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European Journal of Vascular and... Mar 2022Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a novel technique for plaque modification during endovascular revascularisation for peripheral artery disease (PAD) with severe... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a novel technique for plaque modification during endovascular revascularisation for peripheral artery disease (PAD) with severe calcification. The aim of this paper was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of contemporary data to elucidate the efficacy and safety of IVL in lower extremity PAD.
DATA SOURCES
A systematic literature search with pre-defined search terms was performed using PubMed, Web of Sciences, OvidSP, and EMBASE.
REVIEW METHODS
A meta-analysis was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Patient characteristics, lesion calcification, pre-IVL and post-IVL diameter stenosis, complications, and stent rates were evaluated.
RESULTS
Nine studies were included, encompassing a total of 681 patients (769 lesions) with IVL performed for PAD, of which 75.53% (95% confidence interval [CI] 66.08% - 83.03%) of the lesions were reported to have severe calcification. Comparison between pre-IVL and post-IVL diameter stenosis demonstrated a diameter stenosis reduction of 59.3% (95% CI 53.30% - 65.31%). Vascular complications were rare, with flow limiting or type D/E/F dissection occurring in only 1.25% (95% CI 0.60% - 2.61%) of cases. The overall pooled event rate for stent placement was 15.89% (95% CI 5.22% - 39.34%).
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis supports IVL as an effective and safe approach for calcified plaque modification in lower extremity PAD, achieving a diameter stenosis reduction of 59.3% (95% CI 53.30% - 65.31%) with minimal vascular complications. Routine use of this device is not recommended; further high quality evidence is required to elucidate the efficacy of IVL with respect to different clinical characteristics such as lesion location and length, and in comparison with other treatment modalities such as atherectomy.
Topics: Humans; Lithotripsy; Lower Extremity; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Treatment Outcome; Vascular Calcification
PubMed: 34887206
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2021.10.035 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2022We performed a meta-analysis to indirectly compare the treatment effectiveness of balloon angioplasty and stenting for patients with intracranial arterial stenosis.
AIMS
We performed a meta-analysis to indirectly compare the treatment effectiveness of balloon angioplasty and stenting for patients with intracranial arterial stenosis.
METHODS
Literature searches were performed in well-known databases to identify eligible studies published before January 04, 2021. The incidence of restenosis, transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, death, and dissection after balloon angioplasty or stenting were pooled. An indirect comparison of balloon angioplasty vs. stenting was performed, and the ratios of incidence (RIs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model.
RESULTS
120 studies that recruited 10,107 patients with intracranial arterial stenosis were included. The pooled incidence of restenosis after balloon angioplasty and stenting were 13% (95%CI: 8-17%) and 11% (95%CI: 9-13%), respectively, with no significant difference between them (RI: 1.18; 95%CI: 0.78-1.80; = 0.435). Moreover, the pooled incidence of TIA after balloon angioplasty and stenting was 3% (95%CI: 0-6%) and 4% (95%CI: 3%-5%), and no significant difference was observed (RI: 0.75; 95%CI: 0.01-58.53; = 0.897). The pooled incidence of stroke after balloon angioplasty and stenting was 7% (95%CI: 5-9%) and 8% (95%CI: 7-9%), respectively, and the difference between groups was found to be statistically insignificant (RI: 0.88; 95%CI: 0.64-1.20; = 0.413). Additionally, the pooled incidence of death after balloon angioplasty and stenting was 2% (95%CI: 1-4%) and 2% (95%CI: 1-2%), with no significant difference between groups (RI: 1.00; 95%CI: 0.44-2.27; = 1.000). Finally, the pooled incidence of dissection after balloon angioplasty and stenting was 13% (95%CI: 5-22%) and 3% (95%CI: 2-5%), respectively, and balloon angioplasty was associated with a higher risk of dissection than that with stenting for patients with intracranial arterial stenosis (RI: 4.33; 95%CI: 1.81-10.35; = 0.001).
CONCLUSION
This study found that the treatment effectiveness of balloon angioplasty and stenting were similar for patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis.
