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The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jul 2021A dissection of the aorta is a separation or tear of the intima from the media. This tear allows blood to flow not only through the original aortic flow channel (known...
BACKGROUND
A dissection of the aorta is a separation or tear of the intima from the media. This tear allows blood to flow not only through the original aortic flow channel (known as the true lumen), but also through a second channel between the intima and media (known as the false lumen). Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition which can be rapidly fatal. There is debate on the optimal surgical approach for aortic arch dissection. People with ascending aortic dissection have poor rates of survival. Currently open surgical repair is regarded as the standard treatment for aortic arch dissection. We intend to review the role of hybrid and open repair in aortic arch dissection.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness and safety of a hybrid technique of treatment over conventional open repair in the management of aortic arch dissection.
SEARCH METHODS
The Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and AMED databases and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 8 February 2021. We also undertook reference checking for additional studies.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs), which compared the effects of hybrid repair techniques versus open surgical repair of aortic arch dissection. Outcomes of interest were dissection-related mortality and all-cause mortality, neurological deficit, cardiac injury, respiratory compromise, renal ischaemia, false lumen thrombosis (defined by partial or complete thrombosis) and mesenteric ischaemia.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently screened all records identified by the literature searches to identify those that met our inclusion criteria. We planned to undertake data collection and analysis in accordance with recommendations described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We planned to assess the certainty of the evidence using GRADE.
MAIN RESULTS
We identified one ongoing study and two unpublished studies that met the inclusion criteria for the review. Due to a lack of study data, we could not compare the outcomes of hybrid repair to conventional open repair for aortic arch dissection.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
This review revealed one ongoing RCT and two unpublished RCTs evaluating hybrid versus conventional open repair for aortic arch surgery. Observational data suggest that hybrid repair for aortic arch dissection could potentially be favourable, but conclusions can not be drawn from these studies, which are highly selective, and are based on the clinical status of the patient, the presence of comorbidities and the skills of the operators. However, a conclusion about its definitive benefit over conventional open surgical repair cannot be made from this review without published RCTs or CCTs. Future RCTs or CCTs need to have adequate sample sizes and follow-up, and assess clinically-relevant outcomes, in order to determine the optimal treatment for people with aortic arch dissection. It must be noted that this may not be feasible, due to the reasons mentioned.
Topics: Aortic Dissection; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic; Combined Modality Therapy; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Vascular Grafting
PubMed: 34304394
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012920.pub2 -
International Journal of Surgery... Nov 2021To study the mid- and long-term outcomes of type II endoleak treatment after EVAR and the technical aspects of different techniques to exclude endoleaks which different... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To study the mid- and long-term outcomes of type II endoleak treatment after EVAR and the technical aspects of different techniques to exclude endoleaks which different embolic agents.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed using the approach recommended by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for meta-analyses of interventional studies. The comprehensive search was conducted using the following database: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Patient characteristic, intervention approaches, embolic agents, and results at mid and long term follow up were studied.
RESULTS
A total of 6 studies corresponding to a total of 141 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria with a mean age of 73-78.6 years and a mean duration of follow up varying from 25 to 42 months. There were different techniques for embolization used (translumbar, transarterial, and transcaval approach) with various types of embolic agents. In all studies, the indication for embolization of the type II endoleaks was sac enlargement of more than 5 mm. A wide range of technical success rate was reported regardless of the intervention strategy being used (17,6%-100%). The overall technical success rate of all studies was 62%.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review shows that there is a wide variety of techniques to exclude a persistent type II endoleak. Different kinds of embolic agents have be used. Due to a lack of peer reviewed data on longterm follow-up, it was not possible to come to recommendations what treatment would be the best for a durable exclusion of a persistent type II endoleak after an initially successful EVAR. There remains an urgent need for proper executed studies, either randomized or with close observation in relation to longer follow-up.
Topics: Aged; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal; Embolization, Therapeutic; Endoleak; Endovascular Procedures; Humans
PubMed: 34637951
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2021.106138 -
European Journal of Vascular and... Apr 2022Increased aortic stiffness (AoS) has been recognised as a risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Increased aortic stiffness (AoS) has been recognised as a risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the impact of aortic repair on AoS.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched systematically for relevant studies evaluating the consequences of endovascular and open aortic repair on AoS.
REVIEW METHODS
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement was followed to perform the research process. Papers containing data on AoS before and after both thoracic (TEVAR) and abdominal (EVAR) endovascular repair, as well as open surgical repair (OSR), were included for detailed evaluation. A fixed effects model was used to perform analysis. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was calculated for each included study.
