The Influence of Statin Therapy on Restenosis in Patients Who Underwent Nitinol Stent Implantation for de Novo Femoropopliteal Artery Disease: Two-Year Follow-up at a Single Center

Influence of Preprocedural Statin Usage on Primary Patency and Amputation in Patients Undergoing Lower Limb Peripheral Angioplasty

BACKGROUND

Peripheral arterial disease can progress to critical limb ischemia, which is associated with high amputation rates and requires revascularization. The endovascular approach has lower long-term patency because of restenosis due to neointimal hyperplasia. Statins are significantly advantageous for patients undergoing percutaneous interventions; however, only few studies have reported surgical improvements with statin therapy after endovascular treatment in such patients. This retrospective cohort study assessed the effects of preprocedural statins on lower limb arterial angioplasty outcomes by evaluating patency and amputation rates and comparing with those without statins.

METHODS

Patients who underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the lower limbs for critical ischemia of the lower limbs or for limiting claudication were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were categorized according to statin use prior to and during hospitalization. Patient demographics, lesion morphology, primary patency, and limb salvage rates were compared between these groups. Statistical analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 178 patients undergoing endovascular intervention by critical ischemia or limiting claudication were included. Approximately 80% of the procedures were ballon angioplasty. Primary patency was 73% in 1 year and preprocedural statin usage was not associated with improved primary patency rates (P = 0.2798). After adjusting the amputation outcomes for pre-established variables, such as prehospitalization statin use, diabetes, procedure indication, disease location, Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus classification, and current smoking, there was no statistically significant difference associated with preprocedural statin use in primary patency (hazard ratio: 0.87 [0.33-2.29], P = 0.79) or amputation (hazard ratio: 0.70 [0.40-1.23], P = 0.22).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of preprocedural statin did not improve primary patency or amputation rates in patients undergoing peripheral angioplasty.

Effects of statin use on primary patency, mortality, and limb loss in patients undergoing lower-limb arterial angioplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUD

Peripheral arterial disease can progress to critical limb ischemia, which requires revascularization. The endovascular approach is associated with a lower long-term patency due to restenosis resulting from neointimal hyperplasia. Statins offer significant advantages in patients undergoing percutaneous interventions. However, there are few studies on statin therapy associated with improved clinical outcomes after endovascular treatment in this patients.

AIM

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of statins (in comparison with no statin) on outcomes of lower-limb arterial angioplasty by evaluating patency, amputation and mortality.

METHOD

We searched MEDLINE, Academic Search Premier and CINAHL using a predetermined search strategy from inception to September 21, 2022. Study selection (first by title and abstract and then by full text) and data extraction was conducted by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. According to data availability, we conducted meta-analysis using RevMan v.5.4.

RESULTS

The search identified 841 relevant articles and included 10 studies with 43,543 patients. Statin use in patients before undergoing lower-limb arterial angioplasty was associated with improved primary patency at 12 (12.57%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.86-18.28, p < 0.0001) and 24 months (7.19%, 95% CI 1.02-13.37, p = 0.02), decreased mortality in 39% at 12 months (relative risk (RR): 0.61, 95% CI 0.55-0.74, p < 0.00001) and decreased limb loss in 23% in the studied patients (RR: 0.77, 95% CI 0.65-0.91, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Statin therapy before the procedure was associated with significantly improved patency and overall survival and decreased limb loss after lower-limb arterial angioplasty.

Statins and Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Narrative Review

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a highly prevalent atherosclerotic condition. In patients with PAD, the presence of intermittent claudication leads to a deterioration in quality of life. In addition, even in asymptomatic cases, patients with PAD are at high risk of cardiac or cerebrovascular events. Treatment of PAD is based on lifestyle modifications; regular exercise; smoking cessation; and control of cardiovascular risk factors, including hypercholesterolemia. A growing number of studies have shown that statins reduce cardiovascular risk and improve symptoms associated with PAD. Current guidelines recommend the use of statins in all patients with PAD in order to decrease cardiovascular events and mortality. However, the prescribing of statins in patients with PAD is lower than in those with coronary heart disease. This review provides relevant information from the literature that supports the use of statins in patients with PAD and shows their potential benefit in decreasing lower limb complications as well as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

An overview of in-stent restenosis in iliofemoral venous stents

BACKGROUND

Although endovenous stents have been associated with overall low morbidity, they can require reinterventions to correct stent malfunction due to in-stent restenosis (ISR). ISR has often occurred iliofemoral venous stents but has not been well described. It has been reported to develop in >70% of patients who have undergone iliofemoral venous stenting. We sought to provide an overview of ISR in iliofemoral venous stents, including the pathologic, diagnostic, and management considerations and the identification of several areas of potential research in the future.