PubMed: 35775041
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.878179 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2023Stroke is currently the second-leading cause of death just behind ischaemic heart disease. Drug therapy is currently the standard of care for patients with symptomatic...
Stroke is currently the second-leading cause of death just behind ischaemic heart disease. Drug therapy is currently the standard of care for patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis (sICAS). Stenting is an important treatment for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke. It has been suggested that vertebral artery stenting might reduce this risk, but operation-related complications limit the application of stenting in the treatment of ischemic stroke. The differences in the safety and efficacy of stenting combined with drugs and drugs alone in the treatment of sICAS are unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of both treatment modalities on the prognosis of patients with sICAS through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, DUXIU) and English databases (Pubmed, Embase, Ovid_medline, Cochrane library, Web of science)were searched to identify all studies describing sICAS. The "Risk of Bias Assessment" tool and the "Jadad Scale" provided by the Cochrane Collaboration were used to evaluate the risk of bias and quality of the collected literature. The risk ratio (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined using Stata statistical software version 14.0. A total of 11 studies were included, comprising a total of 1,915 patients. The combined results of the study showed no significant difference between the incidence of transient cerebral ischemia (TIA)and stroke in patients with sICAS treated with drugs in combination with stents versus drugs alone. The incidence of death or stroke, cerebral haemorrhage, disabling stroke or death was significantly higher in patients receiving stent-combined drug therapy versus drug therapy alone for sICAS. Studies suggest that stenting combined with medication for patients with sICAS may increase the incidence of death or stroke, cerebral haemorrhage, stroke or death, but has no significant effect on the incidence of TIA and stroke. The studies report inadequate and conflicting data and therefore the safety and efficacy of stenting for sICAS should be interpreted with caution. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022377090, identifier CRD42022377090.
PubMed: 37361212
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1122842 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023Stenosis grade of the carotid arteries has been the primary indicator for risk stratification and surgical treatment of carotid artery disease. Certain characteristics... (Review)
Review
Stenosis grade of the carotid arteries has been the primary indicator for risk stratification and surgical treatment of carotid artery disease. Certain characteristics of the carotid plaque render it vulnerable and have been associated with increased plaque rupture rates. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) have been shown to detect these characteristics to a different degree. The aim of the current study was to report on the detection of vulnerable carotid plaque characteristics by CTA and MRA and their possible association. A systematic review of the medical literature was executed, utilizing PubMed, SCOPUS and CENTRAL databases, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. The study protocol has been registered to PROSPERO (CRD42022381801). Comparative studies reporting on both CTA and MRA carotid artery studies were included in the analysis. The QUADAS tools were used for risk of bias diagnostic imaging studies. Outcomes included carotid plaque vulnerability characteristics described in CTA and MRA and their association. Five studies, incorporating 377 patients and 695 carotid plaques, were included. Four studies reported on symptomatic status (326 patients, 92.9%). MRA characteristics included intraplaque hemorrhage, plaque ulceration, type VI AHA plaque hallmarks and intra-plaque high-intensity signal. Intraplaque hemorrhage detected in MRA was the most described characteristic and was associated with increased plaque density, increased lumen stenosis, plaque ulceration and increased soft-plaque and hard-plaque thickness. Certain characteristics of vulnerable carotid plaques can be detected in carotid artery CTA imaging studies. Nevertheless, MRA continues to provide more detailed and thorough imaging. Both imaging modalities can be applied for comprehensive carotid artery work-up, each one complementing the other.
PubMed: 36832133
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13040646 -
Environmental Health and Preventive... Nov 2017The p.R4810K and other rare variants of ring finger protein 213 gene (RNF213) were illustrated as susceptibility variants for moyamoya (MMD) and non-moyamoya... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The p.R4810K and other rare variants of ring finger protein 213 gene (RNF213) were illustrated as susceptibility variants for moyamoya (MMD) and non-moyamoya intracranial artery stenosis/occlusion disease (ICASO) recently. However, the effect sizes of p.R4810K were in great discrepancy even in studies of the same ethnic population and firm conclusions of other rare variants have been elusive given the small sample sizes and lack of replication. Thus, we performed this study to quantitatively evaluate whether or to what extent the rare variants of RNF213 contribute to MMD and ICASO in different populations.
