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Journal of Vascular Nursing : Official... Jun 2024Approximately 80% of patients presenting with leg ulcers are venous in origin. However, lack of standardisation of care has a human and financial impact for patients and...
Approximately 80% of patients presenting with leg ulcers are venous in origin. However, lack of standardisation of care has a human and financial impact for patients and service providers. Increases in the aging population and number of patients entering older age with co-morbidities results in increases in the demand for venous leg ulcer treatments. A joint initiative between a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP) in tissue viability and wound care, and a vascular consultant, identified deficits in patient care delivery and quality of life. A joint initiative Implementing the principles of the 'Sláintecare' policy was established as the Leg Ulcer Centre Ireland (LUCI) to deliver a pathway for the treatment and management of lower limb venous ulcers. The RANP provides a "one stop shop" for patients, offering a complete care package from diagnosis to surgical intervention - endovenous ablation, follow-up post operative care and discharge. Audit findings include; reduced hospital admissions and waiting times; increased patient satisfaction; and, improved interdisciplinary integrated referral pathways. The RANP offers an effective, efficient diagnosis-to-end treatment service for patients. The results demonstrate improved treatment, cost outcomes and value-based outcomes for patients. The new integrated service facilitates expansion of the service and further enhancement of the nursing skills and role.
Topics: Humans; Ireland; Nurse Practitioners; Varicose Ulcer; Quality of Life; Patient Satisfaction; Practice Patterns, Nurses'; Leg Ulcer
PubMed: 38823970
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvn.2024.02.003 -
Journal of Vascular Surgery. Venous and... May 2024The aim of this study was to assess the utilization of surgical interventions in patients diagnosed with superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) and its potential association...
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the utilization of surgical interventions in patients diagnosed with superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) and its potential association with the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding events.
METHODS
INSIGHTS-SVT, a prospective, non-interventional, multicenter study in Germany, investigated the management and outcomes of patients with acute SVT who received conservative and/or invasive treatments at the discretion of the treating physician.
RESULTS
Among the 872 patients with 12-month data, 657 had medical therapy only, and 215 patients underwent vascular surgery (70 within 3 months of SVT diagnosis, 136 between months 4 and 12, and nine had an intervention in both periods). The most commonly performed procedures included endovenous thermal ablation, ligation of the saphenofemoral or saphenopopliteal junction, and vein stripping. The primary outcome of symptomatic VTE was observed in 5.8% of conservatively treated patients and 6.3% of those who underwent surgical intervention. Additionally, the secondary outcome of recurrent or extended SVT was documented in 4.7% of conservatively treated patients and 5.3% of invasively treated patients. Bleeding events occurred in 1.4% of conservatively treated patients and 2.1% of surgically treated patients. These differences were statistically not significant. Furthermore, our analysis indicated a potential protective effect associated with surgical treatments, such as ligation of the saphenofemoral or saphenopopliteal junction, stripping and endovenous thermal ablation, concerning the endpoint of VTE for patients when applied after 3 months from the index SVT event.
CONCLUSIONS
In line with previous research, our study suggests that surgical interventions are not frequently employed in the management of SVT, although they may be warranted in select cases. Nevertheless, additional research is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the indications, criteria, and benefit of surgical interventions in the treatment of SVT.
PubMed: 38821188
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2024.101917 -
Frontiers in Genetics 2024Varicose veins (VV) are a common chronic venous disease that is influenced by multiple factors. It affects the quality of life of patients and imposes a huge economic...
BACKGROUND
Varicose veins (VV) are a common chronic venous disease that is influenced by multiple factors. It affects the quality of life of patients and imposes a huge economic burden on the healthcare system. This study aimed to use integrated analysis methods, including Mendelian randomization analysis, to identify potential pathogenic genes and drug targets for VV treatment.
METHODS
This study conducted Summary-data-based Mendelian Randomization (SMR) analysis and colocalization analysis on data collected from genome-wide association studies and cis-expression quantitative trait loci databases. Only genes with PP.H4 > 0.7 in colocalization were chosen from the significant SMR results. After the above analysis, we screened 12 genes and performed Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis on them. After sensitivity analysis, we identified four genes with potential causal relationships with VV. Finally, we used transcriptome-wide association studies and The Drug-Gene Interaction Database data to identify and screen the remaining genes and identified four drug targets for the treatment of VV.
