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International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2022Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are the most common type of leg ulcers with a significant socioeconomic burden due to slow healing. Cytokines may be involved in the... (Review)
Review
Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are the most common type of leg ulcers with a significant socioeconomic burden due to slow healing. Cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of VLUs. In this systematic review, our objective was to investigate the association between cytokine levels, including growth factors, with the healing of VLUs. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were searched from their inception to August 2021. We retrieved 28 articles investigating 38 different cytokines in 790 patients. Cytokines were most commonly investigated in wound fluid and less frequently in biopsies and serum. The studies were judged as having a moderate to high risk of bias, and the results were often inconsistent and sometimes conflicting. A meta-analysis was not performed due to clinical and methodological heterogeneities. We found weak evidence for elevated IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and VEGF levels in non-healing VLUs, an elevation that declined with healing. TGF-β1 levels tended to increase with VLU healing. Other cytokines warranting further investigations include EGF, FGF-2, GM-CSF, IL-1β, IL-1Ra and PDGF-AA/PDGF-BB. We conclude that non-healing VLUs may be associated with an elevation of a palette of pro-inflammatory cytokines, possibly reflecting activated innate immunity in these wounds. There is a paucity of reliable longitudinal studies monitoring the dynamic changes in cytokine levels during wound healing.
Topics: Cytokines; Humans; Leg Ulcer; Varicose Ulcer; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Wound Healing
PubMed: 35742965
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126526 -
Wound Repair and Regeneration :... Jul 2022The primary objective of this systematic review was to identify which quality of life instruments have been applied in published studies of patients with active venous... (Review)
Review
The primary objective of this systematic review was to identify which quality of life instruments have been applied in published studies of patients with active venous leg ulcers. Our secondary objective was to map the measurement properties of each identified quality of life instrument and to inform future recommendations for clinical practice and research. We searched CINAHL, Ovid Medline, Ovid Emcare and ProQuest to identify studies published from 1 January 2000 to 31 July 2021. Eleven studies that utilised quality of life instruments in adults with active venous leg ulcers met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen quality of life instruments were identified as some studies utilised both generic and condition-specific quality of life instruments. Six out of nine (6/9) instruments were rated 'very good' of methodological quality on internal consistency; 1/7 studies rated 'adequate' on reliability; 2/4 rated 'adequate' on content validity; 3/6 studies rated 'adequate' on structural validity; 5/6 rated 'adequate' on hypotheses testing for construct and 2/6 studies rated 'adequate' on responsiveness. There is limited evidence of measurement properties of quality of life instruments for people with active venous leg ulcers. The Venous Leg Ulcer Quality of Life Questionnaire (VLU-QoL) could be provisionally recommended for use although from our review it is clear further studies to assess VLU-QoL measurement properties are needed to inform future recommendations for clinical practice and research.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Quality of Life; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires; Varicose Ulcer; Wound Healing
PubMed: 35639021
DOI: 10.1111/wrr.13034 -
The Journal of International Medical... May 2022The appearance of severe vulvovaginal varicosities (VVs) is challenging in pregnancy. The management of VVs may require a multidisciplinary approach, including...
The appearance of severe vulvovaginal varicosities (VVs) is challenging in pregnancy. The management of VVs may require a multidisciplinary approach, including radiologists, vascular surgeons, and obstetricians. We report a rare case of enormous VVs and pubic varicosities and summarize similar cases in the literature. A woman in her 20s with a full-term pregnancy visited our hospital for severe VVs and pubic varicosities. She had been in a spoke maternity unit where a cesarean section was scheduled. After a multidisciplinary evaluation, we offered her the chance to have a vaginal delivery (VD). The woman had an uneventful VD, and VVs disappeared after 40 days. A comprehensive literature search on this topic showed 11 cases of VVs during pregnancy (five VDs and six cesarean sections). The presence of VVs represented the indication for surgery in 70% of cases. Severe complications occurred in 20% of VDs vs. 50% of CSs. In pregnant women with VVs, the risk-benefit ratio suggests a chance of having VD.
Topics: Cesarean Section; Delivery, Obstetric; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; Vaginal Diseases; Varicose Veins; Vulvar Diseases; Young Adult
PubMed: 35635336
DOI: 10.1177/03000605221097764 -
International Angiology : a Journal of... Aug 2022Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a possible complication after varicose vein surgery, reported after both open and endovascular interventions. Nonetheless, there are no...
