Peritoneal Metastases from Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: Incidence, Risk Factors and Prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are rare neoplasms and data on peritoneal metastases (PM) from these tumors are scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to present population-based data on the incidence, risk factors, and survival of synchronous PM in GEP-NETs. METHODS: Data from all patients diagnosed with a GEP-NET during 2007-2013 were collected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Age-standardized incidence rates were calculated and risk factors for developing PM were determined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Survival was investigated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 4114 patients were diagnosed with a GEP-NET. PM were diagnosed in 234 patients (19% of patients with metastasized disease, representing 6% of all GEP-NETs). The incidence of patients diagnosed with PM was 1.6:1,000,000 persons per year. Risk factors for developing PM were higher age (odds ratio [OR] 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-2.0) and primary tumor location in the small intestine (OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.1-5.7) or colon (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.4). Small intestinal NETs with PM had the best survival, while appendiceal NETs with PM had the poorest survival (5-year survival rates of 67 and 7%, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that survival in patients with PM was worse compared with patients without metastases; however, the presence of PM among all metastasized patients was not associated with worse survival. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide population-based study provides relevant insight into the incidence and risk factors of PM in GEP-NETs, and reveals detailed site-specific data on the presence of PM and survival data that may contribute to develop individualized treatment strategies in patients with these heterogeneous neoplasms.

Bevacizumab in Addition to Palliative Chemotherapy for Patients With Peritoneal Carcinomatosis of Colorectal Origin: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) presenting with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) rely on palliative systemic treatment options. However, data on the use and effect of systemic treatment strategies, including targeted agents for the palliative treatment of colorectal PC, are lacking. We conducted a nationwide population-based study with data from the period in which the targeted agent bevacizumab was introduced in the Netherlands. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present study included all patients diagnosed from 2007 to 2014 with synchronous PC from CRC treated with only palliative systemic therapy. We assessed the use of bevacizumab, the standard choice of targeted treatment, in addition to first-line chemotherapy. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate the predictors for the additional prescription of bevacizumab. Survival estimates were calculated, and multivariable Cox analyses were performed to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of death stratified by the treatment received. RESULTS: A total of 1235 patients received palliative chemotherapy, of whom 436 also received bevacizumab (35%). Patients aged ≥ 75 years and patients with PC from colonic tumors were less likely to receive chemotherapy plus bevacizumab. The addition of bevacizumab to palliative chemotherapy was associated with an improved overall median survival of 7.5 versus 11 months in both patients with isolated PC and those with concomitant extraperitoneal metastases. The improvement remained after adjustment for patient and tumor characteristics (HR, 0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.83). CONCLUSION: The results of the present nationwide population-based study support the rationale for bevacizumab in addition to palliative chemotherapy for patients with PC of CRC and underline the need for ongoing efforts to precisely determine the role of targeted therapy in the treatment of PC.

Pancreatic cancer surgery in elderly patients: Balancing between short-term harm and long-term benefit. A population-based study in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: At a national level, it is unknown to what degree elderly patients with pancreatic or periampullary carcinoma benefit from surgical treatment compared to their younger counterparts. We investigated resection rates and outcomes after surgical treatment among elderly patients. METHODS: From the Netherlands Cancer Registry, 20 005 patients diagnosed with primary pancreatic or periampullary cancer in 2005-2013 were selected. The associations between age (<70, 70-74, 75-79, ≥80 years) and resection rates were investigated using χ(2) tests, and surgical outcomes (30-, 90-day mortality) were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Overall survival after resection was investigated by means of Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, resection rates increased in all age groups (<70 years: 20-30%, p < 0.001; ≥80 years: 2-8%, p < 0.001). Of 3845 patients who underwent tumour resection for pancreatic or periampullary carcinoma, the proportion of octogenarians increased from 3.5% to 5.5% (p = 0.03), whereas postoperative mortality did not increase (30-day: 6-3%, p = 0.06; 90-day: 9-8%, p = 0.21). With rising age, 30-day postoperative mortality increased (4-5-7-8%, respectively, p < 0.001), while 90-day mortality was 6-10-13-12% (p < 0.001) and three-year overall survival rates after surgery were 35-33-28-31%, respectively (p < 0.001). After adjustment for confounding factors, octogenarians who survived 90 days postoperative exhibited an overall survival close to younger patients [hazard ratio (≥80 vs. <70 years) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (0.99-1.47), p = 0.07]. CONCLUSION: Despite higher short-term mortality, octogenarians who underwent pancreatic resection showed long-term survival similar to younger patients. With careful patient screening and counselling of elderly patients, a further increase of resection rates may be combined with improved outcomes.