METHODS

A search of reported English-language studies was performed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library. "In-stent restenosis," "vein," "venous," "iliac," and "iliofemoral" were used as keywords. The pertinent reports included in the present review had addressed the pathology, diagnosis, and current management options for ISR.

RESULTS

ISR refers to the narrowing of the luminal caliber of the stent owing to the development of stenosis inside the stent itself. ISR should be differentiated from stent compression. Two main types of ISR have been described: soft and hard lesions. These lesions respond differently to angioplasty. Stent inflow and shear stress are important factors in the development of ISR. The treatment options available at present include balloon angioplasty (hyperdilation or isodilation), laser ablation, atherectomy, and Z-stent placement.

CONCLUSIONS

Reintervention for ISR should be determined by the presence of residual or recurrent symptoms and not simply by a numeric value obtained from an imaging study. Overall stent occlusion due to ISR is rare, and no role exists for prophylactic angioplasty to treat asymptomatic ISR. The current treatment options for ISR are mostly durable and effective. However, more research is needed on methods to prevent the development of ISR. The role of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents in the prevention of ISR requires further investigation, with particular attention to unique subset of patients (after thrombosis vs nonthrombotic iliac vein lesions). For high-risk, post-thrombotic patients, anticoagulation can be considered to prevent ISR. The role of triple therapy (anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy) in the prevention of ISR remains unclear.

Risk Factors for Early and Late Iliac Limb Occlusions of Stent Grafts Extending to the External Iliac Artery after Endovascular Abdominal Aneurysm Repair

BACKGROUND

Iliac limb stent grafting to the external iliac artery (EIA) is a commonly performed procedure in various situation during endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair (EVAR). However, this procedure is associated with a risk of graft occlusion. We evaluated risk factors affecting occlusion among patients who underwent iliac limb stent-graft extension to the EIA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We compared occluded limbs with patent limbs during the follow-up period using variables, including anatomical values, demographics, and other factors. Thereafter, we divided the occluded limbs into early and late occlusion subgroups. The main and subgroup analyses used the same variables. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate time-dependent risk factors for late limb occlusion.

RESULTS

From 2007 to 2016, 766 iliac limbs from 383 patients who underwent EVAR were initially included in our analysis. Among them, 134 iliac limbs underwent limb extension to the EIA. The limb extension was a significant risk factor for occlusion (hazard ratio = 6.34, P < 0.001). Occlusion occurred in 10 patients who underwent iliac limb extension. The size of common iliac artery (CIA) was associated with occlusion. The most significant factor was iliac bifurcation diameter (patent vs. occluded limbs, 21.6 ± 7.6 vs. 27.5 ± 9.5 mm, P = 0.005). Subgroup analysis revealed that the CIAs of the early occlusion subgroup were generally more tortuous (1.16 ± 0.33 vs. 1.47 ± 0.25, P = 0.091) and longer (53 ± 24 vs. 74 ± 9, P = 0.01) than those of the patent limb group. In addition, the EIA diameters of the late occlusion subgroup were narrower than those of the patent limb group (10.9 ± 1.6 mm vs. 9.1 ± 0.8 mm, P = 0.011). Using the log-rank test, those patients with an EIA diameter narrower than 10.1 mm had a higher risk for late limb occlusion (log-rank χ² = 5.73, P = 0.017) and the patients who did not take at least a single antiplatelet agent had a significantly higher chance of limb occlusion (log-rank χ² = 11.029, P = 0.001). In addition, the patients who did not take a statin had a higher risk for late limb occlusion (log-rank χ² = 7.41, P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients who underwent EVAR with iliac limb extension, the CIA length affected early limb occlusion and predisposed patients to vessel injury or stent-graft kinking, and there was the possibility that CIA tortuosity was associated with a higher risk. The late occlusion subgroup had narrower EIAs than the patent limb group. Appropriate antiplatelet and statin therapy is expected to play a key role in the prevention of late limb occlusion after EVAR.

Morbidity and mortality associated with atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

It is unclear whether improvements in the detection/treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD) affect overall survival and morbidity. We undertook a systematic review to describe survival and morbidity in contemporary PAD cohorts.

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched for randomised and observational studies reporting mortality/morbidity events between 1 May 2003 and 31 December, 2017 in patients with PAD, diagnosed by intermittent claudication (IC), critical limb ischaemia (CLI), or an ankle brachial index (ABI) < 0.9. Pooled event rates for all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), non-fatal stroke, major CV events (MACE; non-fatal MI/stroke, CV death), and major amputation were calculated per 1000 person-years.