RESULTS
We identified four genes significantly associated with VV, namely, [Odds ratio (OR) = 1.08, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.11, = 1.42e-10] and (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.06-1.20, = 6.90e-5), (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.11, = 1.42e-2) and (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81-0.95, = 3.67e-3). Increased expression of three genes, namely, , , and , was associated with increased risk of the disease, and increased expression of was associated with decreased risk of the disease. These four genes could be targeted for VV therapy.
CONCLUSION
We identified four potential causal proteins for varicose veins with MR. A comprehensive analysis indicated that , , , and might be potential drug targets for varicose veins.
PubMed: 38818040
DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1385293 -
World Journal of Clinical Cases May 2024Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common medical emergency that has a 10% hospital mortality rate. According to the etiology, this disease can be divided into...
BACKGROUND
Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common medical emergency that has a 10% hospital mortality rate. According to the etiology, this disease can be divided into acute varicose veins and nonvaricose veins. Bleeding from esophageal varices is a life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is a clinical syndrome defined as a portal venous pressure that exceeds 10 mmHg. Cirrhosis is the most common cause of portal hypertension, and thrombosis of the portal system not associated with liver cirrhosis is the second most common cause of portal hypertension in the Western world. Primary myeloproliferative disorders are the main cause of portal venous thrombosis, and somatic mutations in the gene () can be found in approximately 90% of polycythemia vera, 50% of essential thrombocyrosis and 50% of primary myelofibrosis.
CASE SUMMARY
We present a rare case of primary myelofibrosis with gastrointestinal bleeding as the primary manifestation that presented as portal-superior-splenic mesenteric vein thrombosis. Peripheral blood tests revealed the presence of the mutation. Bone marrow biopsy ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of myelofibrosis (MF-2 grade).
CONCLUSION
In patients with acute esophageal variceal bleeding due to portal hypertension and vein thrombosis without cirrhosis, the possibility of myeloproliferative neoplasms should be considered, and the mutation test should be performed.
PubMed: 38817215
DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i15.2621 -
Acta Dermato-venereologica May 2024Martorell hypertensive ischaemic leg ulcer (Martorell HYTILU) is a rare but significant cause of distal leg ulcers. Although hypertension and diabetes are known factors... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Martorell hypertensive ischaemic leg ulcer (Martorell HYTILU) is a rare but significant cause of distal leg ulcers. Although hypertension and diabetes are known factors in its development, the precise pathogenesis of Martorell HYTILU remains elusive. To reach a better understanding of Martorell HYTILU, transcriptomic analysis was conducted through RNA sequencing and immunohistochemical comparison of Martorell HYTILU (n = 17) with chronic venous ulcers (n = 4) and healthy skin (n = 4). Gene expression analysis showed a marked activation of immune-related pathways in both Martorell HYTILU and chronic venous ulcers compared with healthy skin. Notably, neutrophil activity was substantially higher in Martorell HYTILU. While pathway analysis revealed a mild downregulation of several immune pathways in Martorell HYTILU compared with chronic venous ulcers, keratinization, cornification, and epidermis development were significantly upregulated in Martorell HYTILU. Additionally, STAC2, a gene encoding for a protein promoting the expression of the calcium channel Cav1.1, was significantly upregulated in Martorell HYTILU and was detected perivascularly in situ (Martorell HYTILU n = 24; chronic venous ulcers n = 9, healthy skin n = 11). The high expression of STAC2 in Martorell HYTILU suggests that increased calcium influx plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Consequently, calcium channel antagonists could be a promising treatment avenue for Martorell HYTILU.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Varicose Ulcer; Aged; Chronic Disease; Hypertension; Middle Aged; Skin; Ischemia; Gene Expression Profiling; Transcriptome; Case-Control Studies; Leg Ulcer; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 38813744
DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v104.40090 -
Endoscopy Dec 2024
Bleeding parastomal varices in a case of decompensated cirrhosis with tubercular abdominal cocoon: endoscopic ultrasound-guided angioembolization with coil and glue to the rescue.
Topics: Humans; Embolization, Therapeutic; Endosonography; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Liver Cirrhosis; Male; Varicose Veins; Middle Aged; Ultrasonography, Interventional; Esophageal and Gastric Varices
PubMed: 38810976
DOI: 10.1055/a-2316-0994 -
Annals of Vascular Surgery May 2024The primary aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of introducing a digital health education tool (dHET) for varicose vein surgery.
BACKGROUND
The primary aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of introducing a digital health education tool (dHET) for varicose vein surgery.
