A Pilot Clinical Study of Hyperacute Serum Treatment in Osteoarthritic Knee Joint: Cytokine Changes and Clinical Effects.

The serum fraction of platelet-rich fibrin (hyperacute serum) has been shown to improve cartilage cell proliferation in in vitro osteoarthritic knee joint models. We hypothesize that hyperacute serum may be a potential regenerative therapeutic for osteoarthritic knees. In this study, the cytokine milieu at the synovial fluid of osteoarthritic knee joints exposed to hyperacute serum intraarticular injections was investigated. Patients with knee osteoarthritis received three injections of autologous hyperacute serum; synovial fluid was harvested before each injection and clinical monitoring was followed-up for 6 months. Forty osteoarthritic-related cytokines, growth factors and structural proteins from synovial fluid were quantified and analysed by Multivariate Factor Analysis. Hyperacute serum provided symptomatic relief regarding pain and joint stability for OA patients. Both patients "with" and "without effusion knees" had improved VAS, KOOS and Lysholm-Tegner scores 6 months after of hyperacute serum treatment. Synovial fluid analysis revealed two main clusters of proteins reacting together as a group, showing strong and significant correlations with their fluctuation patterns after hyperacute serum treatment. In conclusion, hyperacute serum has a positive effect in alleviating symptoms of osteoarthritic knees. Moreover, identified protein clusters may allow the prediction of protein expression, reducing the number of investigated proteins in future studies.

Investigation of Cytokine Changes in Osteoarthritic Knee Joint Tissues in Response to Hyperacute Serum Treatment.

One option to fight joint degradation and inflammation in osteoarthritis is the injection of activated blood products into the synovial space. It has been demonstrated that hyperacute serum is the most proliferative among plasma products, so we investigated how the cytokine milieu of osteoarthritic knee joint reacts to hyperacute serum treatment in vitro. Cartilage, subchondral bone, and synovial membrane explanted from osteoarthritic knees were stimulated by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and the concentration of 39 biomarkers was measured in the co-culture supernatant after hyperacute serum treatment. The IL-1ß stimulation triggered a strong inflammatory response and enhanced the concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase 3 and 13 (MMP-3 and MMP-13), while hyperacute serum treatment reduced inflammation by decreasing the concentrations of IL-1ß, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 receptor alpha (IL-6Rα), and by increasing the level of interleukin-1 antagonist (IL-1RA) Cell viability increased by day 5 in the presence of hyperacute serum. The level of MMPs-1, 2, and 9 were higher on day 3, but did not increase further until day 5. The concentrations of collagen 1 alpha 1 (COL1A1) and osteonectin were increased and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) was reduced in response to hyperacute serum. We concluded that hyperacute serum treatment induces cell proliferation of osteoarthritic joint tissues and affects the cytokine milieu towards a less inflamed state.

High frequency of brachiocephalic trunk stent fractures does not impair clinical outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Stenting is the preferred, minimally invasive treatment for innominate artery (IA) stenosis or occlusion. Stent fractures in the IA have not been assessed in larger cohorts. In this retrospective study, we examined the frequency and risk factors of IA stent fractures. METHODS: The final analysis included 32 patients (15 women; mean age, 59.4 ± 12.0 years) with 32 balloon-expandable stents (2000 to 2009). In 2010, the patients were asked to come back for a fluoroscopic examination of the implanted stents. Stent fractures and their relationship to atherosclerotic risk factors, lesion characteristics, postprocedural symptoms, and in-stent restenosis were analyzed. Fisher exact test and univariate Cox regression analysis were used in the statistical evaluation. RESULTS: Lesions were >20 mm in 14 patients (44%) or heavily calcified in 13 (41%). The mean follow-up time was 33.4 ± 21.0 months. Postprocedural symptoms were noted in nine patients (28%). Significant restenosis was detected in 22% of the implanted stents, and 11 stent fractures (34%) were found. The prevalence of heavily calcified lesions, postprocedural symptoms, and in-stent restenosis did not differ significantly between groups with and without fracture. Long lesions were associated with an increased incidence of stent fracture (hazard ratio, 5.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-19.48; P = .017). No correlation was observed between stent fractures and old age (≥70 years), female gender, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS: IA stent fractures are common but seem to have no effect on symptoms and in-stent restenosis rates.

