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Journal of Clinical Medicine May 2023Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a type of vasculitis in which inflammation develops in large vessels, especially in the aorta and its branches. Our study aims to determine... (Review)
Review
Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a type of vasculitis in which inflammation develops in large vessels, especially in the aorta and its branches. Our study aims to determine the prevalence and type of ocular manifestations in TA. A systematic literature search was conducted in December 2022 using three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). The following data were extracted from each article: the name of the first author; the patient's age, sex, and origin (continent); circumstances connected with the diagnosis of TA; symptoms given by the patients; reported ocular manifestations; and administered treatment. The final analysis was based on data collected from 122 cases. Retinal ischemia, followed by optic neuropathy, cataract, and retinal artery occlusion, were the most prevalent eye conditions associated with the disease. Systemic steroid therapy, vascular procedures, and methotrexate were mainly used to treat pulseless disease. Patients mostly complained of gradual vision acuity loss, sudden vision acuity loss, ocular pain, and amaurosis fugax. The diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis should be considered in patients presenting symptoms of visual decline/loss, ocular pain, or signs of retinal ischemia, optic neuropathy, or early cataract formation. A proper diagnosis is crucial to ensure the patient receives treatment without significant delay.
PubMed: 37297942
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12113745 -
European Journal of Vascular and... Apr 2020This study investigates the prognostic significance of pre-operative symptom status and type of symptom in outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the prognostic significance of pre-operative symptom status and type of symptom in outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
METHODS
This review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) to identify studies reporting peri-operative outcomes of CEA in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The last search was conducted in August 2019 and a methodological assessment was performed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. A meta-analysis of outcome data using the odds ratio (OR) as the summary statistic was conducted, and the precision of the effect was reported as 95% confidence interval (CI). Fixed effect or random effects models were used to calculate the pooled estimates.
RESULTS
Eighteen studies reporting a total of 91 895 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Asymptomatic patients had a lower peri-operative risk of stroke (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.45-0.54; p < .001) and death (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.57-0.77; p < .001) than symptomatic patients, but the risk of myocardial infarction was not significantly different (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.84-1.15; p = .82). Those suffering a pre-procedural stroke had an increased peri-operative risk of stroke and death vs. patients suffering a pre-procedural transient ischaemic attack or amaurosis fugax.
CONCLUSION
Patients undergoing CEA after a stroke have worse peri-operative outcomes in terms of stroke and death. Further research needs to be performed to ascertain the value of this finding in risk stratification systems and to investigate potential aetiological associations between pre-operative symptom status and peri-operative risk following a CEA.
Topics: Amaurosis Fugax; Carotid Stenosis; Endarterectomy, Carotid; Humans; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Myocardial Infarction; Postoperative Complications; Preoperative Period; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Stroke; Symptom Assessment; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32081531
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2020.01.022 -
Stroke Aug 2019Background and Purpose- The clinical utility of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in evaluating carotid artery plaque vulnerability remains unclear. Two tracers... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Background and Purpose- The clinical utility of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in evaluating carotid artery plaque vulnerability remains unclear. Two tracers of recent interest for carotid plaque imaging are F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) and F-sodium fluoride (F-NaF). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the association between carotid artery F-FDG or F-NaF uptake and recent or future cerebral ischemic events. Methods- A systematic review of Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, and the Cochrane library was conducted from inception to December 2017 for articles evaluating PET tracer uptake in recently symptomatic versus asymptomatic carotid arteries, and articles evaluating carotid uptake in relation to future ischemic events. Cerebral ischemic events were defined as ipsilateral strokes, transient ischemic attacks, or amaurosis fugax. We quantitatively pooled studies by a random-effects model when 3 or more studies were amenable for analysis. We assessed the standardized mean difference between tracer uptake in the symptomatic versus asymptomatic carotid artery using Cohen's d metric. Results- After screening 4144 unique articles, 13 prospective cohort studies assessing carotid artery F-FDG uptake in patients with recent cerebral ischemia were eligible for review. Eleven cohorts of 290 subjects scanned with F-FDG were eligible for meta-analysis. We found that carotid arteries ipsilateral to recent ischemic events had significantly higher F-FDG uptake than asymptomatic arteries (Cohen's d =0.492; CI=0.130-0.855; P=0.008) as well as significant heterogeneity (Cochran's Q =31.5; P=0.0005; I=68.3%). Meta-regression was not performed due to the limited number of studies in the analysis. Only 2 studies investigating F-NaF PET imaging, and another 2 articles investigating ischemic event recurrence were found. Conclusions- Recent ipsilateral cerebral ischemia may be associated with increased carotid F-FDG uptake on PET imaging regardless of degree of carotid stenosis, although significant heterogeneity was found, and these results should be interpreted with caution. Emerging evidence suggests a similar association may be present with F-NaF plaque uptake. More studies are warranted to provide definitive conclusions on the utility of F-FDG or F-NaF in carotid plaque evaluation before investigating carotid PET as a diagnostic tool for cerebral ischemic events.