METHODS
A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, ISI web of science, CNKI, and WANFANG DATA was conducted up to 5 September 2017. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random- or fixed-effect models based on the between-study heterogeneity. The subgroup analyses were performed by the ethnicity and family history. Sensitivity and publication bias analysis were performed to test the robustness of associations. All the statistical analyses were conduct using STATA 12.0.
RESULTS
Twenty studies including 2353 MMD cases and 5488 controls and 11 studies including 1778 ICASO cases and 3140 controls were included in this study. Pooled ORs indicated that RNF213 p.R4810K significantly increased MMD and ICASO risk in East Asians with great effect sizes of discrepancy (dominant model: odds ratios 184.04, 109.77, and 31.53 and 10.07, 28.52, and 5.59 for MMD and ICASO, respectively, in Japan, Korea, and China). It significantly increased familial MMD risk in Japan, Korea, and China with 5 ~ 36 times larger effect sizes than that for sporadic ones in each country (dominant model ORs 1802.44, 512.42, 1109.02 and 134.35, 99.82, and 30.52, respectively, for familial and sporadic cases). The effect sizes of RNF213 p.R4810K to sporadic MMD were 3 ~ 4 times larger in Japan and Korea than those in China. RNF213 p.R4810K also increased the ICASO risk in Japan and Korea with 2 ~ 4 times larger effect sizes than that in China (dominant model ORs 10.71, 28.52, and 5.59, respectively). Another two rare variants- p.E4950D and p.A5021V significantly increased MMD risk in Chinese population (dominant model ORs 9.06 and 5.01, respectively). Various other rare variants in RNF213 were identified in Japanese, Chinese, European, and Hispanic American populations without association evidence available yet.
CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis shows the critical roles of RNF213 p.R4810K in MMD especially familial MMD and ICASO in Japan, Korea, and China. Except for RNF213 p.R4810K, MMD seems to have more complex determiners in China. Distinct genetic background exists and other environmental or genetic factor(s) may contribute to MMD. Studies focused on delineating the ethnicity-specific factors and pathological role of RNF213 variants in MMD and ICASO are needed.
Topics: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Carotid Artery Diseases; Constriction, Pathologic; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic Variation; Humans; Moyamoya Disease; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
PubMed: 29165161
DOI: 10.1186/s12199-017-0680-1 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2022Intracranial angioplasty with a self-expandable stent (SES) is an important endovascular therapy for symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis. We sought to update the...
BACKGROUND
Intracranial angioplasty with a self-expandable stent (SES) is an important endovascular therapy for symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis. We sought to update the evaluation of the perioperative safety and long-term outcomes of self-expandable stent for the treatment of symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis.
METHODS
We comprehensively searched the published literature from each database through Sept 16, 2022, for the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Clinical Trials databases. The characteristics of the studies and patients, perioperative complications, and long-term outcomes were extracted. The pooled outcomes and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Stata Statistical Software 14.0.
RESULTS
A total of 4,632 patients from 58 studies were included. The pooled rate of perioperative stroke or death was 6.32% (95% CI 5.04-7.72%); ischemic stroke beyond 30 days through 1 year was 2.72% (95% CI 1.41-4.38%). Perioperative complications differed between the 2014-2022 and 2005-2013 subgroups, as did long-term outcomes between the off-label SES and Wingspan subgroups.
CONCLUSION
The perioperative complications of intracranial angioplasty with SES have been reduced, but the risk of perioperative stroke or death is still higher than that of aggressive medical therapy, and additional studies are needed to determine whether it has better long-term outcomes than aggressive medical therapy. Perioperative complications varied between the 2014-2022 and 2005-2013 subgroups, as did long-term outcomes between the off-label SES and Wingspan subgroups. Given the high level of heterogeneity observed between the included studies, these results should be interpreted with caution and additional studies are needed.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42022316066.
