Homocysteine as a risk factor of restenosis after carotid endarterectomy.

AIM: Homocysteine (Hcy) has been identified as a potential risk factor for vascular disease. This study investigates the role of serum Hcy as clinical risk factor for restenosis after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: In a prospective design, we studied patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy with venous patch closure technique with respect to alterations of Hcy levels pre and postoperatively. The patients studied were subjected to reevaluation for possible restenosis at time-points 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Fifty-three symptomatic and 37 asymptomatic patients with stenosis of internal carotid artery >70% were studied. Restenosis appeared in 7.25% of the patients within 24 months postoperatively. Hcy was the only parameter that correlated significantly with the presence of restenosis (P=0.010) and the presence of type VI (complicated) atheromatous plaque (P=0.005) within 24 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Hcy levels were found to be statistically significantly correlated with both the presence of complicated atheromatous plaque and the degree of internal carotid artery restenosis after CEA.

Can the diameter of endoluminal shunt influence the risk of hyperperfusion syndrome after carotid endarterectomy?

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate if there is a possible relation between the size of endoluminal shunt, in carotid endarterectomy (CEA), and the risk of postoperative hyperperfusion syndrome. METHODS: We retrospectively studied prospectively collected data from 156 patients, who were subjected to CEA using shunting and vein patch angioplasty. One hundred and thirty-eight of the patients had bilateral, high grade (> or = 90%) internal carotid lesions and the remaining 18 had a high-grade stenosis (> or = 90%) and a contralateral internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion. In 81 patients varying diameters of shunts were used (8-14 Fr) according to the diameter of ICA (group A) and in the other 75 patients (group B) only the smallest shunt was used (8 Fr). Development of hyperperfusion syndrome was evaluated both clinically and radiologically with magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Fifteen patients developed hyperperfusion syndrome (9.6%), between 0 to 6 days postoperatively. Thirteen belonged to group A (86.6%), and 2 (13.3%) belonged to group B (P<0.05). One had an intracerebral hemorrhage (0.6% of the study group) the 3rd postsurgical day. CONCLUSIONS: During CEA in patients with high-grade bilateral lesions, we recommend the use of a shunt with small diameter: this aims at reducing the risk of hyperperfusion syndrome.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in patients with end stage renal disease.

OBJECTIVE: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) represents a challenging therapeutic problem. This study was undertaken to analyze the surgical outcome of AAA repair in patients with ESRD and discuss the optimal peri-operative management of problems that resulted. METHODS: Between January 1995 and January 2005, 11 patients with ESRD underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. All patients were under chronic haemodialysis. Risk factors related to surgical morbidity were evaluated. RESULTS: The average age was 68 years (57-84 years). Nine patients were men: 8 were hypertensive, 6 had diabetes, 4 had coronary artery disease, 3 had suffered a previous stroke, 3 had prior myocardial infarct and 8 were smokers. The duration of haemodialysis was 19 months (range 2 to 46 months). Five of the 11 patients had bilateral common iliac aneurysms in addition to the abdominal aortic aneurysm. The average diameter of infrarenal AAA was 6 cm (4.8-7.5). The mean duration of operation was 191 min. All patients underwent haemodialysis on the day before operation with an average period of 8.5 hours (6-12) and 2 to 20 hours postoperatively. The mean follow-up was 11.5 months (range 1 to 93 months). None of the patients died during the 30-day postoperative period. Two patients died from heart failure 3 and 7 months later. CONCLUSION: Abdominal aortic aneurysm can be repaired in patients with end stage renal disease with good results, despite the increased morbidity and mortality of this population.