RESULTS
The first article cluster comprised 367 papers. After removal of duplicates and the adoption of inclusion/exclusion criteria, 14 articles remained, 13 of which were selected for meta-analysis. Ten studies analysed EVAR and three analysed TEVAR. Five of the selected papers were case control studies, with OSR adopted in four of these as the EVAR comparator. Several graft types were used in the endovascular group. AoS increased after TEVAR and EVAR, in terms of pulse wave velocity (PWV), even though several spatial levels and measurement modalities were adopted. No differences were described after OSR, although no pooled data could be analysed.
CONCLUSION
EVAR and TEVAR both demonstrated a significant increase in AoS measurement (PWV). Although the heterogeneity and the low number of available studies limit the strength of the results, this review highlights the potential deleterious endograft role in the cardiovascular system although further studies are needed to achieve robust evidence. Further studies are needed to improve the mutual interaction between aorta and endograft, minimising their impact on the native aortic wall properties.
Topics: Aorta; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; Endovascular Procedures; Humans; Pulse Wave Analysis; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome; Vascular Stiffness
PubMed: 35283000
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2022.01.008 -
European Journal of Vascular and... Mar 2023Previous studies imply a profound residual mortality risk following successful abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA) repair. This excess mortality is generally attributed to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Excess Mortality for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms and the Potential of Strict Implementation of Cardiovascular Risk Management: A Multifaceted Study Integrating Meta-Analysis, National Registry, and PHAST and TEDY Trial Data.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies imply a profound residual mortality risk following successful abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA) repair. This excess mortality is generally attributed to increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was (1) to quantify the excess residual mortality for patients with AAA, (2) to evaluate the cross sectional level of cardiovascular risk management, and (3) to estimate the potential of optimised cardiovascular risk management to reduce the excess mortality in these patients.
METHODS
Excess mortality was estimated through a systematic review and meta-analysis, and through data from the Swedish National Health Registry. Cardiovascular risk profiles were individually assessed during eligibility screening of patients with AAA for two multicentre pharmaceutical AAA stabilisation trials. The potential of full implementation of cardiovascular risk management was estimated through the validated Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease (SMART) risk scores algorithm.
RESULTS
The meta-analysis showed a similarly impaired survival for patients who received early repair (small AAA) or regular repair (≥ 55 mm), and a further impaired survival for patients under surveillance for a small AAA. Excess mortality was further quantified using Swedish population data. The data revealed a more than quadrupled and doubled five year mortality rate for women and men who had their AAA repaired, respectively. Evaluation of the level of risk management of 358 patients under surveillance in 16 Dutch hospitals showed that the majority of patients with AAA did not meet therapeutic targets set for risk management in high risk populations, and indicated a more pronounced prevention gap in women. Application of the SMART risk score algorithm predicted that optimal implementation of risk management guidelines would reduce the 10 year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events from 43% to 14%.
CONCLUSION
Independent of the rupture risk, AAA is associated with a worryingly compromised life expectancy with a particularly poor prognosis for women. Optimal implementation of cardiovascular risk prevention guidelines is predicted to profoundly reduce cardiovascular risk.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Risk Factors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cross-Sectional Studies; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal
PubMed: 36460276
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2022.11.019 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Vascular calcifications in aorto-iliac arteries are emerging as crucial risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) with profound clinical implications. This... (Review)
Review
Vascular calcifications in aorto-iliac arteries are emerging as crucial risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) with profound clinical implications. This systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, investigated methodologies for measuring these calcifications and explored their correlation with CVDs and clinical outcomes. Out of 698 publications, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. In total, 7 studies utilized manual methods, while 4 studies utilized automated technologies, including artificial intelligence and deep learning for image analyses. Age, systolic blood pressure, serum calcium, and lipoprotein(a) levels were found to be independent risk factors for aortic calcification. Mortality from CVDs was correlated with abdominal aorta calcification. Patients requiring reintervention after endovascular recanalization exhibited a significantly higher volume of calcification in their iliac arteries. Conclusions: This review reveals a diverse landscape of measurement methods for aorto-iliac calcifications; however, they lack a standardized reproducibility assessment. Automatic methods employing artificial intelligence appear to offer broader applicability and are less time-consuming. Assessment of calcium scoring could be routinely employed during preoperative workups for risk stratification and detailed surgical planning. Additionally, its correlation with clinical outcomes could be useful in predicting the risk of reinterventions and amputations.
PubMed: 38786352
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14101053 -
Folia Morphologica 2021The aim of this study is to present the level of aortic bifurcation in a sample of Greek origin (case series) and to perform an up-to-date systematic review in the...
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to present the level of aortic bifurcation in a sample of Greek origin (case series) and to perform an up-to-date systematic review in the existing literature.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seventy-six formalin-fixed adult cadavers were dissected and studied in order to research the level of aortic bifurcation. Additionally, PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched for eligible articles concerning the level of aortic bifurcation for the period up to February 2020.
