Outcome and prognosis of isolated carotid vasculitis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognosis and outcome of patients with isolated carotid vasculitis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective multicenter study of 36 patients (median age at diagnosis was 37 [IQR 27-45] years and 11 [31 %] patients were men) with initial presentation as isolated carotid vasculitis. Study endpoints included vascular complications, relapses, and progression to large vessel vasculitis (i.e. Giant cell arteritis or Takayasu). RESULTS: The most frequent involvement was the left internal carotid artery (39 %), and 81 % had stenosis. After a median follow-up of 32 months [IQR 12-96], 21 (58 %) patients had a vascular event, including 31 % of new onset vascular lesions and 25 % of stroke/transient ischemic attack. Patients with stroke had less carotidynia at diagnosis (33 % vs 74 %, p = 0.046), higher significant carotid stenosis (i.e. > 50 %) (89 % vs. 30 %, p = 0.026) and higher severe carotid stenosis (i.e. >70 %) (67 % vs 19 %, p = 0.012), compared to those without stroke. Twenty (52 %) patients experienced relapses. High CRP at diagnosis was associated with relapses (p = 0.022). At the end of follow-up, 21 (58 %) patients were classified as having Takayasu arteritis, 13 (36 %) as isolated carotid vasculitis, and two (6 %) as giant cell arteritis. CONCLUSION: Carotid vasculitis may occur as a topographically limited lesion and is associated with significant rate of vascular complications.

[Aortitis and surgery]. / Prise en charge chirurgicale des maladies inflammatoires de l'aorte.

Non-infectious aortitis are usually due to giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis), Takayasu and Behçet's diseases. Aortitis should be suspected in the presence of aortic wall thickening or of aneurysm or occlusion of the aorta and its branches in the absence of characteristic cardiovascular risk factors. Surgery is required in case of severe damage. But the quiescence of the inflammatory disease must be obtained before endovascular or surgical treatment to prevent complications such as anastomotic false aneurysm or stent thrombosis, especially common in this disease. The frequency of aortic aneurysms (in particular of ascending aorta) in giant cell arteritis encourages its systematic screening, as well as regular monitoring of the entire aorta during the follow-up. Behçet's and Takayasu diseases require the greatest control of inflammation and the knowledge of some surgical tricks to avoid the risk of recurrence. The literature review shows that endovascular treatment could reduce perioperative morbidity but did not allow reducing long-term complications.

Lower-extremity arterial revascularization: Is there any evidence for diabetic foot ulcer-healing?

The presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an important consideration in the management of diabetic foot ulcers. Indeed, arteriopathy is a major factor in delayed healing and the increased risk of amputation. Revascularization is commonly performed in patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI) and diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), but also in patients with less severe arteriopathy. The ulcer-healing rate obtained after revascularization ranges from 46% to 91% at 1 year and appears to be improved compared to patients without revascularization. However, in those studies, healing was often a secondary criterion, and there was no description of the initial wound or its management. Furthermore, specific alterations associated with diabetes, such as microcirculation disorders, abnormal angiogenesis and glycation of proteins, can alter healing and the benefits of revascularization. In this review, critical assessment of data from the literature was performed on the relationship between PAD, revascularization and healing of DFUs. Also, the impact of diabetes on the effectiveness of revascularization was analyzed and potential new therapeutic targets described.

Takayasu Arteritis and Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and pregnancy outcome. METHODS: This study included 240 pregnancies in 96 patients fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of TAK and/or the 1994 Chapel Hill Consensus Conference nomenclature/criteria for vasculitis. We analyzed obstetric and maternal outcomes in women who were pregnant before and/or at the same time as or after TAK diagnosis. We assessed factors associated with complicated pregnancy. RESULTS: One hundred forty-two pregnancies occurred in 52 patients before TAK diagnosis (median age at pregnancy 26 years [interquartile range 23-30 years]), and 98 pregnancies occurred in 52 patients concomitant with or after TAK diagnosis (median age at pregnancy 28 years [interquartile range 26-31 years]). Pregnancies concomitant with or after TAK diagnosis had a 13-fold higher rate of obstetric complications compared to pregnancies before TAK diagnosis (odds ratio 13 [95% confidence interval 5-33], P < 0.0001). TAK was associated with a 40% frequency of obstetric complications, including preeclampsia/eclampsia (24 pregnancies [24%]), premature delivery (8 pregnancies [8%]), and intrauterine fetal growth restriction or death (5 pregnancies [5%]). Maternal complications of TAK occurred during 39% of pregnancies and included mainly new-onset or worsening hypertension (26 pregnancies [27%]). In multivariate analysis, smoking (odds ratio 6.15 [95% confidence interval 1.31-28.8]) and disease activity of TAK (a National Institutes of Health score of >1) (odds ratio 28.7 [95% confidence interval 7.89-104.7]) were independently associated with obstetric and maternal complications. CONCLUSION: TAK negatively affects pregnancy outcomes. Disease activity increases the risk of obstetric and maternal complications, mainly due to arterial hypertension.