[Percutaneous, endovascular treatment of innominate artery lesions is a safe and effective procedure]. / Az arteria anonyma szukületeinek minimálisan invazív, endovascularis terápiája sikeres és biztonságos.

Percutaneous endovascular treatment (transluminar balloon angioplasty with or without stent implantation) of innominate artery lesions has become the treatment of choice prior to surgery in the past decades. Authors present the diagnostics, treatment and follow-up of two patients as examples from their largest series in the literature. A 74-year-old male patient with a history of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, nicotine abuse and lower limb claudication was admitted because of acute upper limb claudication and dizziness. Physical examination revealed blood pressure difference of 30 mmHg between his arms, and poststenotic flow pattern in the common carotid artery with retrograde flow in the vertebral artery on carotid duplex scan. Diagnostic angiography showed 80% stenosis of the innominate artery, which was treated with percutaneous transluminar balloon angioplasty with stent implantation. Follow-up examination at 5 months showed no significant restenosis or neurological complication. The second patient was a 59-year-old smoker female patient with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus, who was evaluated for her upper limb claudication. Initial finding was the absence of radial pulse in the right side. Color duplex scan revealed proximal subocclusion, which was confirmed by angiography. In one stage, balloon angioplasty was made, with immediate pain relief. After 15 months the patient was symptom-free. These two cases demonstrate an excellent outcome of endovascular treatment of innominate artery lesions, as authors already reported in two retrospective studies. Balloon angioplasty with, or without stent deployment appears to be a safe procedure with excellent primary success rate. Review of international studies also indicates that endovascular therapy of the innominate artery is safe and effective.

Transfemoral endovascular treatment of proximal common carotid artery lesions: a single-center experience on 153 lesions.

PURPOSE: To assess primary success and safety of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and/or stenting of ostial/proximal common carotid artery lesions (pCCA) and to compare its 30-day stroke/mortality level with the literature data for surgical options. METHODS: A total of 147 patients (153 stenoses, 6 recurrent) (71 female; 121 left) with significant diameter stenosis (>70% in symptomatic, n = 46; >85% in asymptomatic, n = 101 patients) of pCCA treated between 1994 and 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. With the exception of one, all procedures were performed using a transfemoral approach. A stent was implanted in 108 (70.5%) of cases. Stents were not available in the early years of our experience, but gradually became a routine practice. Embolic protection devices were used in 16 cases. Follow-up included neurological examination, carotid duplex scan, and office/telephone interview. RESULTS: Primary technical success was 98.7% (151/153 stenoses). There were no deaths. Periprocedural (<48 hours) neurological complications included 3/153 (2.0%) ipsilateral major strokes and 4/153 (2.6%) TIAs (including one contralateral TIA). There were 8/153 (5.2%) access site hematomas, 1/153 (0.7%) bradycardia, and 1/153 (0.7%) acute left ventricular failure with respiratory distress. Follow-up was achieved in 115/147 patients (78.2%) undergoing 120 procedures for a mean of 24.7 months and revealed one additional contralateral TIA and one additional minor stroke in an asymptomatic patient. In patients with follow-up, the 30-day procedural death/all-stroke rate was 3/120 (2.5%) The cumulative primary patency rate in the 115 patients with follow-up was 97.9% +/- 2.1% at 1 year, 82.0% +/- 7.1% at 4-years, and 73.5% +/- 12.7% at 7 years. The cumulative secondary patency rate was 100% at 1 year, 88.0% +/- 7.0% at 4 years, and 88.0% +/- 11% at 7 years. Log-rank test showed no statistical difference (P = .82) in primary cumulative patency between PTA alone (n = 34) or PTA/stent (n = 86). CONCLUSION: Transfemoral PTA/stenting appears to be appropriate treatment option for ostial/proximal common carotid artery significant stenoses. This study should also draw attention to the lack of data on natural history or effect of best medical treatment alone for these lesions, making evidence-based decision currently impossible for treatment of symptomatic or asymptomatic ostial and proximal common carotid artery significant stenoses.