The Prognostic Relevance of Histological Subtype in Patients With Peritoneal Metastases From Colorectal Cancer: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: With evolving treatment possibilities for peritoneal metastases (PM) from colorectal cancer (CRC), adequate prognostication and patient selection for treatment becomes increasingly important. We investigated the prognostic relevance of commonly identified histological subtypes in PM of CRC (adenocarcinoma [AC], mucinous AC [MC], and signet-ring cell carcinoma [SC]), which is currently unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study involved 4277 patients diagnosed with synchronous PM from CRC between 2005 and 2012 in The Netherlands. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank testing were performed to estimate survival. Subsequently a Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate hazard ratios for the risk of death. RESULTS: Most of the CRC patients were diagnosed with AC (n = 3008; 70%), whereas MC and SC were found in 958 (22%) and 311 (7%) patients, respectively. SC was associated with the highest risk of death in colon and rectal cancer, with median survival rates of respectively, 6.6 and 6.9 months. For MC, median survival varied from 10.9 months in colon and 9.8 months in rectal cancer (P > .05). In colon cancer, MC was associated with a significantly lower risk of death compared with AC (hazard ratio, 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.95). In rectal cancer, no such effect was observed. AC was associated with a significantly poorer survival rate in the case of primary colonic tumor localization (7.4 months in colon vs. 10.9 months in rectal cancer). CONCLUSION: Histological subtype is an important prognostic factor in patients with synchronous PM of colorectal origin. This knowledge will aid clinicians in counseling of patients and clinical decision-making regarding possible treatment options.

Patterns of metachronous metastases after curative treatment of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to provide information on timing, anatomical location, and predictors for metachronous metastases of colorectal cancer based on a large consecutive series of non-selected patients. METHODS: All patients operated on with curative intent for colorectal cancer (TanyNanyM0) between 2003 and 2008 in the Dutch Eindhoven Cancer Registry were included (N=5671). By means of active follow-up by the Cancer Registry staff within ten hospitals, data on development of metastatic disease were collected. Median follow-up was 5.0 years. RESULTS: Of the 5671 colorectal cancer patients, 1042 (18%) were diagnosed with metachronous metastases. Most common affected sites were the liver (60%), lungs (39%), extra-regional lymph nodes (22%), and peritoneum (19%). 86% of all metastases was diagnosed within three years and the median time to diagnosis was 17 months (interquartile range 10-29 months). Male gender (HR=1.2, 95%CI 1.03-1.32), an advanced primary T-stage (T4 vs. T3 HR=1.6, 95%CI 1.32-1.90) and N-stage (N1 vs. N0 HR=2.8, 95%CI 2.42-3.30 and N2 vs. N0 HR=4.5, 95%CI 3.72-5.42), high-grade tumour differentiation (HR=1.4, 95%CI 1.17-1.62), and a positive (HR=2.1, 95%CI 1.68-2.71) and unknown (HR=1.7, 95%CI 1.34-2.22) resection margin were predictors for metachronous metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Different patterns of metastatic spread were observed for colon and rectal cancer patients and differences in time to diagnosis were found. Knowledge on these patterns and predictors for metachronous metastases may enhance tailor-made follow-up schemes leading to earlier detection of metastasized disease and increased curative treatment options.

Population-based incidence, treatment and survival of patients with peritoneal metastases of unknown origin.

