scholarly journals An 18 year data-linkage study on the association between air pollution and acute limb ischaemia

VASA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 462-467
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Fitton ◽  
Bianca Cox ◽  
James D. Chalmers ◽  
Jill J. F. Belch

Summary: Background: There is limited information regarding the effects of air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitric oxide (NO2), nitrous oxide (NO) and particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10), on acute limb ischaemia (ALI), a peripheral arterial disease (PAD) often with a poor clinical outcome. Patients and methods: We conducted an 18-year retrospective cohort study using routinely collected healthcare records from Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, and Perth Royal Infirmary, in Tayside, Scotland, UK from 2000 to 2017. ALI hospitalisation events and deaths were linked to daily NOx, NO2, NO and PM10 levels extracted from publicly available data over this same time period. Distributed lag models were used to estimate risk ratios for ALI hospitalisation and for ALI mortality, adjusting for temperature, humidity, day of the week, month and public holiday. Results: 5,608 hospital admissions in 2,697 patients were identified over the study period (mean age 71.2 years, ±11.1). NOx and NO were associated with an increase of ALI hospital admissions on days of exposure to pollutant (p=.018), while PM10 was associated with a cumulative (lag 0–9 days) increase (p=.027) of ALI hospital admissions in our study. There was no increase of ALI mortality associated with pollution levels. Conclusions: ALI hospital admissions were positively associated with ambient NOx and NO on day of high measured pollution levels and a cumulative effect was seen with PM10.

VASA ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Balaz ◽  
Slavomir Rokosny ◽  
Peter Wohlfahrt ◽  
Milos Adamec ◽  
Libor Janousek ◽  
...  

Background: Hybrid endovascular and open reconstructions are used increasingly often for multilevel revascularization for lower limb ischaemia. The aim was to evaluate outcomes after such procedures in a single-center non-randomized retrospective study. Patients and methods: Consecutive patients with multilevel arterial disease who underwent single session hybrid procedures were analyzed depending on the type of ischaemia and the type of revascularization. Results: 164 patients were included with a median follow up time of 14 months (range: 0 - 70). Indication was claudication (group 1, 47 %), critical limb ischaemia (group 2, 33 %) and acute limb ischaemia (group 3, 20 %). Technical success rate was 99.3 %, perioperative mortality 2 %. Primary, assisted-primary and secondary patency rates at one year were 60 %, 61 % and 64 %, respectively. Primary, primary assisted and secondary patency were lower in group 2 and 3 compared to group 1 (all p < 0.05). Results were better when endovascular repairs were performed above compared to below the open repair site (all p < 0.05). Limb salvage at 1 year in groups 1 - 3 were 98 %, 92 % and 90 %, respectively. The risk of major amputation was highest in group 3 compared to group 1 (p = 0.001) or group 2 (p < 0.04). Conclusions: The results depend on the type of ischaemia and the localization of endovascular procedures.


Author(s):  
Pavel Chrbolka ◽  
Zoltán Paluch ◽  
Pavel Chrbolka ◽  
Gergely Pallag

Introduction: Globally, peripheral arterial disease affects almost 200 million individuals at high risk of developing another type of cardiovascular disease with an annual incidence of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality of 4-5% and a risk of acute limb ischaemia and amputation of 5%. All patients with clinical symptomatology of peripheral arterial disease should be treated with statins and antiplatelet drugs. Evidence Acquisition: The authors provide an overview, from the perspective of a clinical pharmacologist, of the pharmacokinetic properties of the antiplatelet agents available, mechanisms of their action, and differences among individual agents in side effects, efficacy and safety as well as a comparison of clinical trials. Evidence Synthesis: In a significant proportion of patients, therapy with clopidogrel is modified, with genetic polymorphism demonstrably preventing effective therapy in a proportion of patients. In cases where an antiplatelet agent other than aspirin is chosen, clopidogrel therapy is rational only if a genetic mutation resulting in ineffective therapy has been ruled out. Effective therapy can be accomplished using the more modern antiplatelet agents with balanced pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Conclusions: Several questions related to treatment of patients with peripheral arterial disease remain to be answered. Expert views on recommended antiplatelet therapy diverge. It would be unethical to ignore the fact that therapy may be ineffective in a proportion of clopidogrel-treated patients. Guidelines for the treatment and prevention of peripheral arterial disease should offer alternative antiplatelet drugs or recommendations to verify a patient´s genetic predisposition. Further clinical trials are warranted to assess the efficacy of individual antiplatelet agents and doses thereof in patients with peripheral arterial disease.


Author(s):  
Jill JF Belch ◽  
Catherine Fitton ◽  
Bianca Cox ◽  
James D Chalmers

AbstractDeaths from air pollution in the UK are higher by a factor of 10 than from car crashes, 7 for drug-related deaths and 52 for murders, and yet awareness seems to be lacking in local government. We conducted an 18-year retrospective cohort study using routinely collected health care records from Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, and Perth Royal Infirmary, in Tayside, Scotland, UK, from 2000 to 2017. Hospitalisation events and deaths were linked to daily nitric oxides (NOX, NO, NO2), and particulate matter 10 (PM10) levels extracted from publicly available data over this same time period. Distributed lag models were used to estimate risk ratios for hospitalisation and mortality, adjusting for temperature, humidity, day of the week, month and public holiday. Nitric oxides and PM10 were associated with an increased risk of all hospital admissions and cardiovascular (CV) admissions on day of exposure to pollutant. This study shows a significant increase in all cause and CV hospital admissions, on high pollution days in Tayside, Scotland.


