Computed Tomography Angiography Markers and Intraluminal Thrombus Morphology as Predictors of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a complex vascular disease characterized by progressive and irreversible local dilatation of the aortic wall. Currently, the indication for repair is linked to the transverse diameter of the abdominal aorta, using computed tomography angiography imagery, which is one of the most used markers for aneurysmal growth. This study aims to verify the predictive role of imaging markers and underlying risk factors in AAA rupture. Methods: The present study was designed as an observational, analytical, retrospective cohort study and included 220 patients over 18 years of age with a diagnosis of AAA, confirmed by computed tomography angiography (CTA), admitted to Vascular Surgery Clinic of Mures County Emergency Hospital in Targu Mures, Romania, between January 2018 and September 2022. Results: Patients with a ruptured AAA had higher incidences of AH (p = 0.006), IHD (p = 0.001), AF (p < 0.0001), and MI (p < 0.0001), and higher incidences of all risk factors (tobacco (p = 0.001), obesity (p = 0.02), and dyslipidemia (p < 0.0001)). Multivariate analysis showed that a high baseline value of all imaging ratios markers was a strong independent predictor of AAA rupture (for all p < 0.0001). Moreover, a higher baseline value of DAmax (OR:3.91; p = 0.001), SAmax (OR:7.21; p < 0.001), and SLumenmax (OR:34.61; p < 0.001), as well as lower baseline values of DArenal (OR:7.09; p < 0.001), DACT (OR:12.71; p < 0.001), DAfemoral (OR:2.56; p = 0.005), SArenal (OR:4.56; p < 0.001), SACT (OR:3.81; p < 0.001), and SThrombusmax (OR:5.27; p < 0.001) were independent predictors of AAA rupture. In addition, AH (OR:3.33; p = 0.02), MI (OR:3.06; p = 0.002), and PAD (OR:2.71; p = 0.004) were all independent predictors of AAA rupture. In contrast, higher baseline values of SAmax/Lumenmax (OR:0.13; p < 0.001) and ezetimibe (OR:0.45; p = 0.03) were protective factors against AAA rupture. Conclusions: According to our findings, a higher baseline value of all imaging markers ratios at CTA strongly predicts AAA rupture and AH, MI, and PAD highly predicted the risk of rupture in AAA patients. Furthermore, the diameter of the abdominal aorta at different levels has better accuracy and a higher predictive role of rupture than the maximal diameter of AAA.

Prognostic Nutritional Index, Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score, and Inflammatory Biomarkers as Predictors of Deep Vein Thrombosis, Acute Pulmonary Embolism, and Mortality in COVID-19 Patients.

Background: Numerous tools, including nutritional and inflammatory markers, have been evaluated as the predictors of poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients. This study aims to verify the predictive role of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), CONUT Score, and inflammatory markers (monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic inflammatory index (SII), Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI), and Aggregate Index of Systemic Inflammation (AISI)) in cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and acute pulmonary embolism (APE) risk, as well as mortality, in COVID-19 patients. Methods: The present study was designed as an observational, analytical, retrospective cohort study, and included 899 patients over the age of 18 who had a COVID-19 infection, confirmed through real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and were admitted to the County Emergency Clinical Hospital and Modular Intensive Care Unit of UMFST "George Emil Palade" of Targu Mures, Romania between January 2020 and March 20212. Results: Non-Surviving patients were associated with a higher incidence of chronic kidney disease (p = 0.01), cardiovascular disease (atrial fibrillation (AF) p = 0.01; myocardial infarction (MI) p = 0.02; peripheral arterial disease (PAD) p = 0.0003), malignancy (p = 0.0001), tobacco (p = 0.0001), obesity (p = 0.01), dyslipidemia (p = 0.004), and malnutrition (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that both nutritional and inflammatory markers had a high baseline value and were all independent predictors of adverse outcomes for all enrolled patients (for all p < 0.0001). The presence of PAD, malignancy, and tobacco, were also independent predictors of all outcomes. Conclusions: According to our findings, higher MLR, NLR, PLR, SII, SIRI, AISI, CONUT Score, and lower PNI values at admission strongly predict DVT risk, APE risk, and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, PAD, malignancy, and tobacco, all predicted all outcomes, while CKD predicts APE risk and mortality, but not the DVT risk.