AIM: Until recently, peritoneal metastases (PM) were regarded as an untreatable condition, regardless of the organ of origin. Currently, promising treatment options are available for selected patients with PM from colorectal, appendiceal, ovarian or gastric carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, treatment and survival of patients presenting with PM in whom the origin of PM remains unknown. METHODS: Data from patients diagnosed with PM of unknown origin during 1984-2010 were extracted from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry. European age-standardised incidence rates were calculated and data on treatment and survival were analysed. RESULTS: In total 1051 patients were diagnosed with PM of unknown origin. In 606 patients (58%) the peritoneum was the only site of metastasis, and 445 patients also had other metastases. Chemotherapy usage has increased from 8% in the earliest period to 16% in most recent years (p=.016). Median survival was extremely poor with only 42days (95% confidence interval (CI) 39-47days) and did not change over time. Median survival of patients not receiving chemotherapy was significantly worse than of those receiving chemotherapy (36 versus 218days, p<.0001). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of PM of unknown origin is extremely poor and did not improve over time. Given the recent progress that has been achieved in selected patients presenting with PM, maximum efforts should be undertaken in order to diagnose the origin of PM as accurately as possible. Potentially effective treatment strategies should be further explored for patients in whom the organ of origin remains unknown.

Influence of comorbidity and age on 1-, 2-, and 3-month postoperative mortality rates in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the impact of comorbidity and age on postoperative outcome after gastrointestinal tumor resection are scarce. In this study we investigated the impact of comorbidity and age on 30-, 60-, and 90-day mortality after resection of esophageal, gastric, periampullary, colon, and rectal cancer. METHODS: The study included 8,583 patients recorded in the population-based Netherlands Cancer Registry, regions Eindhoven (Eindhoven Cancer Registry) and Mid and South Limburg, who underwent resection for cancer stage I-III. Patients were diagnosed between 2005 and 2010. Age was categorized as <65, 65-74, and ≥75 years. RESULTS: Comorbidity was present in more than two-thirds (n = 5,910) of patients. The 30-day mortality rates ranged from 0.5 % for rectal cancer patients <65 years to 12.8 % for gastric cancer patients ≥75 years. Patients with comorbidity who underwent esophageal tumor resection had the highest mortality rates, ranging from 8.4 % for 30-day to 12.0 % for 90-day mortality, while rectal cancer patients had the lowest rates, that is, 4.3-6.4 %, respectively. In multivariable analyses, cardiac disease (odds ratio [OR] = 1.74, 95 % confidence interval [95 % CI] = 1.32-2.30), vascular disease (OR = 1.41, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.95) and previous malignancies (OR = 1.38, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.86) in colon cancer, and cardiac disease (OR = 1.81, 95 % CI = 1.10-2.98) and vascular disease (OR = 1.95, 95 % CI = 1.11-3.42) in rectal cancer were associated with the highest 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative mortality extends beyond 30 days. Comorbidity and older age are associated with early postoperative mortality after gastrointestinal cancer resection. Underlying comorbidity should be identified preoperatively with attention to patients' specific needs to optimally attenuate risk prior to surgery. A less aggressive treatment approach may well be considered in these groups.

The hospital standardized mortality ratio fallacy: a narrative review.

BACKGROUND: Outcome measures, like hospital standardized mortality ratios (HSMRs), are increasingly used to assess quality of care. The validity of HSMRs and their accuracy to reflect quality of care is heavily contested. OBJECTIVE: We explored apparent and potential shortcomings and adverse effects of the HSMR in the assessment of quality of care. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: For this narrative review, relevant articles were collected from Medline databases using the following search terms: "hospital standardized mortality ratio," "standardized mortality ratio," "HSMR," "quality of care," and "in-hospital mortality." In addition, other important articles were subtracted from the reference lists of the primary articles. RESULTS: The current literature exhibits important shortcomings of the HSMR that in particular affect hospitals providing specialized care of a certain level of complexity. Because of the lack or insufficiency of data concerning case-mix, coding variation between hospitals, disease severity, referral bias, end-of-life care, and place of death, the current HSMR model is not able to adjust adequately for these aspects. This leads to incomparability of HSMRs between hospitals. Instead of separate aspects of continuity of care, all factors contributing to quality of care should be considered. CONCLUSIONS: Given the several shortcomings, use of the HSMR as an indicator of quality of care can be considered as a fallacy. Publication of the HSMR is not likely to lead to improvement of quality of care and might harm both hospitals and patients.

