Open and Endovascular Treatment of Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus II D Aortoiliac Occlusive Lesions: What Determines the Rate of Restenosis?

Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate ameliorates neointima by protecting endothelial progenitor cells in diabetic mice

BACKGROUND

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) transplantation is one of the effective therapies for neointima associated with endothelial injury. Diabetes impairs the function of EPCs and cumbers neointima prevention of EPC transplantation with an ambiguous mechanism. Sodium Tanshinone IIA Sulfonate (STS) is an endothelium-protective drug but whether STS protects EPCs in diabetes is still unknown.

METHODS

EPCs were treated with High Glucose (HG), STS, and Nucleotide-binding Domain-(NOD) like Receptor 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1, the Receptor of Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) (RAGE) inhibitors, Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein (TXNIP) siRNA, and EPC proliferation, differentiation functions, and senescence were detected. The treated EPCs were transplanted into db/db mice with the wire-injured Common Carotid Artery (CCA), and the CD31 expression and neointima were detected in the CCA inner wall.

RESULTS

We found that STS inhibited HG-induced expression of NLRP3, the production of active caspase-1 (p20) and mature IL-1β, the expression of catalase (CAT) cleavage, γ-H2AX, and p21 in EPCs. STS restored the expression of Ki67, CD31 and von Willebrand Factor (vWF) in EPCs; AGEs were found in the HG-treated EPCs supernatant, and RAGE blocking inhibited the expression of TXNIP and the production of p20, which was mimicked by STS. STS recovered the expression of CD31 in the wire-injured CCA inner wall and the prevention of neointima in diabetic mice with EPCs transplantation.

CONCLUSION

STS inhibits the aggravated neointima hyperplasia by protecting the proliferation and differentiation functions of EPC and inhibiting EPC senescence in diabetic mice. The mechanism is related to the preservation of CAT activity by inhibiting the RAGE-TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Pioneer re-entry into covered stent graft to recanalize occluded, jailed external iliac artery

Aortoiliac occlusive disease in patients who are poor surgical candidates requires innovative strategies in endovascular surgery. We present a case of a 59-year-old gentleman with significant medical comorbidities and chronic limb-threatening ischemia secondary to a chronically occluded left-to-right cross-femoral bypass, as well as an occluded right iliac system owing to a jailed right external iliac artery from a prior common-to-internal iliac covered stent, originally done for buttock claudication. He was treated successfully from an endovascular approach with kissing stents in the right internal and external iliac arteries after gaining access to the old right common iliac stent via an ipsilateral access and use of a Pioneer intravascular ultrasound-guided re-entry catheter. Use of this strategy to treat complex aortoiliac occlusions in patients that are not suitable surgical candidates can be achieved effectively, even in the setting of existing prior ipsilateral stent grafts.

Long-term results of extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease (EAIOD) treated by endovascular therapy and risk factors for loss of primary patency

Background:

Although endovascular therapy has been widely used for focal aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD), its performance for extensive AIOD (EAIOD) is not fully evaluated. We aimed to demonstrate the long-term results of EAIOD treated by endovascular therapy and to identify the potential risk factors for the loss of primary patency.

Methods:

Between January 2008 and June 2018, patients with a clinical diagnosis of the 2007 TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus II (TASC II) C and D AIOD lesions who underwent endovascular treatment in our institution were enrolled. Demographic, diagnosis, procedure characteristics, and follow-up information were reviewed. Univariate analysis was used to identify the correlation between the variables and the primary patency. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the independent risk factors associated with primary patency. Five- and 10-year primary and secondary patency, as well as survival rates, were calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Results:

A total of 148 patients underwent endovascular treatment in our center. Of these, 39.2% were classified as having TASC II C lesions and 60.8% as having TASC II D lesions. The technical success rate was 88.5%. The mean follow-up time was 79.2 ± 29.2 months. Primary and secondary patency was 82.1% and 89.4% at 5 years, and 74.8% and 83.1% at 10 years, respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 84.2%. Compared with patients without loss of primary patency, patients with this condition showed significant differences in age, TASC II classification, infrainguinal lesions, critical limb ischemia (CLI), and smoking. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed age <61 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 6.47; 95% CI: 1.47–28.36; P = 0.01), CLI (aOR: 7.81; 95% CI: 1.92–31.89; P = 0.04), and smoking (aOR: 10.15; 95% CI: 2.79–36.90; P < 0.01) were independent risk factors for the loss of primary patency.