INTRODUCTION
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a possible complication after varicose vein surgery, reported after both open and endovascular interventions. Nonetheless, there are no internationally accepted recommendations regarding postoperative VTE prevention strategies, with some authors advocating for its use, while others recommend against it. This study aims to systematically review current evidence on the efficacy and safety of chemothromboprophylactic strategies after varicose vein surgery.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
A literature search was performed on the MEDLINE, Scopus, SciELO and Web of Science databases, which returned 532 studies. Ten studies were included. Data were extracted using piloted forms.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
A total of 6929 patients were included for analysis, out of which 70.4% were treated by open surgery (N.=4878) and 29.6% by endovenous procedures (N.=2051; 79.1% EVLA; 20.9% RFA). VTE chemothromboprophylaxis was performed in 76.3% of the patients (N.=5284), from which 62.5% were treated by open surgery (N.=3301) and 37.5% by endovenous interventions (N.=1983). Among those treated by open surgery, reported deep venous thrombosis (DVT) rates ranged between 0-6.25%, while pulmonary embolism (PE) was reported in 0-0.07% of the cases. Regarding endovenous interventions, EHIT and DVT rates ranged between 0-2.5% and 0-0.9%, respectively, with no cases of PE described. The remaining 23.7% of the patients did not underwent VTE chemothromboprophylaxis (N.=1645), with DVT and PE rates after open surgery ranging between 0-5.17% and 0-1.48%, respectively. Only one study reported thrombotic complications after endovenous interventions in this subgroup of patients, with postoperative EHIT rates of 7.3%, and no information regarding PE or DVT. Bleeding complications were higher in patients undergoing chemothromboprophylaxis (0-10.2%) when compared to those who did not (0-0.18%), and were more frequent after endovenous interventions (0-10.2% versus 0-0.75% after open surgery).
CONCLUSIONS
VTE is a possible complication after both open and endovascular varicose vein procedures, although overall VTE complications occur less frequently after endovascular interventions. There's a clear heterogeneity regarding peri and postoperative chemoprophylaxis regimens used. Further studies are required to stratify risk factors and indications for chemothromboprophylaxis after varicose vein surgery.
Topics: Endovascular Procedures; Humans; Pulmonary Embolism; Risk Factors; Varicose Veins; Venous Thromboembolism
PubMed: 35583457
DOI: 10.23736/S0392-9590.22.04908-2 -
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology... Mar 2022PURPOSE The aim of this meta-analysis is to summarize the diagnostic accuracies of point shear wave elas- tography (pSWE) and two-dimensional (2D) SWE for esophageal... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE The aim of this meta-analysis is to summarize the diagnostic accuracies of point shear wave elas- tography (pSWE) and two-dimensional (2D) SWE for esophageal varices (EV) and varices needing treatment (VNT). METHODS We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies. We searched for studies reporting the EV and VNT diagnostic accuracy of pSWE and 2D SWE using PubMed Cen- tral, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases. STATA software"Midas"package was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS A total of 24 studies with 3867 patients were included in the review. Pooled score sensitivities of pSWE were 91% (95% CI, 80%-96%) for EV, and 94% (95% CI, 86%-97%) for VNT. Pooled score sensi- tivities of 2D SWE were 78% (95% CI, 69%-85%) for EV, and 79% (95% CI, 72%-85%) for VNT. Pooled score specificities of pSWE were 70% (95% CI, 60%-78%) for EV, and 59% (95% CI, 40%-75%) for VNT. Pooled score specificities of 2D SWE for EV were 79% (95% CI, 72%-85%) 72% (95% CI, 66%-77%) for VNT. We found significant heterogeneity for all the elastography-based measurements with the chi- square test results and an I2 statistic >75%. CONCLUSION Both pSWE and 2D SWE can diagnose EV and VNT with moderate diagnostic accuracy. Further large- scale setting-specific longitudinal studies are required to establish the best modality.
Topics: Elasticity Imaging Techniques; Esophageal and Gastric Varices; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Varicose Veins
PubMed: 35548898
DOI: 10.5152/dir.2022.21730 -
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics May 2022The presence of esophageal varices is considered a relative contraindication to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) by cardiology professional societies, so... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The presence of esophageal varices is considered a relative contraindication to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) by cardiology professional societies, so gastroenterologists are often consulted to perform upper endoscopy prior to TEE in patients with cirrhosis.