Epidural analgesia is associated with improved health outcomes of surgical patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. Epidural analgesia (EDA) improves postoperative outcome but may worsen postoperative lung function. It is unknown whether patients with COPD benefit from EDA. The objective of this study was to determine whether patients with COPD undergoing major abdominal surgery benefit from EDA in addition to general anesthesia. METHODS: This cohort study included 541 consecutive patients with COPD who underwent major abdominal surgery between 1995 and 2007 at a university medical center. Propensity scores estimating the probability of receiving EDA were used in multivariate correction. The primary outcome was postoperative pneumonia and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: There were 324 patients (60%) who received EDA in addition to general anesthesia. The incidence of postoperative pneumonia (16% vs. 11%; P = 0.08) and 30-day mortality (9% vs. 5%; P = 0.03) was lower in patients who received EDA. After correction EDA was associated with improved outcome for postoperative pneumonia (OR 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3-0.9; P = 0.03). The strongest preventive effect was seen in patients with the most severe type of COPD. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that in patients with COPD who are scheduled for major abdominal surgery, epidural analgesia decreases postoperative pulmonary complications.

Health-related quality of life predicts long-term survival in patients with peripheral artery disease.

We examined whether health-related quality of life (HRQoL) predicts long-term survival in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) independent of established prognostic risk factors. In 2004, data on 711 consecutive patients with PAD undergoing vascular surgery were collected from 11 hospitals in The Netherlands. After 1 year, patients were contacted to complete the EuroQol Questionnaire (EQ-5D), of which 503 complied. HRQoL assessed by the EQ-5D was divided into tertiles (i.e. poor, intermediate and good HRQoL). Mortality was subsequently assessed 3 years after surgery. Of the 503 patients, 55 (11%) patients died during follow-up. Mortality was 21% in patients with poor HRQoL, 8% in patients with intermediate HRQoL, and 5% in patients with good HRQoL. Patients with poor HRQoL (HR = 5.4; 95% CI 2.3-12.5) had a worse survival compared to patients with a good HRQoL, after adjusting for established prognostic factors. In conclusion, the study indicates that poor HRQoL predicts long-term survival in patients with PAD, and provides prognostic value above established risk factors.

Predictive value of NT-proBNP in vascular surgery patients with COPD and normal left ventricular systolic function.

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is commonly used to identify a cardiac cause of dyspnoea. However, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may also have increased plasma NT-proBNP levels because of right-sided myocardial stress caused by pulmonary hypertension. We investigated the relationship between COPD and elevated NT-proBNP levels as well as the impact of elevated NT-proBNP levels on mortality in vascular surgery patients with normal left ventricular systolic function. Prior to vascular surgery, NT-proBNP levels, pulmonary function and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were assessed in 376 patients. Only patients with a LVEF > 40% were included; n = 261. Elevated NT-proBNP levels were defined as > or =500 pg/ml. Firstly, we assessed the relationship between COPD and NT-proBNP levels. Secondly, we investigated the association between elevated NT-proBNP levels and one-year mortality. COPD was independently associated with elevated NT-proBNP levels (OR 3.36, 95%CI 1.30-8.65) with significant associations found for mild and severe COPD. Elevated NT-proBNP levels were associated with increased one-year mortality in patients with (HR 7.73, 95%CI 1.60-37.43) and without COPD (HR 3.44, 95%CI 1.10-10.73). COPD was associated with elevated NT-proBNP levels in patients with a normal LVEF undergoing vascular surgery. Elevated NT-proBNP levels independent of other well-established risk factors were associated with increased one-year mortality. NT-proBNP may be useful biomarker to risk stratify patients with COPD.

Relation between preoperative and intraoperative new wall motion abnormalities in vascular surgery patients: a transesophageal echocardiographic study.