VASA ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lachmann ◽  
Nikol

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis that is associated with a significant limitation in limb function due to ischaemia and high risk of cardiovascular mortality. The lower limb manifestations of PAD principally fall into the categories of chronic stable claudication, critical leg ischaemia, and, rarely, acute limb ischaemia. Lower limb ischaemia induced by PAD is a major health problem. In the absence of effective pharmacological, interventional or surgical treatment, amputation is undertaken at the end-stage as a solution to unbearable symptoms. The concept of "therapeutic angiogenesis" has become widely accepted during the past few years. Bone marrow consists of multiple cell populations, including endothelial progenitor cells, which have been shown to differentiate into endothelial cells and release several angiogenic factors and thereby enhance neovascularisation in animal models of hind limb ischaemia. The promising results from various preclinical studies provide the basis for clinical trials using bone marrow-derived cells or non-bone marrow cells, like cells from the peripheral blood or other tissues. However, the mechanisms by which these cells exert their positive effects are poorly understood until now. This review summarises the data from experimental and clinical studies related to peripheral arterial disease and cellular therapy.


VASA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uwe Wahl ◽  
Ingmar Kaden ◽  
Andreas Köhler ◽  
Tobias Hirsch

Abstract. Hypothenar or thenar hammer syndrome (HHS) and hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) are diseases caused by acute or chronic trauma to the upper extremities. Since both diseases are generally related to occupation and are recognised as occupational diseases in most countries, vascular physicians need to be able to distinguish between the two entities and differentiate them from other diagnoses. A total of 867 articles were identified as part of an Internet search on PubMed and in non-listed occupational journals. For the analysis we included 119 entries on HHS as well as 101 papers on HAVS. A professional history and a job analysis were key components when surveying the patient’s medical history. The Doppler-Allen test, duplex sonography and optical acral pulse oscillometry were suitable for finding an objective basis for the clinical tests. In the case of HHS, digital subtraction angiography was used to confirm the diagnosis and plan treatment. Radiological tomographic techniques provided very limited information distal to the wrist. The vascular component of HAVS proved to be strongly dependent on temperature and had to be differentiated from the various other causes of secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon. The disease was medicated with anticoagulants and vasoactive substances. If these were not effective, a bypass was performed in addition to various endovascular interventions, especially in the case of HHS. Despite the relatively large number of people exposed, trauma-induced circulatory disorders of the hands can be observed in a comparatively small number of cases. For the diagnosis of HHS, the morphological detection of vascular lesions through imaging is essential since the disorder can be accompanied by critical limb ischaemia, which may require bypass surgery. In the case of HAVS, vascular and sensoneurological pathologies must be objectified through provocation tests. The main therapeutic approach to HAVS is preventing exposure.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
James Elliott ◽  
Anand Iyer ◽  
James Elliott

Patients undergoing Left Upper Lobectomy (LUL) appear to be at risk of a unique post-operative complication that is not well-documented: Pulmonary Vein (PV) stump thrombosis +/- systemic arterial embolisation [1-3]. We describe the details of a rare case from our institution, present a review of this subject from the limited literature available, and suggest potential strategies to anticipate, detect and manage this entity. A 70 year old female patient underwent left upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node sampling via repeat left thoracotomy. The procedure was unremarkable apart from some adhesions. She progressed well post-operatively on the ward. On post-operative day 2 the patient developed sudden-onset left leg pain and paraesthesia and CT-Angiography confirmed the diagnosis of left common femoral artery embolus and left superior PV stump thrombosis. The patient returned to theatre for femoral embolectomy, continued systemic anticoagulation, and made an excellent recovery thereafter. The aetiology of this complication has been documented in some case reports, but it is not explored further in trials or thoracic surgery texts [2-3]. One cohort study involving CT-angiography after lobectomy surgeries found that left upper lobectomy was unique as a risk factor for PV stump thrombosis1. It may be related to the relatively longer LSPV stump and stasis of blood in the stump [4].


Author(s):  
Marco Angelillis ◽  
Marco De Carlo ◽  
Andrea Christou ◽  
Michele Marconi ◽  
Davide M Mocellin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A systemic coagulation dysfunction has been associated with COVID-19. In this case report, we describe a COVID-19-positive patient with multisite arterial thrombosis, presenting with acute limb ischaemia and concomitant ST-elevation myocardial infarction and oligo-symptomatic lung disease. Case summary An 83-year-old lady with history of hypertension and chronic kidney disease presented to the Emergency Department with acute-onset left leg pain, pulselessness, and partial loss of motor function. Acute limb ischaemia was diagnosed. At the same time, a routine ECG showed ST-segment elevation, diagnostic for inferior myocardial infarction. On admission, a nasopharyngeal swab was performed to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2, as per hospital protocol during the current COVID-19 pandemic. A total-body CT angiography was performed to investigate the cause of acute limb ischaemia and to rule out aortic dissection; the examination showed a total occlusion of the left common iliac artery and a non-obstructive thrombosis of a subsegmental pulmonary artery branch in the right basal lobe. Lung CT scan confirmed a typical pattern of interstitial COVID-19 pneumonia. Coronary angiography showed a thrombotic occlusion of the proximal segment of the right coronary artery. Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed, with manual thrombectomy, followed by deployment of two stents. The patient was subsequently transferred to the operating room, where a Fogarty thrombectomy was performed. The patient was then admitted to the COVID area of our hospital. Seven hours later, the swab returned positive for COVID-19. Discussion COVID-19 can have an atypical presentation with thrombosis at multiple sites.


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