AIM
To perform a systematic review to quantify the risk of bleeding complications in patients with cirrhosis following TEE.
METHODS
Two reviewers searched Ovid MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process and EMBASE databases from January 1992 to May 2021 for studies reporting bleeding complications from TEE in patients with cirrhosis. We calculated the pooled incidence rate of bleeding events using the metaprop command with a random effect model.
RESULTS
We identified 21 studies comprising 4050 unique patients with cirrhosis; 9 studies (n = 3015) assessed the risk of intraoperative TEE during liver transplant (LT) and 12 studies (n = 1035) assessed bleeding risk in patients undergoing TEE for other indications. The pooled incidence of bleeding post-TEE was 0.37% (95% CI 0.04-0.94%) across all studies. Bleeding complications were low among patients undergoing TEE during LT as well as those undergoing TEE for other diagnostic reasons (0.97% vs. 0.004%) and among studies with mean MELD >18 compared to those with mean MELD <18 (0.43% vs. 0.08%). Few studies had a comparator arm, and data on patient-level factors impacting bleeding complications (including degree of liver dysfunction and coagulopathy) were limited across studies.
CONCLUSIONS
The risk of bleeding complications following TEE is low in patients with cirrhosis, suggesting TEE is safe and risk stratification with upper endoscopy may not be necessary.
Topics: Echocardiography, Transesophageal; Esophageal and Gastric Varices; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Humans; Incidence; Liver Cirrhosis; Varicose Veins
PubMed: 35343613
DOI: 10.1111/apt.16860 -
JPMA. the Journal of the Pakistan... Feb 2022To assess the types and effectiveness of simulators present for open varicose vein surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the types and effectiveness of simulators present for open varicose vein surgery.
METHODS
The systematic review was conducted at The Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi and comprised studies published from 1st January 2000 to 30th June 2020 related to open varicose vein surgical procedures done on simulators. Databases searched were PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, Cochrane and Scopus using appropriate key words. The primary outcome of the review was to assess the effectiveness of different types of simulators used for varicose vein surgery.
RESULTS
Of the 286 articles found, 6(2%) were included. A variety of simulators ranging from animal models, homemade simulators and commercially designed models with high fidelity options had been used. Technical competence was the major domain assessed in most of the studies 5(83.3%), while 1(16.6%) study focussed on self-assessment. Blinding was done in 4(66.6%) studies for assessment purpose, and videorecording of the trainees' performance was done in 5(83.3%) studies. Most studies 4(66.6%) found the use of simulation to be an effective tool in achieving technical competence.
CONCLUSION
The use of simulation in the training of surgical residents for open varicose vein surgery was found to be beneficial, but most studies were heterogeneous in terms of design, simulator types and study participants. This makes it difficult to establish the superiority of any one type of simulator over the rest. Further research is needed to develop and validate simulators in open varicose vein surgery procedures.
Topics: Animals; Clinical Competence; Humans; Pakistan; Simulation Training; Varicose Veins; Vascular Surgical Procedures
PubMed: 35202370
DOI: 10.47391/JPMA.AKU-10 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Dec 2021Varicose veins are enlarged and tortuous veins, affecting up to one-third of the world's population. They can be a cause of chronic venous insufficiency, which is... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Varicose veins are enlarged and tortuous veins, affecting up to one-third of the world's population. They can be a cause of chronic venous insufficiency, which is characterised by oedema, pigmentation, eczema, lipodermatosclerosis, atrophie blanche, and healed or active venous ulcers. Injection sclerotherapy (liquid or foam) is widely used for treatment of varicose veins aiming to transform the varicose veins into a fibrous cord. However, there is limited evidence regarding its effectiveness and safety, especially in patients with more severe disease. This is the second update of the review first published in 2002.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness and safety of injection sclerotherapy for the treatment of varicose veins.