Indications to open surgical repair of the thoracic aorta in the "endovascular" era.

Endovascular techniques have deeply modified the indications to open surgical repair in nearly all the vascular tree and especially in areas where the invasiveness of open surgery is real like the thoracic aorta. However their anatomical and technological limits on one hand and uncertainty on their long term results on the other hand still leave a large place for open surgery. Also, immediate as well as late results of open surgery have continued their progress during the endovascular era, rendering it competitive in trained centers for fit selected patients.

Th1 and Th17 cytokines drive inflammation in Takayasu arteritis.

OBJECTIVE: Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is a large-vessel vasculitis that induces damage to the aorta and its branches. Glucocorticoids remain the gold standard of therapy for TAK. The nature of the T cells driving vascular inflammation and the effects of glucocorticoids on the systemic components of TAK are not understood. The aim of this study was to analyze T cell homeostasis and cytokine production in peripheral blood and inflammatory lesions of the aorta in patients with TAK. METHODS: T cell homeostasis and cytokine production in peripheral blood and inflammatory lesions of the aorta were analyzed using Luminex analysis, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemical analysis. The study included 41 patients fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of TAK (17 patients with active TAK and 24 patients with disease in remission), 30 patients with giant cell arteritis and 39 patients with Behçet's disease (disease controls), and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. RESULTS: We observed a marked increase in the expression of Th1 and Th17 cells, which correlated with TAK disease activity. The addition of serum from patients with active TAK to sorted CD4+ T cells from healthy donors in culture medium induced significant production of interferon-γ (IFNγ) and interleukin-17A (IL-17A). We demonstrated the presence of IFNγ-, IL-6-, and IL-17A-producing T cells in vascular inflammatory infiltrates in patients with TAK. Corticosteroid therapy was associated with decreased levels of circulating Th1 cytokines in corticosteroid-treated patients with TAK compared with steroid-free patients with TAK (for IL-2, mean ± SD 5,079 ± 5,300 versus 7,359 ± 3,197 pg/ml; for IFNγ, 2,592 ± 3,072 versus 8,393 ± 3,392 pg/ml; for tumor necrosis factor α, 847 ± 724 versus 1,491 ± 392 pg/ml). However, glucocorticoids had essentially no effect on the frequency of Th17 cytokines (IL-1 receptor, IL-17, and IL-23). CONCLUSION: The Th17 and Th1 pathways contribute to the systemic and vascular manifestations of TAK. Glucocorticoid treatment suppresses Th1 cytokines but spares Th17 cytokines in patients with TAK.

Proximal radial artery ligation (PRAL) for reduction of flow in autogenous radial cephalic accesses for haemodialysis.

OBJECTIVE: Juxta-anastomosis proximal radial artery ligation (PRAL) is a new surgical technique for reduction of excessive blood flow of radial cephalic fistulas (RCFs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 37 consecutive patients (eight children and 29 adults) who underwent PRAL of high-flow RCFs causing ischaemia (n = 2), aneurysmal degeneration of the vein (n = 14), and cardiac insufficiency (n = 7) or for prevention of cardiac overload (n = 14). Mean fistula age was 2.6 years for children and 7.4 years for adults. None had diabetes. Anatomical prerequisites (side-to-end anastomosis fistula and retrograde flow in the distal radial artery) were checked by ultrasound or angiography. Division and ligation of the juxta-anastomosis proximal radial artery were performed under regional anaesthesia. Patency following ligation was estimated according to the life table method. RESULTS: The success rate was 92% (34/37). The three failures included one excessive and two insufficient reductions of flow (<33%). Mean flow reduction rates were 50% in children and 53% in adults. Primary patency rates at 1 and 2 years were 88% +/- 6% and 74% +/- 9%, respectively. Secondary patency rates were 88% +/- 6% and 78% +/- 8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: PRAL is a simple, safe, and effective technique for reduction of flow in RCFs.

[Arterial and venous thrombosis in lung cancer]. / Thrombose artérielle et veineuse et cancer bronchique.

We report the case of a 61-year old man in whom a deep venous thrombosis was the presenting feature of disseminated lung carcinoma. A few days later, an arterial thrombosis occurred necessitating amputation. Within a few weeks, the lung cancer progressed dramatically and the patient died. While the association between venous thrombosis and cancer is well known, the relationship between cancer and arterial thrombosis has been less explored. This observation allows discussion of the pathophysiological and clinical aspects of this association, as well as the implications for patient care.