Toll-like receptor signaling pathway involved in pathogenesis of thromboangiitis obliterans through activating of NF-κB.

OBJECTIVES: The pathogenic mechanisms of Thromboangiitis Obliterans (TAO) are not entirely known and autoimmune inflammation plays a vital role in the initiation and continuance of TAO activity. The authors investigated in this study the role of the TLR signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of TAO. METHODS: First, the authors detected the expressions of MyD88, TRIF and NF-κB in vascular walls of 46 patients with TAO and 32 patients with trauma and osteosarcoma by western blot assay. Second, the authors detected the cellular localization of MyD88, TRIF and NF-κB in vascular walls of patients with TAO by immunofluorescent assay. RESULTS: The protein expressions of MyD88, TRIF and NF-κB were much higher in vascular walls of TAO patients (p < 0.05). Higher expressions of MyD88 and NF-κB were detected both on vascular endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells of TAO patients. However, higher expression of TRIF was just detected on vascular smooth muscle cells of TAO patients. CONCLUSIONS: These dates suggest that the TLR signaling pathway might play an important role in the pathogenesis of TAO, it might induce vasospasm, vasculitis and thrombogenesis to lead to the pathogenesis and progression of TAO.

Toll-like receptor signaling pathway involved in pathogenesis of thromboangiitis obliterans through activating of NF-κB

Abstract Objectives The pathogenic mechanisms of Thromboangiitis Obliterans (TAO) are not entirely known and autoimmune inflammation plays a vital role in the initiation and continuance of TAO activity. The authors investigated in this study the role of the TLR signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of TAO. Methods First, the authors detected the expressions of MyD88, TRIF and NF-κB in vascular walls of 46 patients with TAO and 32 patients with trauma and osteosarcoma by western blot assay. Second, the authors detected the cellular localization of MyD88, TRIF and NF-κB in vascular walls of patients with TAO by immunofluorescent assay. Results The protein expressions of MyD88, TRIF and NF-κB were much higher in vascular walls of TAO patients (p < 0.05). Higher expressions of MyD88 and NF-κB were detected both on vascular endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells of TAO patients. However, higher expression of TRIF was just detected on vascular smooth muscle cells of TAO patients. Conclusions These dates suggest that the TLR signaling pathway might play an important role in the pathogenesis of TAO, it might induce vasospasm, vasculitis and thrombogenesis to lead to the pathogenesis and progression of TAO.

Buerger's disease with cerebral involvement in a middle-aged woman with diabetes mellitus. a case report

Introduction: Buerger's disease (BD) generally affects men, young people, and smokers, but it can also affect women. Its incidence is rare in Latin America. Case report: A 40-year-old Colombian woman, active smoker and user of psychoactive substances, attended the emergency department of a tertiary care center due to symptoms of 3 days consisting of retraction of the corner of the mouth, drooling, and involuntary tongue movements. The patient, who had a history of uncontrolled diabetes and recent acute ischemia of the right upper limb due to acute thrombosis, required surgical management and subsequent use of oral anticoagulation. She later developed necrotic changes in the distal phalanges of the right hand that required ablative therapy. Since age, sex and limb involvement were not typical for BD, collagenosis, vasculitis or thrombophilia were ruled out, but after excluding these disorders, BD with atypical features was considered. The patient was discharged with oral anticoagulation, aspirin, combined analgesia, physiotherapy, and recommendation for smoking cessation. Conclusions: Age, sex, smoking and comorbidities such as diabetes are risk factors for BD. Imaging and histopathology are the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis of this entity. Multidisciplinary management, lifestyle changes, smoking cessation, pain control, good wound healing and social support are key aspects for better clinical outcomes in patients with BD.

Introducción. La enfermedad de Buerger (EB) afecta generalmente a hombres, jóvenes y fumadores, y aunque también puede afectar a mujeres, su incidencia es rara en Latinoamérica. Presentación del caso. Mujer colombiana de 40 años, fumadora activa y consumidora de sustancias psicoactivas, quien acudió al servicio de urgencias de una institución de tercer nivel por síntomas de 3 días de evolución consistentes en retracción de la comisura bucal, babeo y movimientos involuntarios de la lengua. La paciente, que tenía antecedente de diabetes no controlada y reciente isquemia aguda de miembro superior derecho por trombosis aguda, requirió manejo intervencionista y subsecuente uso de anticoagulación oral. Posteriormente, desarrolló cambios necróticos en falanges distales de mano derecha y requirió terapia ablativa. Dado que la edad, el género y la afectación de las extremidades no eran típicos para EB, se procedió a descartar colagenosis, vasculitis o trombofilia, pero tras excluir estas patologías se consideró EB con características atípicas. La paciente fue dada de alta con anticoagulación oral, aspirina, analgesia combinada, fisioterapia y recomendación de suspender el consumo de tabaco. Conclusiones. La edad, el género, el tabaquismo y las comorbilidades como diabetes son factores de riesgo para EB. La imagenología e histopatología son estándar de oro en el diagnóstico definitivo de esta entidad. El manejo multidisciplinario, los cambios en el estilo de vida, la cesación del tabaquismo, el control del dolor, la buena cicatrización de heridas y el apoyo social son aspectos importantes para obtener mejores resultados clínicos en pacientes con EB.