SEARCH METHODS
For this update, the Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, CINAHL, and LILACS databases, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registries, on 20 July 2021.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (including cluster-randomised trials and first phase cross-over studies) that used injection sclerotherapy for the treatment of varicose veins.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently assessed, selected and extracted data. Disagreements were cross-checked by a third review author. We used Cochrane's Risk of bias tool to assess the risk of bias. The outcomes of interest were cosmetic appearance, complications, residual varicose veins, quality of life (QoL), persistence of symptoms, and recurrent varicose veins. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used the worst-case-scenario for dichotomous data imputation for intention-to-treat analyses. For continuous outcomes, we used the 'last-observation-carried-forward' for data imputation if there was balanced loss to follow-up. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 23 new RCTs for this update, bringing the total to 28 studies involving 4278 participants. The studies differed in their design, and in which sclerotherapy method, agent or concentration was used. None of the included RCTs compared sclerotherapy to no intervention or to any pharmacological therapy. The certainty of the evidence was downgraded for risk of bias, low number of studies providing information for each outcome, low number of participants, clinical differences between the study participants, and wide CIs. Sclerotherapy versus placebo Foam sclerotherapy may improve cosmetic appearance as measured by IPR-V (independent photography review - visible varicose veins scores) compared to placebo (polidocanol 1%: mean difference (MD) -0.76, 95% CI -0.91 to -0.60; 2 studies, 223 participants; very low-certainty evidence); however, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) rates may be slightly increased in this intervention group (RR 5.10, 95% CI 1.30 to 20.01; 3 studies, 302 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Residual varicose vein rates may be decreased following polidocanol 1% compared to placebo (RR 0.19, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.29; 2 studies, 225 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Following polidocanol 1% use, there may be a possible improvement in QoL as assessed using the VEINES-QOL/Sym questionnaire (MD 12.41, 95% CI 9.56 to 15.26; 3 studies, 299 participants; very low-certainty evidence), and possible improvement in varicose vein symptoms as assessed using the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) (MD -3.25, 95% CI -3.90 to -2.60; 2 studies, 223 participants; low-certainty evidence). Recurrent varicose veins were not reported for this comparison. Foam sclerotherapy versus foam sclerotherapy with different concentrations Three individual RCTs reported no evidence of a difference in cosmetic appearance after comparing different concentrations of the intervention; data could not be pooled for two of the three studies (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.47; 1 study, 80 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Similarly, there was no clear difference in rates of thromboembolic complications when comparing one foam concentration with another (RR 1.47, 95% CI 0.41 to 5.33; 3 studies, 371 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Three RCTs investigating higher concentrations of polidocanol foam indicated the rate of residual varicose veins may be slightly decreased in the polidocanol 3% foam group compared to 1% (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.04; 3 studies, 371 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). No clear improvement in QoL was detected. Two RCTs reported improved VCSS scores with increasing concentrations of foam. Persistence of symptoms were not reported for this comparison. There was no clear difference in recurrent varicose vein rates (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.32; 1 study, 148 participants; low-certainty evidence). Foam sclerotherapy versus liquid sclerotherapy One RCT reported on cosmetic appearance with no evidence of a difference between foam or liquid sclerotherapy (patient satisfaction scale MD 0.2, 95% CI -0.27 to 0.67; 1 study, 126 participants; very low-certainty evidence). None of the RCTs investigated thromboembolic complications, QoL or persistence of symptoms. Six studies individually showed there may be a benefit to polidocanol 3% foam over liquid sclerotherapy in reducing residual varicose vein rate; pooling data from two studies showed a RR of 0.51, with 95% CI 0.41 to 0.65; 203 participants; very low-certainty evidence. One study reported no clear difference in recurrent varicose vein rates when comparing sodium tetradecyl sulphate (STS) foam or liquid (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.42; 1 study, 286 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Sclerotherapy versus sclerotherapy with different substances Four RCTs compared sclerotherapy versus sclerotherapy with any other substance. We were unable to combine the data due to heterogeneity or assess the certainty of the evidence due to insufficient data.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
There is a very low to low-certainty evidence that, compared to placebo, sclerotherapy is an effective and safe treatment for varicose veins concerning cosmetic appearance, residual varicose veins, QoL, and persistence of symptoms. Rates of DVT may be slightly increased and there were no data concerning recurrent varicose veins. There was limited or no evidence for one concentration of foam compared to another; foam compared to liquid sclerotherapy; foam compared to any other substance; or one technique compared to another. There is a need for high-quality trials using standardised sclerosant doses, with clearly defined core outcome sets, and measurement time points to increase the certainty of the evidence.