RESULTS

124 eligible studies were identified (570,856 patients; 855,894 person-years of follow-up). Statin use was reported in 67% of the overall cohort and antiplatelet use in 79%. Pooled event rates for all-cause and CV mortality, MI, stroke, MACE, and major amputation were 113, 39, 20, 12, 71, and 70 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Compared with patients with an ABI <0.9, the presence of CLI was associated with increased rates of all-cause and CV mortality, MI, MACE, and major amputation. Event rates for stroke were similar between patients with an ABI <0.9 and CLI.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show PAD patients have a high risk of all-cause and CV mortality, and imply the risk of stroke or MI is at least equivalent to the risk in patients with coronary artery disease. Moreover, our data underline the need for improved treatments to attenuate CV risk in PAD patients.

Use of statins in patients with peripheral artery disease

Atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a growing health issue that affects more than 200 million individuals worldwide, conferring a high risk of cardiovascular events and death. In spite of its high prevalence, PAD has often been neglected in the past and the heightened cardiovascular risk of patients with PAD has been consistently under-recognized by practitioners. Considering that an integrated approach to reduce cardiovascular events and lower limb complications is necessary in this setting, statins represent the cornerstone of therapy as reported by current American and European guidelines. Literature has extensive data about the importance of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with PAD demonstrating that statins reduce symptoms, cardiovascular events and mortality. Despite data extrapolated from many studies on coronary artery diseases, moderate-dose statin therapy seems to be safe, and the minor risks posed in terms of myopathy-related symptoms are greatly outweighed by benefits. Other lipid-lowering drugs did not show the same results in terms of outcome and they should not be considered as first line therapy in these patients. The role of anti-PCSK9 inhibitors is emerging in the literature but further data are necessary to understand their superiority over statins.

Statin therapy improved long-term prognosis in patients with major non-cardiac vascular surgeries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether statin intervention will improve the long-term prognosis of patients undergoing major non-cardiac vascular surgeries.

METHODS

Major database searches for clinical trials enrolling patients undergoing major non-cardiac vascular surgeries, including lower limb revascularization, carotid artery surgeries, arteriovenous fistula, and aortic surgeries, were performed. Subgroup analyses, stratified by surgical types or study types, were employed to obtain statistical results regarding survival, patency rates, amputation, and cardiovascular and stroke events. Odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by Review Manager 5.3. Sensitivity analysis, publication bias and meta-regression were conducted by Stata 14.0.

RESULTS

In total, 34 observational studies, 8 prospective cohort studies and 4 randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) were enrolled in the present analysis. It was demonstrated that statin usage improved all-cause mortality in lower limb, carotid, aortic and mixed types of vascular surgery subgroups compared with those in which statins were not used. Additionally, the employment of statins efficiently enhanced the primary and secondary patency rates and significantly decreased the amputation rates in the lower limb revascularization subgroup. Furthermore, for other complications, statin intervention decreased cardiovascular events in mixed types of vascular surgeries and stroke incidence in the carotid surgery subgroup. No significant publication bias was observed. The meta-regression results showed that the morbidity of cardiovascular disease or the use of aspirin might affect the overall estimates in several subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis demonstrated that statin therapy was associated with improved survival rates and patency rates and with reduced cardiovascular or stroke morbidities in patients who underwent non-cardiac vascular surgeries.

Treatment of Superficial Femoral Artery Restenosis

PURPOSE

To determine the predictors of restenosis, major adverse limb events (MALEs), postoperative death (POD), and all-cause mortality after repeat endovascular treatment of superficial femoral artery (SFA) restenosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective review of 440 patients with 518 SFA lesions who were treated between January 2002 and October 2011. Ninety-six limbs were treated for restenosis with bare metal stents (BMSs) or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), of which 28 limbs developed another restenosis requiring a third procedure. The interaction measured in this study was between the second and third intervention. Predictors of SFA patency, MALEs, POD, and all-cause mortality after SFA restenosis treatment were identified.

RESULTS

Patients who were treated with BMSs (n = 51) had similar rates of restenosis compared with patients who were treated with PTA (n = 45) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.68-2.90; P = .37). Patients in the BMS group who took statins had a significantly lower risk of restenosis than patients who did not take statins (HR 0.13; 95% CI 0.04-0.41; P < .001). Stage 4-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) (n = 12) was associated with a significantly higher risk of MALE + POD (HR 6.17; 95% CI 1.45-26.18; P = .014) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.83; 95% CI 1.27-6.33; P = .01). Clopidogrel was protective against all-cause mortality (HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.20-0.80; P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients in the BMS group who took statins at the time of intervention had a significantly lower risk of developing restenosis. Stage 4-5 CKD was a risk factor for MALE + POD and all-cause mortality, while clopidogrel decreased all-cause mortality risk.