RESULTS
The mean level of aortic bifurcation according to our case series was the lower third of the L4 vertebral body (21/76, 27.6%). The level of aortic bifurcation ranged between the lower third of the L3 vertebral body and the lower third of the L5 body. No statistically significant correlation was found between the two sexes. The systematic review of the literature revealed 31 articles which were considered eligible and a total number of 3537 specimens were retracted. According to the recorded findings the most common mean level of aortic bifurcation was the body of L4 vertebra (1495/3537 cases, 42.2%), while the range of aortic bifurcation was described to occur from upper third of L3 vertebrae to the upper third of the S1 vertebrae in the 52.8% of the cases (1866/3537).
CONCLUSIONS
The mean level of AA corresponds to the body of L4 and presents a great range (form L3U to S1U). Knowledge of the mean level of aortic bifurcation and its probable ranges is of great significance for interventional radiologists and especially vascular surgeons that deal with aneurism proximal to the aortic bifurcation.
Topics: Adult; Aorta, Abdominal; Cadaver; Greece; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Sacrum
PubMed: 32488853
DOI: 10.5603/FM.a2020.0064 -
Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) Nov 2020Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that promotes cell survival by recycling nutrients and degrading long-lived proteins and dysfunctional organelles, is an...
Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that promotes cell survival by recycling nutrients and degrading long-lived proteins and dysfunctional organelles, is an important defense mechanism, and its attenuation has been well documented in senescence and aging-related diseases. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a well-known aging-related disease, has been defined as a chronic degenerative process in the abdominal aortic wall; however, the complete mechanism is unknown, and a clinical treatment is lacking. Accumulating evidence has recently revealed that numerous drugs that can induce autophagy are effective in the treatment of AAA. The purpose of this systematic review was to focus on the cross-talk between autophagy and high-risk factors and the potential pathogenesis of AAA to understand not only the host defense and pathogenesis but also potential treatments.
Topics: Animals; Aorta, Abdominal; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal; Autophagy; Humans
PubMed: 32960711
DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2020.1823731 -
Annals of Vascular Surgery Jan 2020This study aimed to synthesize data from recently published literature to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment (EVT) for infrarenal aortic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to synthesize data from recently published literature to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment (EVT) for infrarenal aortic occlusion (IAO).
METHODS
The PubMed and Embase were searched to identify all studies reporting EVT for IAO from January 1st, 2000 to December 31st, 2017. Information about patients' characteristics, comorbidities, technical success, mortality, complications, and patency was collected and analyzed.
RESULTS
9 articles consisting of 220 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Patients often had severe symptoms and many comorbidities. The overall technical success and periprocedural mortality was 95.64% (95% confidence interval [CI], 88.60%-99.42%) and 0.35% (95% CI, 0.00% to 2.33%). In successful cases, ankle-brachial index was raised from 0.42 to 0.91. The complication described in one article is of the whole samples and that of the technical success cases was not represented separately. We made the meta-analysis on the other 8 articles. Periprocedural complications included vascular complications (11.35% [95% CI: 3.50%-19.20%]) mainly pseudoaneurysm, thromboses, hematoma, and dissections; limb complications 8.28% (95% CI: 4.86%-13.77%); and renal complications 1.25% (95% CI: 0.00%-3.65%). In an article, vascular complications of whole samples were 12.24%, limb complication 6.12%, and renal complication 10.20%. Overall primary patency was 93.53% (95% CI: 89.37%-97.68%) at 1 year, 78.96% (95% CI: 72.26%-84.96%) at 3 years, and 75.31% (95% CI: 66.42%-84.20%) at 5 years. Overall secondary patency was 98.25% (95% CI: 95.50%-99.73%) at 1 year, 95.92% (95% CI: 89.25%-99.47%) at 3 years, and 94.02% (95% CI: 88.10%-98.00%) at 5 years.
CONCLUSIONS
EVT for IAO is acceptable with relatively high technical success rate, low mortality, and satisfying short-term patency. Although primary patency was lower than after surgery, secondary patency was roughly similar to that of surgical repair. However, this conclusion is based on retrospective observational studies, and the results could be imprecise due to the limited sample sizes, especially in midterm and long-term patency. More studies with longer follow-up and bigger sample size are needed to further elucidate this.
Topics: Aged; Angioplasty, Balloon; Aorta, Abdominal; Aortic Diseases; Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Recurrence; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Stents; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Vascular Patency
PubMed: 31415817
DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2019.05.034 -
Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and... Jun 2020Abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) is a potentially severe condition. To date, arterial embolization in women with postpartum hemorrhage due to AIP is the treatment... (Review)
Review
Abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) is a potentially severe condition. To date, arterial embolization in women with postpartum hemorrhage due to AIP is the treatment option for which highest degrees of evidence are available. However, other techniques have been tested, including prophylactic catheter placement, balloon occlusion of the iliac arteries and abdominal aorta balloon occlusion. In this systematic review, we provide an overview of the currently reported interventional radiology procedures that are used for the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage due to AIP and suggest recommendations based on current evidences. Owing to a high rate of adverse events, prophylactic occlusion of internal iliac arteries should be used with caution and applied when the endpoint is hysterectomy. On the opposite, when a conservative management is considered to preserve future fertility, uterine artery embolization should be the preferred option as it is associated with a hysterectomy rate of 15.5% compared to 76.5% with prophylactic balloon occlusion of the internal iliac arteries and does not result in fetal irradiation. Limited data are available regarding the application of systematic prophylactic embolization and no comparative studies with arterial embolization are available.