Topics: Humans; Sclerotherapy; Varicose Ulcer; Varicose Veins; Veins; Venous Insufficiency
PubMed: 34883526
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001732.pub3 -
JAMA Dermatology Jan 2022Psoriasis, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) share similar mechanisms involving chronic inflammation. However, the associations between... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Psoriasis, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) share similar mechanisms involving chronic inflammation. However, the associations between psoriasis and VTE or PVD are unclear.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the association of psoriasis with incident VTE and PVD.
DATA SOURCES
MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were systematically searched for relevant publications from their respective inception through May 21, 2021. No restrictions on language or geographic locations were imposed.
STUDY SELECTION
Two authors independently selected cohort studies that investigated the risk for incident VTE or PVD in patients with psoriasis. Any discrepancy was resolved through discussion with 2 senior authors until reaching consensus. Only 13 initially identified studies met the selection criteria for qualitative review, and only 9 of these for quantitative analysis.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
The Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) reporting guideline was followed. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies by using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Disagreements were resolved by discussion with 2 other authors. A random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted to calculate the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with the corresponding confidence intervals for incident VTE and PVD. Subgroup analyses based on arthritis status, psoriasis severity, sex, and geographic location were also performed.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Hazard ratios for incident VTE and PVD associated with psoriasis.
RESULTS
A total of 13 cohort studies with 12 435 982 participants were included. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significantly increased risk for incident VTE (pooled HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08-1.48) and PVD (pooled HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.16-1.40) among patients with psoriasis. Subgroup analyses illustrated increased risk for incident VTE among participants with psoriatic arthritis (pooled HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01-1.53), women (pooled HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.36-2.61), and those in Asia (pooled HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.42-2.88) and Europe (pooled HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.53).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
This systematic review and meta-analysis found an increased risk for incident VTE and PVD among patients with psoriatic disease. Typical presentations of VTE or PVD should not be overlooked in patients with psoriasis. Risk factors, such as obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and varicose veins, should be identified and treated in patients with psoriasis, and medications like hormone-related therapies should be prescribed with caution.
Topics: Europe; Female; Humans; Peripheral Vascular Diseases; Psoriasis; Risk Factors; Venous Thromboembolism
PubMed: 34851364
DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.4918 -
The International Journal of Lower... Jun 2024The venous leg ulcers are debilitating, painful, and often unresponsive to advanced dressing treatments, so drugs used locally and systematically are essential adjuvant... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The venous leg ulcers are debilitating, painful, and often unresponsive to advanced dressing treatments, so drugs used locally and systematically are essential adjuvant therapy-pentoxifylline (PTX) whose anti-inflammatory effects may offer a promising avenue to treat venous leg ulcers. However, the current results are controversial. To further evaluate the efficacy and safety of PTX, we performed an updated meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials of PTX in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. We systematically searched multiple electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China Science and Technology Journal Database, WanFang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database to identify eligible studies. Randomized clinical trials of pentoxifylline versus placebo treatment in patients with venous leg ulcers were considered for inclusion. The primary outcomes included ulcer healing rate and the incidence of adverse events after treatment. The secondary outcomes were the ulcer significant improvement (the ulcer size shrank by more than 60% after treatment) rate, mean duration of complete wound healing and changes in mean ulcer size. A meta-analysis and qualitative analysis were conducted to estimate endpoints. A total of 13 randomized clinical trials, including 921 individuals, were finally included. Compared with placebo, pentoxifylline significantly improved the ulcer healing rate (RR = 1.59, 95%CI 1.22 to 2.07, < .001) and significant improvement rate (RR = 2.36, 95%CI 1.31 to 4.24, = .004) while increased the incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances (RR = 2.29, 95%CI 1.04 to 5.03, = .04) at the same time. Moreover, pentoxifylline also shortened mean duration of complete wound healing ( = .007) and shrank ulcer size ( = .02). Currently available evidence suggests that pentoxifylline could help venous leg ulcers heal more quickly and effectively. However, the evidence is insufficient to prove the results due to moderate-certainty evidence. Large-scale, well-designed randomized clinical trials are warranted.
Topics: Humans; Pentoxifylline; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome; Varicose Ulcer; Wound Healing
PubMed: 34779680
DOI: 10.1177/15347346211050769