BACKGROUND: Coronary revascularization of the suspected culprit coronary lesion assessed by preoperative stress testing is not associated with improved outcome in vascular surgery patients. METHODS: Fifty-four major vascular surgery patients underwent preoperative dobutamine echocardiography and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography. The locations of left ventricular rest wall motion abnormalities and new wall motion abnormalities (NWMAs) were scored using a seven-wall model. During 30-day follow-up, postoperative cardiac troponin release, myocardial infarction, and cardiac death were noted. RESULTS: Rest wall motion abnormalities were noted by dobutamine echocardiography in 17 patients (31%), and transesophageal echocardiography was noted in 16 (30%). NWMAs were induced during dobutamine echocardiography in 17 patients (31%), whereas NWMAs were observed by transesophageal echocardiography in 23 (43%), kappa value = 0.65. Although preoperative and intraoperative rest wall motion abnormalities showed an excellent agreement for the location (kappa value = 0.92), the agreement for preoperative and intraoperative NWMAs in different locations was poor (kappa value = 0.26-0.44). The composite cardiac endpoint occurred in 14 patients (26%). CONCLUSIONS: There was a poor correlation between the locations of preoperatively assessed stress-induced NWMAs by dobutamine echocardiography and those observed intraoperatively using transesophageal echocardiography. However, the composite endpoint of outcome was met more frequently in relation with intraoperative NWMAs.

Co-existence of COPD and left ventricular dysfunction in vascular surgery patients.

BACKGROUND: The co-existence between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure has been previously described. However, the co-existence between COPD and subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, without the presence of heart failure symptoms, is less well understood. This study determined the relationship and clinical relevance of COPD and subclinical LV dysfunction in vascular surgery patients. METHODS: 1005 consecutive vascular surgery patients were included in which COPD was determined using spirometry and LV function using echocardiography. Mild COPD was defined as FEV(1)>or=80% of predicted+FEV(1)/FVC-ratio<0.70. Moderate/severe COPD was defined as FEV(1)<80% of predicted+FEV(1)/FVC-ratio<0.70. Systolic LV dysfunction was defined as LV ejection fraction <50% and diastolic LV dysfunction was diagnosed based on E/A-ratio, pulmonary vein flow and deceleration time. Multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate the impact of COPD and LV dysfunction on all-cause mortality. The mean follow-up time was 2.2+/-1.8 years. RESULTS: Both, mild and moderate/severe COPD were associated with increased risk for subclinical LV dysfunction with odds ratio of 1.6 (95%-CI=1.1-2.3) and 1.7 (95%-CI=1.2-2.4), respectively. Mild- or moderate/severe COPD in combination with LV dysfunction was associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality (mild: hazard ratio 1.7; 95%-CI=1.1-3.6, moderate/severe: hazard ratio 2.5; 95%-CI=1.5-4.7). CONCLUSIONS: COPD was associated with increased risk for subclinical LV dysfunction. COPD+subclinical LV dysfunction was associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality compared to patients with COPD+normal LV function. Echocardiography may be useful to detect subclinical cardiovascular disease and risk-stratify COPD patients undergoing vascular surgery.

Association of COPD with carotid wall intima-media thickness in vascular surgery patients.

INTRODUCTION: There is increasing evidence that non-invasive imaging modalities such as ultrasonography may be able to detect subclinical atherosclerotic lesions, and as such may be useful tools for risk-stratification. However, the clinical relevance of these observations remains unknown in patients with COPD. Therefore we investigated the association between COPD and carotid wall intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients undergoing vascular surgery and its relationship with mortality in these patients. METHODS: Carotid wall IMT was measured in 585 patients who underwent lower extremity, aortic aneurysm or stenosis repair. Primary study endpoint was increased carotid wall IMT which was defined as IMT>or=1.25mm. Secondary study endpoints included total and cardiovascular mortality over a mean follow-up of 1.5 years. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent of patients with mild COPD and 36% of the patients with moderate/severe COPD had increased carotid wall IMT, while only 23% had an increased carotid wall IMT in patients without COPD (p<0.01). COPD was independently associated with an increased carotid wall IMT (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.08-2.36). Among patients with COPD, increased carotid wall IMT was associated with an increased risk of total (HR, 3.18 95% CI 1.93-5.24) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 7.28, 95% CI 3.76-14.07). CONCLUSIONS: COPD is associated with increased carotid wall IMT independent of age and smoking status. Increased carotid wall IMT is associated with increased total and cardiovascular mortality in patients with COPD suggesting that carotid wall measurements may be a good biomarker for morbidity and mortality in these patients.