Topics: Brain Ischemia; Carotid Stenosis; Humans; Neuroimaging; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Positron-Emission Tomography
PubMed: 31272325
DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.023987 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... 2003Antiplatelet drugs are effective and safe in a wide variety of patients at high risk of vascular ischaemic events. Among patients undergoing vascular surgical... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Antiplatelet drugs are effective and safe in a wide variety of patients at high risk of vascular ischaemic events. Among patients undergoing vascular surgical procedures, these agents significantly reduce the risk of graft or native vessel occlusion. In this context we wished to examine their effects in patients after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this review was to evaluate whether antiplatelet agents are safe and beneficial after endarterectomy of the internal carotid artery.
SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched: 1 October 2002). In addition we performed comprehensive searches of the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2002), MEDLINE (January 1966 to September 2002) and EMBASE (January 1980 to September 2002), and checked all relevant papers for additional eligible studies.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We selected randomised, controlled, unconfounded trials comparing antiplatelet agents with control after carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid stenosis of different degrees. Treatment duration had to be at least 30 days after CEA. Follow-up should be at least three months.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two reviewers selected trials for inclusion, assessed trial quality, and extracted data independently from each other. From each trial we extracted, first the number of patients originally allocated to each treatment group, and, second the number of patients who met the criteria for each outcome (intention-to-treat analysis). We calculated a weighted estimate of the odds for each outcome event across studies using the Peto odds ratio method.
MAIN RESULTS
Six trials involving 907 patients were identified. For 'death (all causes)' the Peto odds ratio of 0.77 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.48-1.24 did not show a statistically significant difference between both treatment groups. For 'stroke (any)' the Peto odds ratio of 0.58 (95%CI: 0.34-0.98) indicated a statistically significant benefit in favour of antiplatelet drugs (p=0.04). Concerning the secondary outcome events 'vascular death', 'stroke or vascular death', 'serious vascular events', 'death or dependency', 'myocardial infarction', 'major extracranial haemorrhage', 'local haemorrhage requiring surgery', 'restenosis', 'TIA or amaurosis fugax', neither any benefit nor any hazard of antiplatelet drugs could be shown. For the outcome events 'intracranial haemorrhage', 'ischaemic stroke' and 'occurrence or progression of contralateral stenosis', data were either too sparse for meaningful analyses, or not available at all.
REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS
Our results may indicate that antiplatelet drugs did not significantly change the odds of 'death' but reduce the outcome 'stroke of any cause' in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. However, it can not be excluded that the beneficial effect in reducing stroke is due to chance. There is a suggestion that antiplatelets may increase the odds of haemorrhage, but there are currently too few data to quantify this effect.
Topics: Amaurosis Fugax; Brain Ischemia; Carotid Artery, Internal; Carotid Stenosis; Endarterectomy, Carotid; Humans; Myocardial Infarction; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Stroke
PubMed: 12917908
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001458 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Dec 1997To identify risk factors for operative stroke and death from carotid endarterectomy. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To identify risk factors for operative stroke and death from carotid endarterectomy.
DESIGN
Systematic review of all studies published since 1980 which related risk of stroke and death to various preoperative clinical and angiographic characteristics, including unpublished data on 1729 patients from the European carotid surgery trial.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Operative risk of stroke and death.
RESULTS
Thirty six published studies fulfilled our criteria. The effect of 14 potential risk factors was examined. The odds of stroke and death were decreased in patients with ocular ischaemia alone (amaurosis fugax or retinal artery occlusion) compared with those with cerebral transient ischaemic attack or stroke (seven studies; odds ratio 0.49; 95% confidence interval 0.37 to 0.66; P < 0.00001). The odds were increased in women (seven studies; 1.44; 1.14 to 1.83; P < 0.005), subjects aged > or = 75 years (10 studies: 1.36; 1.09 to 1.71; P < 0.01), and with systolic blood pressure > 180 mm Hg (four studies; 1.82; 1.37 to 2.41; P < 0.0001), peripheral vascular disease (one study; 2.19; 1.40 to 3.60; P < 0.0005), occlusion of the contralateral internal carotid artery (14 studies; 1.91; 1.35 to 2.69; P < 0.0001), stenosis of the ipsilateral internal carotid siphon (five studies; 1.56; 1.03 to 2.36; P = 0.02), and stenosis of the ipsilateral external carotid artery (one study; 1.61; 1.05 to 2.47; P = 0.03). Operative risk was not significantly related to presentation with cerebral transient ischaemic attack versus stroke, diabetes, angina, recent myocardial infarction, current cigarette smoking, or plaque surface irregularity at angiography. Multiple regression analysis of data from the European carotid surgery trial identified cerebral versus ocular events at presentation, female sex, systolic hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease as independent risk factors.
CONCLUSIONS
The risk of stroke and death from carotid endarterectomy is related to several clinical and angiographic characteristics. These observations may help clinicians to estimate operative risks for individual patients and will also facilitate more meaningful comparison of the operative risks of different surgeons or at different institutions by allowing some adjustment for differences in case mix.
Topics: Aged; Carotid Artery Diseases; Carotid Artery, Internal; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Endarterectomy, Carotid; Female; Humans; Male; Odds Ratio; Prospective Studies; Radiography; Regression Analysis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sex Factors
PubMed: 9437274
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.315.7122.1571