PubMed: 36698897
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1074228 -
Genes Jun 2024The ring finger protein 213 gene (RNF213) is involved in several vascular diseases, both intracranial and systemic ones. Some variants are common in the Asian population...
The ring finger protein 213 gene (RNF213) is involved in several vascular diseases, both intracranial and systemic ones. Some variants are common in the Asian population and are reported as a risk factor for moyamoya disease, intracranial stenosis and intracranial aneurysms. Among intracranial vascular diseases, both moyamoya disease and intracranial artery dissection are more prevalent in the Asian population. We performed a systematic review of the literature, aiming to assess the rate of RNF213 variants in patients with spontaneous intracranial dissections. Four papers were identified, providing data on 53 patients with intracranial artery dissection. The rate of RNF213 variants is 10/53 (18.9%) and it increases to 10/29 (34.5%), excluding patients with vertebral artery dissection. All patients had the RNF213 p.Arg4810Lys variant. RNF213 variants seems to be involved in intracranial dissections in Asian cohorts. The small number of patients, the inclusion of only patients of Asian descent and the small but non-negligible coexistence with moyamoya disease familiarity might be limiting factors, requiring further studies to confirm these preliminary findings and the embryological interpretation.
Topics: Humans; Adenosine Triphosphatases; Aortic Dissection; Asian People; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Intracranial Aneurysm; Moyamoya Disease; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
PubMed: 38927660
DOI: 10.3390/genes15060725 -
Surgery Open Science Jun 2023The use of an 'eversion' technique is not unequivocally proven to be superior to carotid endarterectomy with patch angioplasty. An up-to-date systematic review is needed... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
The use of an 'eversion' technique is not unequivocally proven to be superior to carotid endarterectomy with patch angioplasty. An up-to-date systematic review is needed for evaluation of benefits and harms of these two techniques.
METHODS
RCTs comparing eversion technique versus endarterectomy with patch angioplasty in patients with a symptomatic and significant (≥50 %) stenosis of the internal carotid artery were enrolled. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality rate, health-related quality of life and serious adverse events. Secondary outcomes included 30-day stroke and mortality rate, (a) symptomatic arterial occlusion or restenosis, and adverse events not critical for decision making.
RESULTS
Four RCTs were included with 1272 surgical procedures for carotid stenosis; eversion technique = 643 and carotid endarterectomy with patch closure = 629. Meta-analysis comparing both techniques showed, with a very low certainty of evidence, that eversion technique might decrease the number of patients with serious adverse events (RR 0.47; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.64; ≤ 0.01). However, no difference was found on the other outcomes. TSA demonstrated that the required information sizes were far from being reached for these patient-important outcomes. All patient-relevant outcomes were at low certainty of evidence according to GRADE.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review showed no conclusive evidence of any difference between eversion technique and carotid endarterectomy with patch angioplasty in carotid surgery. These conclusions are based on data obtained in trials with very low certainty according to GRADE and should therefore be interpreted cautiously. Until conclusive evidence is obtained, the standard of care according to ESVS guidelines should not be abandoned.
PubMed: 37288439
DOI: 10.1016/j.sopen.2023.05.003 -
Journal of Vascular Research 2022Of the 200 million patients worldwide affected by peripheral arterial disease (PAD), 4% will inevitably require major limb amputation. Previous systematic reviews... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Of the 200 million patients worldwide affected by peripheral arterial disease (PAD), 4% will inevitably require major limb amputation. Previous systematic reviews presented a conflicting body of evidence in terms of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family member effects upon PAD natural progression. Despite that, modulation of intrinsic angiogenesis mechanisms targeting the VEGF family members still confers an attractive therapeutic target. The aim of the present study was to evaluate current evidence of VEGF modulation in the context of PAD.