Medication underuse during long-term follow-up in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with peripheral arterial disease constitute a high-risk population. Guideline-recommended medical therapy use is therefore of utmost importance. The aims of our study were to establish the patterns of guideline-recommended medication use in patients with PAD at the time of vascular surgery and after 3 years of follow up, and to evaluate the effect of these therapies on long-term mortality in this patient group. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on 711 consecutive patients with peripheral arterial disease undergoing vascular surgery were collected from 11 hospitals in the Netherlands (enrollment between May and December 2004). After 3.1+/-0.1 years of follow-up, information on medication use was obtained by a questionnaire (n=465; 84% response rate among survivors). Guideline-recommended medical therapy use for the combination of aspirin and statins in all patients and beta-blockers in patients with ischemic heart disease was 41% in the perioperative period. The use of perioperative evidence-based medication was associated with a reduction of 3-year mortality after adjustment for clinical characteristics (hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.94). After 3 years of follow-up, aspirin was used in 74%, statins in 69%, and beta-blockers in 54% of the patients respectively. Guideline-recommended medical therapy use for the combination of aspirin, statins, and beta-blockers was 50%. CONCLUSIONS: The use of guideline recommended therapies in the perioperative period was associated with reduction in long-term mortality in patients with peripheral arterial disease. However, the proportion of patients receiving these evidence-based treatments-both at baseline and 3 years after vascular surgery-was lower than expected based on the current guidelines. These data highlight a clear opportunity to improve the quality of care in this high-risk group of patients.

Intima media thickness of the common carotid artery in vascular surgery patients: a predictor of postoperative cardiovascular events.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in vascular surgery patients. The Revised Cardiac Risk (RCR) index, identifying cardiac risk factors, is commonly used for preoperative risk stratification. However, a more direct marker of the underlying atherosclerotic disease, such as the common carotid artery intimamedia thickness (CCA-IMT) may be of predictive value as well. The current study evaluated the prognostic value of the CCA-IMT for postoperative CV outcome. METHODS: In 508 vascular surgery patients, the CCA-IMT was measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. We recorded the RCR factors: ischemic heart disease, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and renal dysfunction. Repeated Troponin T measurements and electrocardiograms were performed postoperatively. The study end point was the composite of 30-day CV events and long-term CV mortality. Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess the additional value of CCA-IMT for the prediction of cardiac events. RESULTS: In total, 30-day events and long-term cardiovascular mortality were noted in 122 (24%) and 81 (16%) patients, respectively. The optimal predictive value of CCA-IMT, using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, for the prediction of CV events was calculated to be 1.25 mm (sensitivity 70%, specificity 80%). An increased CCA-IMT was independently associated with 30-day CV events (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.38-3.52) and long-term CV mortality (HR 6.88, 95% CI 4.11-11.50), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that an increased CCA-IMT has prognostic value in vascular surgery patients to predict 30-day CV events and long-term CV mortality, incremental to the RCR index.

Beta-blockers and health-related quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial disease and COPD.

BACKGROUND: Beta-blockers are frequently withheld in patients with cardiovascular disease who also have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of concerns that they might provoke bronchospasm and cause deterioration in health status. Although beta1-selective beta-blockers are associated with reduced mortality in COPD patients, their effects on health status are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between beta-blockers and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with peripheral arterial disease and COPD. METHODS: Of the original cohort of 3371 vascular surgery patients, 1310 had COPD of whom 469 survived during long-term follow-up. These COPD patients were sent the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health-related quality of life questionnaire, which was completed and returned by 326 (70%) patients. RESULTS: No significant differences in any of the SF-36 domains were observed between COPD patients who did and did not use beta-blockers (p > 0.05 for all). Furthermore, beta-blockers were not associated with any impairment in HRQOL among patients with COPD. CONCLUSION: Beta-blockers had no material impact on the HRQOL of patients with peripheral arterial disease who also had COPD. This suggests that beta-blockers can, in most circumstances, be administered to patients with COPD without impairment in HRQOL.

Feelings of being disabled as a prognostic factor for mortality in the drug-eluting stent era.

