Case report of a patient with iliac occlusive disease due to pseudoxantoma elasticum and review of the bibliography

Successful Pedal Bypass in a Patient With Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum

OBJECTIVES

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a rare metabolic disease, causing calcification in the arterial media layer and further peripheral artery disease (PAD). A high rate of failure has been reported after endovascular and open surgical management of PAD among patients with PXE. Critical limb ischemia (CLI) rarely develops in PXE, and there are only few reports of its treatment.

METHODS

We present a case report of a 57 year-old female diagnosed with pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). She presented with critical limb ischemia (CLI) and was successfully treated with pedal bypass using the great saphenous vein.

RESULTS

Despite obtaining suboptimal outcomes through the initial approach of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty to treat critical limb ischemia, the subsequent bypass operation proved to be a success. At the first follow-up appointment at 1 month, the patient was asymptomatic and the ulceration had almost healed. The patient underwent an ultrasound examination at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after discharge, and the surveillance was uncomplicated.

CONCLUSIONS

With a clear indication for surgery, limb-threatening ischemia can be successfully treated with distal bypass, if necessary, in patients with PXE similarly to atherosclerotic PADs. Appropriate diagnostic and surveillance imaging and the utilization of a multidisciplinary team are key components for effective management of PAD in patients with PXE.

Peripheral Interventions in Patients with Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum (PXE)

OBJECTIVE

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder that may be associated with a high prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and related symptoms. However, the evidence supporting this association is weak, as only small cohort studies are available. Furthermore, limited data are available on the outcome of lower limb peripheral arterial interventions (PAI) in patients with PXE. It was the aim of this study to clarify the prevalence of PAD, and the occurrence and outcome of PAI in patients with PXE.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from the Dutch Expertise Centre for PXE database. Clinical data of consecutive patients with a definitive diagnosis of PXE were examined. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of PAD (defined as an ankle brachial index of < 0.9). The secondary endpoint was to report an overview of PAI and target lesion revascularisations.

RESULTS

In 285 PXE patients (median age 58 years), 50.9% of patients (n = 145) met the criteria for PAD. Seventeen patients underwent a PAI, mostly for intermittent claudication, at a median age of 51 years. The incidence of PAI was 2.25 per 1 000 patient years in patients with PAD and PXE. A total of 58 interventions was recorded, of which 35 were target lesion revascularisations in nine patients. Twenty one revascularisations were performed within a year following the primary intervention, in 16 cases due to an acute occlusion.

CONCLUSION

Within a well phenotyped and large PXE cohort, the diagnosis of PAD was prevalent in one in two patients. The observed rate of peripheral interventions was low, while the re-intervention rate was unfavourable after endovascular or bypass surgical procedures, with over half of these re-interventions indicated within a year.

Abnormally high failure rate for femoral angioplasty in patients with pseudoxanthoma elasticum

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an inherited disease characterized by skin lesions, central blindness, and progressive peripheral occlusive disease. Severe claudication is a frequent symptom for which angioplasty represents a possible therapeutic avenue. We report the outcomes of four patients with PXE treated by angioplasty and stenting of the superficial femoral artery in two centers. These patients exhibited an abnormal failure rate for angioplasty and stenting of the superficial femoral artery, suggesting an as yet unknown susceptibility in such patients. In the absence of further evidence, we do not recommend arterial angioplasty with stenting as a primary surgical approach in PXE patients with femoral artery lesions.

Basic data underlying decision making in nonatherosclerotic causes of intermittent claudication

Although most cases of vasculogenic intermittent claudication are caused by atherosclerosis, there is an important minority of cases that are due to nonatherosclerotic causes. Because of their rarity and younger population affected, often without traditional atherosclerotic risk factors, there is frequently a significant delay in diagnosis of nonatherosclerotic peripheral arterial diseases by several months to years in some cases. Here, we review the literature on nonatherosclerotic causes of lower extremity claudication, symptoms, management including surgical and endovascular interventions, and outcomes. Conditions included are popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, cystic adventitial disease, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, persistent sciatic artery, fibromuscular disease, giant cell arteritis, iliac endofibrosis, neurogenic claudication, and chronic exertional compartment syndrome.

The contribution of arterial calcification to peripheral arterial disease in pseudoxanthoma elasticum

Background and aims

The contribution of arterial calcification (AC) in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and arterial wall compressibility is a matter of debate. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), an inherited metabolic disease due to ABCC6 gene mutations, combines elastic fiber fragmentation and calcification in various soft tissues including the arterial wall. Since AC is associated with PAD, a frequent complication of PXE, we sought to determine the role of AC in PAD and arterial wall compressibility in this group of patients.

Methods and Results

Arterial compressibility and patency were determined by ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) in a cohort of 71 PXE patients (mean age 48±SD 14 yrs, 45 women) and compared to 30 controls without PAD. Lower limb arterial calcification (LLAC) was determined by non-contrast enhanced helicoidal CT-scan. A calcification score (Ca-score) was computed for the femoral, popliteal and sub-popliteal artery segments of both legs. Forty patients with PXE had an ABI<0.90 and none had an ABI>1.40. LLAC increased with age, significantly more in PXE subjects than controls. A negative association was found between LLAC and ABI (r = −0.363, p = 0.002). The LLAC was independently associated with PXE and age, and ABI was not linked to cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusions

The presence of AC was associated with PAD and PXE without affecting arterial compressibility. PAD in PXE patients is probably due to proximal obstructive lesions developing independently from cardiovascular risk factors.