METHODS
This is a systematic literature review conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and registered under PROSPERO database [CRD42021285988]. Independent literature search was performed up to April 1, 2022, on six databases. A total of 22 eligible studies were identified [N: 3, interventional patient studies; N: 19, animal studies]. Animal studies were appraised by the SYRCLE risk of bias tool, while human participant studies were assessed by the Newcastle Ottawa scale. Overall, quality of evidence was deemed fair for both animal and human studies. Main study outcomes were percentage change of injured vessel lumen stenosis and neointimal area formation upon VEGF modulation (inhibition or activation) in comparison with control group.
FINDINGS
Nineteen animal models and three human participant studies were included in the systematic review and assessed separately. Positive modulation of VEGF-A in animal models resulted in a median decrease of 65.58% [95% CI 45.2; 71.87] in lumen stenosis [14 studies]. Furthermore, positive modulation of VEGF-A was found to reduce neointimal area proliferation by a median decrease of 63.41% [95% CI 41.6; 79.59] [14 studies]. Median end of study duration was 28 days [range: 14-84 days]. Data were insufficient to assess these outcomes with respect to VEGF-B or VEGF-C modulation. The limited number of available human studies presented inadequate outcome assessment despite their overall fair NOS grading.
INTERPRETATION
VEGF-A-positive modulation decreases lumen stenosis and neointimal hyperplasia in PAD simulation animal models. Previously identified variability among outcomes was found to strongly stem from the variability of experimental designs. Clinical applicability and safety profile of VEGF-A in the context of PAD remain to be defined by a robust and uniformly designed body of further animal model-based experiments.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Constriction, Pathologic; Peripheral Arterial Disease
PubMed: 36380643
DOI: 10.1159/000527079 -
European Journal of Vascular and... Mar 2022The aim was to enhance understanding of the role of platelet biomarkers in the pathogenesis of vascular events and risk stratifying patients with asymptomatic or... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to enhance understanding of the role of platelet biomarkers in the pathogenesis of vascular events and risk stratifying patients with asymptomatic or symptomatic atherosclerotic carotid stenosis.
DATA SOURCES
Systematic review conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement.
REVIEW METHODS
A systematic review collated data from 1975 to 2020 on ex vivo platelet activation and platelet function/reactivity in patients with atherosclerotic carotid stenosis.
RESULTS
Forty-three studies met the inclusion criteria; the majority included patients on antiplatelet therapy. Five studies showed increased platelet biomarkers in patients with ≥ 30% asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) vs. controls, with one neutral study. Preliminary data from one study suggested that quantification of "coated platelets" in combination with stenosis severity may aid risk stratification in patients with ≥ 50% - 99% ACS. Platelets were excessively activated in patients with ≥ 30% symptomatic carotid stenosis (SCS) vs. controls (≥ 11 positive studies and one neutral study). Antiplatelet-High on Treatment Platelet Reactivity (HTPR), previously called "antiplatelet resistance", was observed in 23% - 57% of patients on aspirin, with clopidogrel-HTPR in 25% - 100% of patients with ≥ 50% - 99% ACS. Aspirin-HTPR was noted in 9.5% - 64% and clopidogrel-HTPR in 0 - 83% of patients with ≥ 50% SCS. However, the data do not currently support the use of ex vivo platelet function/reactivity testing to tailor antiplatelet therapy outside of a research setting. Platelets are excessively activated (n = 5), with increased platelet counts (n = 3) in recently symptomatic vs. asymptomatic patients, including those without micro-emboli on transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring (n = 2). Most available studies (n = 7) showed that platelets become more reactive or activated following carotid endarterectomy or stenting, either as an acute phase response to intervention or peri-procedural treatment.
CONCLUSION
Platelets are excessively activated in patients with carotid stenosis vs. controls, in recently symptomatic vs. asymptomatic patients, and may become activated/hyper-reactive following carotid interventions despite commonly prescribed antiplatelet regimens. Further prospective multicentre studies are required to determine whether models combining clinical, neurovascular imaging, and platelet biomarker data can facilitate optimised antiplatelet therapy in individual patients with carotid stenosis.
Topics: Aspirin; Biomarkers; Blood Platelets; Carotid Stenosis; Humans; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Stroke
PubMed: 35181225
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2021.10.045