The relationship of novel adipokines, RBP4 and omentin-1, with carotid atherosclerosis severity and vulnerability.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the relationship of circulating novel adipokines, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and omentin-1, with advanced carotid atherosclerosis and ultrasound indexes of severity (total plaque area-TPA) and plaque echogenicity and vulnerability (Gray-Scale median - GSM score). METHODS: We enrolled 225 patients with high-grade carotid stenosis (HGCS) who underwent carotid revascularization (73 Symptomatic patients, 152 asymptomatic patients) and 75 age- and sex-matched, asymptomatic individuals with low-grade (<50%) carotid stenosis (LGCS). Seventy-three individuals without current manifestations of atherosclerotic disease served as control group (COG). All participants underwent carotid ultrasound with TPA and GSM score assessment. Moreover, clinical parameters, metabolic profile, and circulating levels of hsCRP and adipokines were assessed. RESULTS: RBP4 was significantly elevated in HGCS (51.44 ± 16.23 mg/L) compared to LGCS (38.39 ± 8.85 mg/L), independent of symptoms existence, whereas RBP4 levels in COG were even lower (25.74 ± 10.72 mg/L, p < 0.001 compared to either HGCS or LGCS). Inversely, serum omentin-1 levels were significantly lower across HGCS (490.41 ± 172 ng/ml) and LGCS (603.20 ± 202.43 ng/ml) than COG (815.3 ± 185.32, p < 0.001). Moreover, the considerable difference between HGCS and LGCS (p < 0.001) was exclusively attributed to the excessive suppression of omentin-1 concentrations in symptomatic versus asymptomatic (p = 0.004) patients. HGCS and LGCS did not differ in the rest of clinical and biochemical parameters. In multiple regression analysis, RBP4 (beta = 0.232, p = 0.025) and hsCRP (beta = 0.300, p = 0.004) emerged as independent determinants of TPA in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Low serum levels of omentin-1 correlated with GSM score and symptoms but that association was lost in multivariate analysis.. CONCLUSION: RBP4 serum levels were significantly elevated in patients with established carotid atherosclerosis and were positively associated with atherosclerosis severity. The association of low serum omentin-1 with carotid plaque echolucency requires further investigation.. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00636766.

Flow-diverting stents for the treatment of arterial aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Anatomic factors may limit the application of stent grafts for the treatment of arterial aneurysms. Flow- diverting stents (FDSs) are specially designed to reduce flow velocity in the aneurysm sac and promote thrombosis while maintaining flow in the main artery and branch vessels. FDSs include the Pipeline Embolization Device (ev3, Plymouth, Minn), the SILK Arterial Reconstruction Device (Balt Extrusion, Montmorency, France), and the Cardiatis Multilayer Stent (Cardiatis, Isnes, Belgium). The first two have been mainly used for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The aim of this study was to review the current role of FDSs in the treatment of extracranial arterial aneurysms. METHODS: A systematic electronic health database search was conducted using PubMed, Ovid, Medline, and the Cochrane Database on all accessible published articles through March 2012. An additional search for abstracts presented in international congresses for vascular surgery was also performed. Full-text articles and abstracts were analyzed separately due to the heterogeneity of the data. RESULTS: Results of the use of FDSs in arterial aneurysms were reported in 12 full-text articles including 35 patients (26 men, age 65.4) with 38 aneurysms. The aneurysms were located in the hepatic (n = 12), splenic (n = 6), renal (n = 5), celiac (n = 4), superior mesenteric (n = 3), subclavian (n = 2), gastroduodenal (n = 1), and popliteal arteries (n = 1) and in the descending thoracic (n = 1), suprarenal (n = 1) and infrarenal aorta (n = 2). The 30-day mortality was 5.7% (2 of 35 patients). Three stent thromboses occurred (8.3%), none of them with clinical consequences. Thirty patients with 33 aneurysms and patent FDSs were monitored for an average of 9.2 months. Thrombosis occurred in 90.6%, and volume reduction was observed in 81% of the aneurysms. No branch vessel occlusion occurred. Twelve abstracts were identified, including 133 patients (mean age, 64.7 years). They included 62 peripheral, 28 visceral, and 43 abdominal and thoracoabdominal aneurysms. The Cardiatis Multilayer Stent was used in all cases. Thrombosis was achieved in all but two peripheral and visceral aneurysms. Volume reduction was observed in 82.7%, and no branch vessel occlusion occurred. In aortic aneurysms, better results regarding aneurysm thrombosis, reduction of the volume, and patency of collateral branches were reported at 12 months rather than at 6 months postoperatively. No aneurysm rupture has yet been described. CONCLUSIONS: Initial clinical experience with the use of FDSs in the treatment of visceral and peripheral aneurysms yielded satisfactory results in technical success, aneurysm thrombosis and shrinkage, and in patency of branch vessels. The results in aortic aneurysms are still under investigation. No aneurysm rupture has yet been described. There is a significant incidence of FDS thrombosis. Volume reduction of the aneurysm is a clearer evidence of the clinical success after treatment with FDSs than aneurysm thrombosis.