PubMed: 32550143
DOI: 10.21037/qims-20-548 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jul 2021An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an abnormal dilation in the diameter of the abdominal aorta of 50% or more of the normal diameter or greater than 3 cm in total.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an abnormal dilation in the diameter of the abdominal aorta of 50% or more of the normal diameter or greater than 3 cm in total. The risk of rupture increases with the diameter of the aneurysm, particularly above a diameter of approximately 5.5 cm. Perioperative and postoperative morbidity is common following elective repair in people with AAA. Prehabilitation or preoperative exercise is the process of enhancing an individual's functional capacity before surgery to improve postoperative outcomes. Studies have evaluated exercise interventions for people waiting for AAA repair, but the results of these studies are conflicting.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of exercise programmes on perioperative and postoperative morbidity and mortality associated with elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 6 July 2020. We also examined the included study reports' bibliographies to identify other relevant articles.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining exercise interventions compared with usual care (no exercise; participants maintained normal physical activity) for people waiting for AAA repair.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion, assessed the included studies, extracted data and resolved disagreements by discussion. We assessed the methodological quality of studies using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and collected results related to the outcomes of interest: post-AAA repair mortality; perioperative and postoperative complications; length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay; length of hospital stay; number of days on a ventilator; change in aneurysm size pre- and post-exercise; and quality of life. We used GRADE to evaluate certainty of the evidence. For dichotomous outcomes, we calculated the risk ratio (RR) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI).
MAIN RESULTS
This review identified four RCTs with a total of 232 participants with clinically diagnosed AAA deemed suitable for elective intervention, comparing prehabilitation exercise therapy with usual care (no exercise). The prehabilitation exercise therapy was supervised and hospital-based in three of the four included trials, and in the remaining trial the first session was supervised in hospital, but subsequent sessions were completed unsupervised in the participants' homes. The dose and schedule of the prehabilitation exercise therapy varied across the trials with three to six sessions per week and a duration of one hour per session for a period of one to six weeks. The types of exercise therapy included circuit training, moderate-intensity continuous exercise and high-intensity interval training. All trials were at a high risk of bias. The certainty of the evidence for each of our outcomes was low to very low. We downgraded the certainty of the evidence because of risk of bias and imprecision (small sample sizes). Overall, we are uncertain whether prehabilitation exercise compared to usual care (no exercise) reduces the occurrence of 30-day (or longer if reported) mortality post-AAA repair (RR 1.33, 95% CI 0.31 to 5.77; 3 trials, 192 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Compared to usual care (no exercise), prehabilitation exercise may decrease the occurrence of cardiac complications (RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.92; 1 trial, 124 participants; low-certainty evidence) and the occurrence of renal complications (RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.88; 1 trial, 124 participants; low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether prehabilitation exercise, compared to usual care (no exercise), decreases the occurrence of pulmonary complications (RR 0.49, 95% 0.26 to 0.92; 2 trials, 144 participants; very low-certainty evidence), decreases the need for re-intervention (RR 1.29, 95% 0.33 to 4.96; 2 trials, 144 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or decreases postoperative bleeding (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.18 to 1.80; 1 trial, 124 participants; very low-certainty evidence). There was little or no difference between the exercise and usual care (no exercise) groups in length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay and quality of life. None of the studies reported data for the number of days on a ventilator and change in aneurysm size pre- and post-exercise outcomes.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Due to very low-certainty evidence, we are uncertain whether prehabilitation exercise therapy reduces 30-day mortality, pulmonary complications, need for re-intervention or postoperative bleeding. Prehabilitation exercise therapy might slightly reduce cardiac and renal complications compared with usual care (no exercise). More RCTs of high methodological quality, with large sample sizes and long-term follow-up, are needed. Important questions should include the type and cost-effectiveness of exercise programmes, the minimum number of sessions and programme duration needed to effect clinically important benefits, and which groups of participants and types of repair benefit most.
Topics: Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal; Bias; Circuit-Based Exercise; Elective Surgical Procedures; Heart Diseases; High-Intensity Interval Training; Humans; Kidney Diseases; Lung Diseases; Physical Conditioning, Human; Postoperative Complications; Postoperative Hemorrhage; Preoperative Exercise; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Reoperation; Time Factors
PubMed: 34236703
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013662.pub2