OBJECTIVE: It remains unclear whether feelings of being disabled are a relevant psychological factor that determines outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, we evaluated "feelings of being disabled" as an independent risk factor for mortality 4 years post-PCI. METHODS: As part of the Taxus-Stent Evaluated At Rotterdam Cardiology Hospital (T-SEARCH) Registry, 658 consecutive patients (age 63 years, 75% male) completed the subscale "feelings of being disabled" of the Heart Patients Psychological Questionnaire (HPPQ), within the first month after PCI. RESULTS: At 4-year follow-up, 8% of the patients (n=55) had died, 2% (n=16) underwent a myocardial infarction (MI), 13% (n=90) had a target-vessel revascularization (TVR), and 21% (n=137) had one or more major adverse cardiac events (MACE). One-third of the patients (32%) had high scores on "feelings of being disabled" at baseline. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, including symptoms of anxiety and depression, patients with a high score on "feelings of being disabled" had an increased risk for all cause mortality (HR=2.9, 95% CI=1.5-5.6), the composite end point mortality/MI (HR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3-4.4), and the occurrence of MACE (HR=1.7, 95% CI=1.1-2.7). CONCLUSION: Feelings of being disabled were an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, mortality/MI, and MACE 4 years post-PCI. These patients should be identified in clinical practice, as they warrant additional treatment, e.g., of a psychosocial nature, in addition to the standard medical treatment.

Association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic kidney disease in vascular surgery patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is recognized as a source of systemic inflammation and is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the association between COPD and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, we investigated the relationship between COPD and CKD and the association between COPD and mortality in patients with CKD. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study of 3358 vascular surgery patients between 1990 and 2006. CKD was defined according to the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2). In addition, the patients were divided into three categories based on the baseline estimated GFR: > or =90 mL/min/1.73 m(2); 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent association between prevalent COPD and CKD. RESULTS: The prevalence of COPD was inversely related to kidney function. COPD was present in 47, 38 and 32% of patients with an estimated GFR <60, 60-89 and > or =90 mL/min/1.73 m(2), respectively. COPD was independently associated with CKD (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.03-1.44; P = 0.03). This association was strongest in patients with moderate COPD (OR 1.33; 95% CI 1.07-1.65; P = 0.01). Both moderate and severe COPD were associated with increased long-term mortality in patients with CKD (HR 1.27; 95% CI 1.03-1.56; P = 0.03 and HR 1.61; 95% CI 1.10-2.35; P = 0.01, respectively), compared to patients without COPD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that COPD is moderately associated with CKD in a large cohort of vascular surgery patients. In addition, moderate and severe COPD are related to increased long-term mortality in patients with CKD.

Preoperative oral glucose tolerance testing in vascular surgery patients: long-term cardiovascular outcome.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an important risk factor in vascular surgery patients, influencing late outcome. Screening for diabetes is recommended by fasting glucose measurement. Oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) could enhance the detection of patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and DM. AIM: To assess the additional value of OGTT on top of fasting glucose levels in vascular surgery patients to predict long-term cardiovascular outcome. METHODS: A total of 404 patients without signs or histories of IGT (plasma glucose 7.8-11.1 mmol/L) or DM (glucose >/=11.1 mmol/L) were prospectively included and subjected to OGTT. Cardiac risk factors were noted. Primary outcome was the occurrence of late cardiovascular events (composite of cardiovascular death, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention/coronary artery bypass grafting, or cerebral vascular accident/transient ischemic attack), and secondary outcome included all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates, in survivors of vascular surgery. Median follow-up was 3.0 (interquartile range 2.4-3.8) years. RESULTS: Impaired glucose tolerance (n = 104) and DM (n = 43) were detected by fasting glucose levels in 26 (25%) and 12 (28%) patients, and by OGTT in 78 (75%) and 31 (72%) patients, respectively. During follow-up, 131 patients experienced a cardiovascular event. With multivariable analysis, patients with IGT showed a significant increased risk for cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 2.77, 95% CI 1.83-4.20) and mortality (hazard ratio 2.06, 95% CI 1.03-4.12). Patients with DM showed a nonsignificant increased risk for cardiovascular events. CONCLUSION: Vascular surgery patients with IGT or DM detected by preoperative OGTT have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular events and mortality during long-term follow-up. It is recommended that nondiabetic vascular surgery patients should be tested for glucose regulation disorders before surgery.