METHODS
This randomized, feasibility study allocated 40 patients, into dHET (n = 20) or standard consent (SC) (n = 20) groups. Primary outcomes were related to feasibility. Secondary outcomes were knowledge recall, anxiety, and satisfaction.
RESULTS
Recruitment and retention rates were 100% and 97.5%, respectively. Acceptability was also rated high, confirming feasibility. There was also no evidence of a difference between groups for early knowledge recall (14 [12-17] vs. 14 [11-16]; P = 0.72) or delayed (at 2 weeks) knowledge recall (15 [13-16] vs. 15 [13-16]; P = 0.89). The dHET module took significantly longer to complete compared to SC (13 min [12-18] vs. 9 min [8-12]; P < 0.01). However, the control group asked significantly more questions about the intended procedure (P = 0.03). There was no evidence of a difference between groups for patient anxiety or satisfaction.
CONCLUSIONS
This trial shows that the addition of a dHET is feasible and noninferior to SC. Digital consent provides a unique opportunity to promote patient education and autonomy for better shared decision making. It also offers better documentation of the consent process.
PubMed: 38810723
DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2024.02.030 -
Journal of Vascular Surgery. Venous and... May 2024This study aimed to evaluate whether differences exist in the quality of life changes and complication rates after treatment of incompetent saphenous vein (ISV) based on...
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate whether differences exist in the quality of life changes and complication rates after treatment of incompetent saphenous vein (ISV) based on the presence of segmental popliteal vein reflux (SPVR).
METHODS
Patients who underwent treatment for ISV from July 2016 to July 2021 were included and divided into two groups: patients without deep venous reflux (DVR) and patients with SPVR. Patients with axial DVR, a history of deep vein thrombosis, a history of orthopedic surgery, previous venous treatment, and no postoperative follow-up were excluded from the study. Duplex ultrasound examination was performed preoperatively and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively.
RESULTS
The study included 233 patients (398 limbs), and 50 (64 limbs) had SPVR. Differences were not observed in gender, age, body mass index, distribution of clinical class according to Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Physiology classification, laterality, treatment method, and preoperative Venous Clinical Severity Score or Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire scores between the two groups with SPVR or without DVR. Furthermore, the Venous Clinical Severity Score and Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire scores at 6 and 12 months postoperatively were improved in both groups, although without significant differences. A significant difference was not observed in the rate of postoperative complications between the groups based on the presence of SPVR (1.8% vs 1.6%: P = .896). The SPVR improvement rate after ISV treatment was 25% (16/64), and patient-reported outcomes in patients combined with SPVR improved independent of treatment modality, saphenous vein treatment section, and postoperative SPVR improvement.
CONCLUSIONS
Complication rates and clinical outcomes after ISV treatment did not differ in the presence of SPVR. In patients with SPVR, after ISV treatment, quality of life improved regardless of treatment modality, saphenous vein treatment section, and postoperative SPVR improvement.
PubMed: 38810693
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2024.101918 -
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative... May 2024
PubMed: 38795578
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2024.100931 -
Frontiers in Surgery 2024To compare the analgesic effects of specific tumescent anesthetic solutions composed of lidocaine, ropivacaine, or a combination of lidocaine and ropivacaine during...
OBJECTIVE
To compare the analgesic effects of specific tumescent anesthetic solutions composed of lidocaine, ropivacaine, or a combination of lidocaine and ropivacaine during endovenous radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of great saphenous vein varicosities.
METHOD
This study included 149 patients with lower limb varicose veins who were admitted to our department between 2019 and 2023. The patients were randomly assigned to three groups: the lidocaine group (Group I), the ropivacaine group (Group II), and the lidocaine + ropivacaine group (Group III). Intraoperative vital signs, intraoperative and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, and long-term treatment outcomes were assessed using the venous clinical severity score (VCSS) based on clinical performance.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in age, body mass index, operative time, or blood loss among the three groups ( ≥ 0.05). The differences in the mean arterial pressure and heart rate during surgery in Group II were significantly greater than those in Groups I and III ( < 0.05). The intraoperative VAS scores in Group II were higher than those in Groups I and III ( < 0.05) and at 8 and 12 h postoperatively. There were no significant differences in VCSS among the groups ( ≥ 0.05).
CONCLUSION
The use of a tumescent anesthetic solution composed of lidocaine and ropivacaine significantly improved patient comfort during the perioperative period without affecting surgical outcomes. This formulation can be considered safe and reliable for preparing tumescent anesthesia solutions.
PubMed: 38783860
DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2024.1359474