95; P = .032). CONCLUSION: Statins not only reduce cardiovascular events and mortality but may also have an important effect on the anatomic durability of CEA. These data support the use of statins in patients with carotid stenosis undergoing CEA.

Results of carotid artery stenting with transcervical access.

OBJECTIVE: Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is usually performed with femoral access; however, this access may be impeded by anatomic limitations. Moreover, many embolic events happen during aortic arch catheterization. To overcome these problems, transcervical access to the carotid artery can be used as an alternative approach for CAS. METHODS: An electronic search of the literature using PubMed was performed. All studies reporting the results of CAS using the transcervical approach were retrieved and analyzed. RESULTS: The analysis included 12 studies reporting the results of 739 CAS procedures performed in 722 patients (mean age, 75.5 years). Of 533 lesions reported, 235 (44%) were symptomatic, with no data regarding symptomatic status available for 206 lesions. Two techniques were used: direct CAS with transcervical access (filter protected or unprotected) in 250 patients and CAS with transcervical access under reversed flow (with arteriovenous shunt in most cases) in 489 patients. Local anesthesia was used in 464 of 739 procedures (63%), and the remaining were performed under general anesthesia or cervical block. Technical success was 96.3% for 579 procedures with available data (558 successful procedures and 21 failures: inability to cross the lesion, 10; dissection, 5; failure of predilatation, 1; stent thrombosis, 1; patient agitation, 1; and no data, 3). The incidence of conversion to open repair was 3.0% (20 of 579 procedures: 18 carotid endarterectomies and two common carotid-internal carotid bypass grafts). Stroke occurred in eight patients (two fatal) and a fatal myocardial infarction in one patient. The incidence of stroke, myocardial infarction, and death was 1.1%, 0.14%, and 0.41%, respectively. The incidence of stroke was 1.2% (3 of 250) in direct CAS with transcervical access and 1.02% (5 of 489) in CAS under reversed flow (P > .05). Transient ischemic attack occurred in 20 patients (2.7%). Local complications were encountered in 17 of 579 CAS (2.9%), comprising 15 hematomas and two patients with transient laryngeal palsy. CONCLUSIONS: CAS with the transcervical approach is a safe procedure with low incidence of stroke and complications. It can be used as an alternative to femoral access in patients with unfavorable aortoiliac or aortic arch anatomy.

Carotid artery stenting-induced hemodynamic instability.

PURPOSE: To present a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the incidence of carotid artery stenting (CAS)-induced hemodynamic instability (HI) and to explore differences in periprocedural risk among patients with and without CAS-associated HI. METHODS: Multiple electronic health databases were searched for all articles published between January 2000 and December 2011 describing CAS-associated hemodynamic instability. Twenty-seven studies with a total of 4204 patients were analyzed, placing emphasis on the HI incidence and its correlation with postprocedure morbidity and mortality. A meta-regression analysis was conducted to investigate the role of potential meaningful modifiers upon HI. RESULTS: The meta-analysis for overall HI rate showed a pooled proportion of 39.4%. The pooled estimate for hypotension was 12.1%, 12.2% for bradycardia, and 12.5% for both hypotension and bradycardia. Persistent HI was found to occur in a pooled rate of 19.2%. No statistically significant differences were found between patients with and without HI after CAS with respect to death, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or major adverse events. The meta-regression analysis revealed statistically significant associations of mean age with HI, of ≤10-mm distance between the carotid bifurcation and the site of minimum lumen diameter with bradycardia, and of prior ipsilateral CEA with persistent HI. CONCLUSION: CAS-induced HI occurs in a considerable percentage of patients without increasing the perioperative risk. However, applying the appropriate prophylactic measures and strictly monitoring blood pressure and heart rate during the procedure and immediately after should be encouraged for early recognition and correction of these hemodynamic disturbances.

Combined open and endovascular treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic pathologies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A combined open-endovascular technique has emerged as an alternative treatment option for thoracoabdominal pathologies. However, reported experiences from various medical centers have been contradictory and heterogeneous. The aim of this study is to assess the mortality rate and various complication rates associated with this approach. METHODS: An electronic health database search was performed on all articles published up to March of 2012 describing combined open-endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal pathologies. Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they had ≥10 patients and reported the basic outcome criteria. End points of the meta-analysis were defined as primary technical success, endoprosthesis related complications, 30-day/in-hospital mortality, symptoms of spinal cord ischemia (SCI) and irreversible paraplegia, permanent renal function impairment, and other major complications. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were deemed eligible for this meta-analysis with a total of 528 patients (68.0% male, mean age 70.5 years). The mean follow-up period was 34.2 months. The pooled estimate for primary technical success and visceral graft patency was 95.4% and 96.5% respectively. An endoleak developed in 106 (21.1%) patients in whom both stages had been completed. The pooled rate for symptomatic SCI was 7.0% and for irreversible paraplegia 4.4%. The pooled proportion for permanent renal failure was 7.0% and for mesenteric ischemia 4.5%. Prolonged respiratory support and cardiac complications were observed in a pooled rate of 7.8% and 4.6% respectively. The meta-analysis for 30-day/in-hospital mortality revealed a pooled rate of 14.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Although the hybrid technique for thoracoabdominal aortic pathology provides a less invasive approach, the technique is still associated with a considerable morbidity and mortality rates. High risk patients unfit to withstand open repair, are equally likely to suffer significant complications with the hybrid procedure. The choice of the optimal treatment strategy for thoracoabdominal pathologies should be carefully made on a patient to patient basis, assessing the clinical fitness and the anatomical suitability of each patient. The hybrid approach should be reserved for high volume centers with accumulated experience and high standards of perioperative management.