Simultaneous surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm and bilateral aneurysms of the internal iliac artery.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to present our experience in the management of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and aneurysms in both the internal iliac arteries (IIA) at the same time. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2005, a series of 13 patients with AAA and also aneurysms in both the IIA, were treated in our clinic. They were all men with a mean age of 74 years. The size of the IIA aneurysms (IIAA) ranged from 2.0 to 8.0 cm (mean, 3.4 cm). All patients underwent an aneurysmatectomy of the AAA and placement of a prosthetic bifurcated aorto-biiliac or -bifemoral bypass, by a transperitoneal approach. The management of one of the two IIAA was the aneurysmatectomy and the direct revascularization of the healthy peripheral portion of the remaining IIA with the ipsilateral leg of the aorto-biiliac bypass. The other IIAA was treated with proximal ligation of its neck and aneurysmorraphy. RESULTS: No patient died during the first 30 postoperative days. Morbidity was about 7.7% (one patient suffered from 'trash foot', which was treated successfully with conservative measures). Finally, the mean stay in hospital was 7 days and no patient clinically presented symptoms of pelvic or colonic ischaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous treatment of AAA and bilateral IIA aneurysms is a technically difficult, but safe procedure, if it is performed meticulously. Revascularization of at least one internal iliac artery is strongly recommended in order to avoid dangerous complications, such as pelvic or colonic ischaemia.

Glibenclamide improves postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia in type 2 diabetic patients by reducing chylomicrons but not the very low-density lipoprotein subfraction levels.

AIM: There are scarce data dealing with the degree of postprandial lipaemia after sulphonylurea administration. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acute glibenclamide administration on postprandial lipaemia in Type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Eight randomly selected Type 2 diabetic individuals, aged 43-65 years (mean, 54 years), who had never received any anti-diabetic drug, were included in the study. Each patient was given a 485 kcal mixed meal (45% fat, 40% carbohydrate and 15% protein) twice on separate days after an overnight fast: once with placebo and once with 5 mg glibenclamide, per os, in a random order. The two tests were performed with an interval of 7 days. Venous blood samples were drawn just before and 2 h, 4 h and 6 h after meal consumption. Total triglyceride levels in plasma, in chylomicrons (CM), in CM-deficient plasma, in very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) subfractions (VLDL-1, VLDL-2) and in intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) were determined. Free fatty acid (FFA) and total cholesterol levels in plasma, as well as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in CM-deficient plasma, were also measured. Finally, serum glucose, insulin and C-peptide concentrations were measured in each sample. RESULTS: As expected there was a significant decrease in postprandial glycaemia after glibenclamide administration compared to placebo (mean area under the curve values: AUC = 53.3 +/- 18.2 and 69.1 +/- 21.6 mm/h, P = 0.00009). In addition, the mean AUC values of insulin and C-peptide were significantly greater after drug administration. The AUC values of total plasma triglyceride and of CM triglyceride following glibenclamide administration were significantly lower compared to placebo, while the AUC values of postprandial triglyceride in CM-deficient plasma and of postprandial triglyceride in VLDL-1, VLDL-2 and IDL were not different after drug administration compared to placebo. Finally, no significant differences were noted in the AUC values of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and plasma FFA levels after glibenclamide administration. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that glibenclamide administration improves postprandial hypertriglyceridaemia acutely by reducing postprandial triglycerides of intestinal origin.

Effects of glibenclamide on postprandial coagulation activation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Previous data indicate that even mild postprandial hyperglycaemia in diabetic subjects, who are concerned to be in good control, activates haemostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the oral administration of 5 mg glibenclamide on postprandial activation of coagulation in type 2 diabetics. METHODS AND RESULTS: We designed a placebo controlled, randomised study. After an overnight fast, each subject (n = 16, age 50-68 yr.) underwent a standard test meal (600 Kcal: carbohydrates 40%, lipids 50%, proteins 10%) preceded by one tablet of glibenclamide (5 mg) or placebo. The two tests were performed randomly, with an interval of 7 days. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 2 and 4 hours after the meal to measure the concentrations of glucose, insulin, c-peptide, triglycerides as well as of d-dimers, fibrinogen, F1.2 and TAT. The postprandial levels of TAT, fibrinogen, F1.2, d-dimers, insulin, glucose and triglycerides were significantly higher compared to baseline values. CONCLUSIONS: The postprandial levels of glucose, triglycerides, fibrinogen, F1.2, TAT and d-dimers were lower after glibenclamide administration as compared to placebo, while the concentrations of insulin and c-peptide were higher. Thus, acute administration of glibenclamide reduces the postprandial activation of coagulation.