Coronary artery dissection in a patient with Buerger's Disease

Abstract Buerger's disease, vasculitis of small and medium-sized blood vessels, is a non-atherosclerotic and progressive occlusive condition which frequently involves the distal part of the limbs. The occlusion of coronary arteries in Buerger's disease is a rare condition; however, coronary artery dissection has not been reported previously. Therefore, this paper presents a 45-year-old man who developed coronary artery dissection associated with Buerger's disease. The patient was treated successfully with coronary artery bypass grafting with the left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery, and saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery.

Surgical sympathectomy for Buerger's disease.

Buerger's disease is characterized by recurring progressive inflammation and occlusions in small and medium arteries and veins of the limbs. Its cause is unknown, but it is most common in young men with a history of tobacco use. It is responsible for ischemic ulcers and extreme pain in the hands and feet. In many cases, notably in patients with the most severe presentations, there is no possibility of improving the condition with surgery (limb revascularisation), and therefore, alternative therapies (e.g. sympathectomy) is used. This review assessed the effectiveness of surgical sympathectomy compared with any other therapy in patients with Buerger's disease. As a result, only one randomised controlled study (162 participants) compared sympathectomy with prostacyclin analogue (iloprost) was incorporated to the review. Such comparison shown that iloprost is more effective than sympathectomy to complete healing ulcers at four weeks (risk ratio 0.65; 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.95; P = 0.02; very low quality evidence) and at twenty four weeks (risk ratio 0.62; 95% confidence interval 0.48 to 0.82; P < 0.01; very low quality evidence) after the start of treatment and to relief rest pain at four weeks (risk ratio 1.90; 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 3.10; P = 0.01; very low quality evidence) but not more effective at twenty four weeks (risk ratio 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.00 to 2.84; P = .10; very low quality evidence) after the start of treatment. We concluded, with very low quality of evidence, that intravenous iloprost is more effective than lumbar sympathectomyin the healing of ischemic ulcers and pain at rest in patients with Buerger's disease. Therefore, until now, the preference of the usage of intravenous iloprost over the lumbar sympathectomy (and vice versa) does not find robust evidence for its routine use.

The Incidence and Prevalence of Thromboangiitis Obliterans in Taiwan: A Nationwide, Population-based Analysis of Data Collected from 2002 to 2011

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and prevalence of thromboangiitis obliterans in Taiwan in the period spanning from 2002 to 2011. METHODS: We identified all incident and prevalent cases with a diagnosis of thromboangiitis obliterans (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 443.1) in the period spanning from 2002 to 2011 using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. We calculated the age- and sex-specific incidence and prevalence rates of thromboangiitis obliterans during the study period. RESULTS: From 2002 to 2011, 158 patients were diagnosed with thromboangiitis obliterans; of these, 76% were men. Most (63%) of the patients were <50 years old when they were first diagnosed. After reaching 20 years of age, the incidence rate increased with age and peaked among those aged ≥60 years. The average incidence rate of thromboangiitis obliterans during the 2002–2011 period was 0.068 per 105 years. The incidence of thromboangiitis obliterans decreased with time, from 0.10 per 105 years in 2002 to 0.04 per 105 years in 2011. The prevalence increased from 0.26 × 10−5 in 2002 to 0.65 × 10−5 in 2011. CONCLUSION: This is the first epidemiologic study of thromboangiitis obliterans using claims data from a general population in Taiwan. This nationwide, population-based study found that the incidence and prevalence of thromboangiitis obliterans in Taiwan in the 2002–2011 period were lower than those in other countries before 2000. This study also revealed a trend of decreasing incidence with simultaneous increasing prevalence of thromboangiitis obliterans in Taiwan from 2002 to 2011.

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease).