Conclusion:

Endovascular therapy was an effective treatment for EAIOD with encouraging patency and survival rate. Age <61 years, CLI, and smoking were independent risk factors for the loss of primary patency.

[Predictive factors of amputation after iliac angioplasty in patients with severe artery disease]

INTRODUCTION

Despite the success of angioplasty of the iliac artery, this technique remains associated with significant amputation rates. The purpose of this study was to identify predictive factors for lower limb amputation after iliac angioplasty in patients with critical ischemia.

METHODS

We reported a retrospective study including patients who successfully underwent angioplasty of the iliac artery between 2014 and 2018. The primary endpoint was limb salvage at 1 month. The variables were studied in univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Our study included 86 patients. The median age was 57±10 and the sex ratio was 4.7. Cardiovascular risk factors were represented by smoking in 14 cases (16.3%), diabetes in 25 cases (29.1%), arterial hypertension in 2 cases (2.3%) and dyslipidemia in 2 cases (2.3%). Seventy patients (81.3%) were classified as stage 4 according to the Leriche and Fontaine classification and 16 patients (18.7%) were classified as stage 3. The lesions were stenosing in 48 cases (55.8%) and occlusive in 38 cases (44.2%). These lesions were classified according to the TASC classification "Trans-Atlantic-Society-Consensus" in TASC A-B in 61 cases (70.9%) and TASC C-D in 35 cases (29.1%). Distal arteritis was found in 8 cases (9.3%). Balloon angioplasty was performed in 36 cases (41.8%) and angioplasty stenting in 50 cases (58.2%). At 1 month, the amputation rate was 9.3%. Univariate analysis showed that diabetes and smoking were the most important factors associated with amputation (respectively P=0.007, OR=9.31, 95% CI=[1.73-50.07] and P=0.022; OR=6.8; 95% CI=[1.46 to 31.61]). Multivariate analysis showed that diabetes and distal arteritis were the predictive factors for amputation (respectively P=0.034, OR=21.06, 95% CI=[1.25 to 354.46] and P=0.008, OR=11,61, 95% CI=[1.88 to 71.69]).

CONCLUSION

Diabetes and distal arteritis are the predictive factors for lower limb amputation after iliac angioplasty.

Meta-analysis of direct surgical versus endovascular revascularization for aortoiliac occlusive disease

OBJECTIVE

There is a paucity of good-quality evidence comparing direct surgical (DS) with endovascular/hybrid (EVH) revascularization for aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). We aimed to perform a meta-analysis of studies comparing DS and EVH revascularization for AIOD.

METHODS

PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched for studies comparing DS and EVH revascularization for AIOD from 2000 to 2018. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies. Demographics, clinical presentation, and comorbidities of the two groups were compared. Kaplan-Meier curves from selected studies were digitized with WebPlotDigitizer. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager, and outcome measures were compared. Subgroup analysis was performed for primary patency in the EVH group.

RESULTS

Eleven observational studies were identified comparing a sample of 4030 patients. The median Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies score was 19 of 24. A total of 1679 and 2351 patients underwent DS and EVH techniques, respectively. No significant difference was found between means for sex, claudication, rest pain, tissue loss, preoperative ankle-brachial pressure index, and TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C and D lesions in the two groups averaged across studies. However, the DS group had significantly younger patients (average age, 61.83 vs 66.77; P = .0011). The risk factors of the two groups, such as smoking, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, renal failure, and chronic lung disease, were comparable. Average hospital stay was significantly higher for the DS group (7.76 days vs 3.12 days; P = .025). Change in ankle-brachial pressure index, 30-day mortality, and 30-day graft/stent thrombosis were not significantly different for the groups. Overall, primary patency for a median follow-up of 50 months favored the DS group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.51; confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.73; P = .0002). There was moderate heterogeneity among studies (I² = 46%). The HR for the subgroup for which endovascular procedures were combined with common femoral endarterectomy was 0.43 compared with 0.88 for endovascular revascularization alone. Limb salvage was similar in both groups (HR, 1.10; CI, 0.74-1.64; P = .63), but overall survival after the procedure favored the DS group (HR, 0.75; CI, 0.60-0.94; P = .01; I² = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate-quality studies showed that DS revascularization had significantly better primary patency than EVH revascularization for AIOD, although DS patients were younger and may have differed on other confounding variables. Both techniques had similar limb salvage rates, and the primary patency was better for endovascular revascularization combined with common femoral endarterectomy than for endovascular revascularization alone.