ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disease leading to stenosis and/or occlusion of the arterial circulation of the lower extremities. The currently available revascularisation methods have an acceptable initial success rate, but the long-term patency is limited, while surgical revascularisation is associated with a relatively high perioperative risk. This urges the need for development of less invasive and more effective treatment modalities. This protocol article describes a study investigating a new non-invasive technique that uses robot assisted high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to treat atherosclerosis in the femoral artery. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A pilot study is currently performed in 15 symptomatic patients with PAD with a significant stenosis in the common femoral and/or proximal superficial femoral artery. All patients will be treated with the dual-mode ultrasound array system to deliver imaging-guided HIFU to the atherosclerotic plaque. Safety and feasibility are the primary objectives assessed by the technical feasibility of this therapy and the 30-day major complication rate as primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints are angiographic and clinical success and quality of life. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval for this study was obtained in 2019 from the Medical Ethics Committee of the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands. Data will be presented at national and international conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NL7564.
Subject(s)
Atherosclerosis , Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy , Peripheral Arterial Disease , Plaque, Atherosclerotic , Robotics , Atherosclerosis/therapy , Constriction, Pathologic , Feasibility Studies , Femoral Artery/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Lower Extremity , Peripheral Arterial Disease/diagnostic imaging , Peripheral Arterial Disease/therapy , Pilot Projects , Plaque, Atherosclerotic/diagnostic imaging , Plaque, Atherosclerotic/surgery , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
Arterial thrombotic events in younger patients without a readily apparent etiology present significant diagnostic and management challenges. We present a structured approach to diagnosis with consideration of common causes, including atherosclerosis and embolism, as well as uncommon causes, including medications and substances, vascular and anatomic abnormalities, systemic disorders, and thrombophilias. We highlight areas of management that have evolved within the past 5 years, including the use of dual-pathway inhibition in atherosclerotic disease, antithrombotic therapy selection in embolic stroke of undetermined source and left ventricular thrombus, the role of closure of patent foramen ovale for secondary stroke prevention, and the thrombotic potential of coronavirus disease 2019 infection and vaccination. We conclude with a representative case to illustrate the application of the diagnostic framework and discuss the importance of consideration of bleeding risk and patient preference in determining the appropriate management plan.
Subject(s)
Thrombosis/diagnosis , Thrombosis/therapy , Adult , Atherosclerosis/complications , Atherosclerosis/diagnosis , Atherosclerosis/therapy , COVID-19/complications , Disease Management , Embolism/complications , Embolism/diagnosis , Embolism/therapy , Female , Foramen Ovale, Patent/complications , Foramen Ovale, Patent/diagnosis , Foramen Ovale, Patent/therapy , Humans , Secondary Prevention , Stroke/prevention & control , Thrombosis/etiologyABSTRACT
Cells convey information among one another. One instrument employed to transmit data and constituents to specific (target) cells is extracellular vesicles (EVs). They originate from a variety of cells (endothelial, immune cells, platelets, mesenchymal stromal cells, etc.), and consequently, their surface characteristics and cargo vary according to the paternal cell. The cargo could be DNA, mRNA, microRNA, receptors, metabolites, cytoplasmic proteins, or pathological molecules, as a function of which EVs exert different effects upon endocytosis in recipient cells. Recently, EVs have become important participants in a variety of pathologies, including atherogenesis and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated thrombosis. Herein, we summarize recent advances and some of our own results on the role of EVs in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, and discuss their potential to function as signaling mediators, biomarkers and therapeutic agents. Since COVID-19 patients have a high rate of thrombotic events, a special section of the review is dedicated to the mechanism of thrombosis and the possible therapeutic potential of EVs in COVID-19-related thrombosis. Yet, EV mechanisms and their role in the transfer of information between cells in normal and pathological conditions remain to be explored.