Thromboangiitis Obliterans is a non-atherosclerotic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, which has a strong association with tobacco. We present current concepts on the pathophysiology and diagnosis, as well as a review in treatments.

Acrosíndromes / Acrosyndromes

En la medicina convencional se denominan acrosíndromes a todas las enfermedades que afectan la microcirculación cutánea; sin embargo es de suma importancia diferenciarlos entre ellos, puesto que aunque comparten características clínicas similares, su causa, pronóstico y tratamiento es diferente. En este artículo se describen las enfermedades más representativas de este grupo de entidades, tales como fenómeno de Raynaud, acrocianosis, livedo reticularis, eritromelalgia, eritema pernio y enfermedad de Buerger; haciendo una descripción detallada de cada una, para que el lector consiga hacer un adecuado diagnóstico diferencial y logre enfocar correctamente los pacientes en la práctica médica.

In conventional medicine, are called acrosyndromes all diseases that affect the skin microcirculation, however it is important to differentiate between them, because although they share similar clinical characteristics; cause, prognosis and treatment is different, and the distinction between them, will achieve impact in the quality of life of patients. Throughout this article, the most representative diseases in this group are described as: Raynaud's phenomenon, acrocyanosis, livedo reticularis, erythromelalgia, erythema pernio and Buerger disease; doing a detailed description of each, emphasizing what makes them unique, thus the reader gets to make an appropriate differential diagnosis and will approach properly the patients with these conditions.

Utilização da safena magna in situ para arterialização do arco venoso do pé / The great saphenous vein in situ for the arterialization of the venous arch of the foot

CONTEXTO: O tratamento da isquemia crítica de membros inferiores sem leito arterial distal pode ser realizado por meio da inversão do fluxo no arco venoso do pé. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar a técnica e os resultados obtidos com a arterialização do arco venoso do pé, mantendo a safena magna in situ. MÉTODOS: Dezoito pacientes, dos quais 11 com aterosclerose (AO), 6 com tromboangeíte obliterante (TO) e 1 com trombose de aneurisma de artéria poplítea (TA) foram submetidos ao método. A safena magna in situ foi anastomosada à melhor artéria doadora. O fluxo arterial derivado para o sistema venoso progride por meio da veia cujas válvulas são destruídas. As colaterais da veia safena magna são ligadas desde a anastomose até o maléolo medial, a partir do qual são preservadas. RESULTADOS: Dos pacientes, 10 (55,6 por cento) mantiveram suas extremidades, 5 com AO e 5 com TO; 7 (38,9 por cento) foram amputados, 5 com AO, 1 com TO e 1 com Ta; houve 1 óbito (5,5 por cento). CONCLUSÃO: A inversão do fluxo arterial no sistema venoso do pé deve ser considerada para salvamento de extremidade com isquemia crítica sem leito arterial distal.

BACKGROUND: Critical lower limb ischemia in the absence of a distal arterial bed can be treated by arterialization of the venous arch of the foot. OBJETIVE: The objective of this paper was to present the technique and the results of the arterialization of the venous arch of the foot with the in situ great saphenous vein. METHODS: Eighteen patients, 11 with atherosclerosis (AO), 6 with thromboangiitis obliterans (TO) and 1 with popliteal artery aneurysm thrombosis were submitted to venous arch arterialization. The in situ great saphenous vein was anastomosed to the best donor artery. Arterial flow derived from the venous system progresses through the vein whose valves were destroyed. The collateral vessels of the great saphenous vein are linked from the anastomosis to the medial malleolus and preserved from this point onward. RESULTS: Limb salvage was achieved in 10 (55.6 percent) patients, 5 with AO and 5 with TO. Seven (38.9 percent) patients were amputated, 5 with AO, 1 with TO and 1 with Ta. One (5.5 percent) patient died. CONCLUSION: Arterialization of the venous system of the foot should be considered for the salvage of limbs with critical ischemia in the absence of a distal arterial bed.

Arterialização do arco venoso do pé para tratamento da tromboangeíte obliterante / Arterialization of the venous arch of the foot for the treatment of thromboangiitis obliterans

Em isquemia crítica sem leito arterial distal, um dos modos de irrigar o membro isquêmico é derivar o fluxo de maneira retrógrada através do sistema venoso. As primeiras tentativas de fístulas arteriovenosas terapêuticas datam do início do século passado. Realizadas na parte proximal dos membros inferiores, não obtiveram resultados favoráveis. A partir da década de 70, com os trabalhos pioneiros de Lengua, as fístulas passaram a ser estendidas até o pé, e os bons resultados apareceram em várias publicações. Os autores relatam a evolução de um caso de tromboangeíte obliterante submetida ao procedimento. Essa é uma cirurgia de indicação precisa, que requer estudo pré-operatório arterial e venoso e observância a detalhes de técnica operatória.

In critical ischemia without arterial run-off, it is possible to irrigate the ischemic limb by turning the course of the flow reversely through the venous system. The first experiments with therapeutic arteriovenous fistulas date from the beginning of the last century. They were performed in the proximal area of the lower limbs, but showed unfavorable results. Since the 1970's, with the pioneer studies of Lengua, fistulas started being extended to the foot and several publications have reported good outcomes. The authors report the evolution of a case of thromboangiitis obliterans which was submitted to the procedure. This is an accurate surgical procedure which requires arterial and venous preoperative study and the observance of technical operative details.

Infarto del miocardio coincidente con la enfermedad de Buerger (Tromboangeítis obliterante): Informe de un caso / Concurrence of myocardial infarction with Buerger's disease (Thromboangiitis obliterans): Report of a case

Antecedentes: Se han publicado pocos casos en que coincide la enfermedad de Buerger con la afección visceral, entre ellas la cardíaca, caracterizada por obstrucción arterial coronaria. Relatamos el caso de un paciente de 56 años, con enfermedad de Buerger coincidente con cardiopatía isquémica: infarto extenso anterior del miocardio, trombosis y obstrucción de la arteria coronaria descendente anterior mostrada en la coronariografía. Presentación del caso: Varón de 56 años, fumador compulsivo desde los 15 años de edad, obeso, normotenso arterial, portador de enfermedad de Buerger desde hace 15 años, sin síntomas ni signos de enfermedades reumatológicas y exámenes inmunológicos negativos, con antecedentes de infarto antiguo del miocardio anterior extenso, secundario a enfermedad difusa de la arteria coronaria descendente. Actualmente presenta síntomas y signos de cardiopatía isquémica e imágenes angiográficas sugestivas de trombos en el interior de la arteria coronaria descendente anterior, de aspecto grácil (imagen en tirabuzón), severa y difusamente obstruida (80%) y mal lecho vascular distal. Discusión: La asociación causal entre la enfermedad de Buerger y la enfermedad coronaria es rara y difícil de probar en ausencia de exámenes inmunológicos e histopatológicos y los datos aportados por la arteriografía coronaria no prueban que ambas entidades tengan origen común. Sin embargo, la imagen angiográfica de la arteria coronaria grácil, en tirabuzón y con trombos intraluminales sugiere extensión de la tromboangeítis hacia el lecho arterial coronario. Conclusión: Es rara la coincidencia de la enfermedad de Buerger con arteriopatía coronaria. La extensión coronaria es difícil de demostrar solamente con los datos coronariográficos; sin embargo, hay datos en la literatura médica que sugieren que la obstrucción arterial coronaria, en estos casos, es el resultado de la extensión de la vasculopatía.

Background: Few cases of Buerger's disease concurring with visceral disorders, i.e., cardiac disease characterized by coronary obstruction have been published. We report the case of a 56 years old patient, with Buerger's disease concurring with ischemic heart disease: extensive anterior myocardial infarction, thrombosis, and obstruction of the left anterior descending coronary artery, evidenced through coronariography. Description of the case: Male patient, 56 years old, severe smoker since the age of 15, obese, normal blood pressure, carrier of Buerger's disease for 15 years, without symptoms or signs of rheumatic disorders, and negative immunological tests, with antecedents of an old extensive myocardial infarction secondary to diffuse disease of the left anterior descending artery. At present, with symptoms and signs of ischemic cardiopathy and angiographic images suggesting the presence of thrombi inside the anterior descending coronary artery, of gracile aspect (corkscrew image), severe and diffusely obstructed (80%), and poor distal vascular bed. Discussion: Causal association between Buerger's disease and coronary disease is rare and difficult to demonstrate in the absence of immunological and histopathological tests. Data provided by coronariography do not evidence a common origin for both diseases. However, the angiographic image of the gracile coronary artery, corkscrew-shaped, and with intraluminal thrombi suggests dissemination of the thromboangiitis to the coronary arterial bed. Conclusion: The concurrence of Buerger's disease with coronary pathology is rare. Coronary dissemination is difficult to demonstrate with only coronariography data; however, there are data in the medical literature suggesting that coronary obstruction, in these cases, results from the dissemination of the vasculopathy.