Relative value of the Ankle-Brachial Index of intermittent claudication

INTRODUCTION

The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) makes it possible to identify patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Intermittent claudication (IC) is the first major symptom of PAD, although many patients with an ABI ≤ 0.9 do not exhibit IC, and the range of ABI among those who do have IC is very variable. This study evaluates the correlation between ABI and the perception (symptomatology) of claudicant patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An observational, cross-sectional and multicentre, study of 920 patients with IC. Clinical history, ABI, Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) and European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D) were recorded. Associations were analysed using Spearman's correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

The mean ABI of the series was 0.63 (SD = 0.19). The mean WIQ-distance was 34.07 (SD = 26.77), values being smaller for lower ABI values (r = 0.343, p < 0.001). The mean EQ-5D score of the series was 0.58 (SD = 0.21), also showing lower values as the ABI decreased (r = 0.278, p < 0.001). The correlations of WIQ and EQ-5D with ABI were statistically significant in both cases, but always less than 0.400 (between 0.278 and 0.343).

CONCLUSIONS

The correlations of ABI with the questionnaires of walking capacity and quality of life are weak. For this reason, although in clinical practice the ABI of CI patients is commonly measured, decisions should not be taken during the development of IC exclusively on the basis of the ABI.

Risk of placenta-mediated pregnancy complications or pregnancy-related VTE in VTE-asymptomatic families of probands with VTE and heterozygosity for factor V Leiden or G20210 prothrombin mutation

BACKGROUND

Few studies have evaluated the risk of pregnancy-related adverse events in asymptomatic relatives of probands for VTE and factor V Leiden or the G20210A variant. The antepartum management of this population ranges from antepartum anticoagulation therapy to clinical surveillance.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk of placenta-mediated pregnancy complications and pregnancy-related VTE in VTE-asymptomatic families of probands with VTE and who are heterozygous carriers of either factor V Leiden or PT-G20210A mutation.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty-eight relatives, who had 415 pregnancies, were retrospectively evaluated. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to compare pregnancy outcomes between women with and without thrombophilia.

RESULTS

In the factor V Leiden group, 22 placenta-mediated pregnancy events of 152 pregnancies (14.4%) were reported, compared with 25 adverse events of 172 pregnancies in the G20210A prothrombin group (14.5%) and 13 adverse events of 91 pregnancies in the non-carrier group (14.2%). Carriers of factor V Leiden or G20210A prothrombin were not associated with a higher risk of pregnancy-adverse outcomes compared with non-carriers: OR 1.02 (95% CI, 0.40-2.25) and 1.25 (95% CI, 0.48-3.24), respectively. Four episodes of pregnancy-associated VTE of 415 pregnancies (0.96%) were recorded. Two episodes of VTE in the G20210A group, one in the factor V Leiden group, and one episode in the non-carrier group were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

In VTE-asymptomatic relatives of probands with VTE, the presence of factor V Leiden or the G20210A prothrombin mutation in heterozygosis should not lead to a decision to instigate antepartum prophylaxis.

Activity of Ertapenem and Ceftriaxone in the eradication of Salmonella in a model of experimental peritonitis in mice

Since the beginning of the 1990s, the prevalence of isolates of non-typhoidal Salmonella species resistant to antimicrobial agents, including those commonly used for the treatment of Salmonella infections such as fluoroquinolones, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or beta-lactams, has increased substantially. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant strains of non-typhoidal Salmonella are now frequently encountered. In order to consider an appropriate role of Ertapenem in Salmonella-due intraabdominal infections, in the present study we compare the efficacy of Ertapenem versus that of Ceftriaxone in a mouse peritonitis model. Bacteriological eradication from blood, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes was observed after 5 and 7 days of treatment in all infected mice receiving ceftriaxone. Although both antimicrobial agents -Ertapenem and Ceftriaxone- were observed to be effective in reducing mortality in inoculated mice, our data suggests a reduced efficacy of Ertapenem in the bacteriological eradication of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium in a mouse peritonitis model.

Occurrence and management of chronic venous disease in primary health care in Spain. A comparison of DETECT-2006 with DETECT-2000

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and initial treatment of chronic venous disease (CVD) in the Spanish primary health care system during 2006 and to compare the results with those obtained in 2000.

METHODS

The survey involved 1 118 general practitioners co-ordinated by 37 specialists in angiology and vascular surgery, assessing 15 consecutive patients, each attending the clinics between 29 May and 2 June 2006.

RESULTS

Of the16 186 patients reported, 82% had CVD risk factors. When asked about CVD signs or symptoms 11 277 patients (69.7%) mentioned some kind of clinical manifestation/sign compatible with the disease. Diagnosis was established in accordance with the clinical section of the CEAP classification, 38% of the total being classified as C2-C6. Sixty-two percent of the symptomatic patients had received prior treatment (vs 24.8% in year 2000), and following the survey 88% of the patients diagnosed with CVD were treated (vs 62% in 2000).

CONCLUSIONS

The results for 2006 confirm the high prevalence of CVD in primary health care in Spain. In comparison with the results for 2000, an improvement in the patterns of medical advice use, treatment and prescriptions are observed. Despite these findings, specific training programs in primary health care regarding the diagnosis and treatment of CVD continue to be necessary.

The autologous superficial femoral artery as a substitute for the carotid axis in oncologic surgery. Three new cases and a review of the literature

When neck cancer affects the carotid artery, the best therapeutic option is to remove the tumor en bloc, including the affected vessels. When the carotid artery is revascularized, the usual practice according to the literature is to replace the defective carotid artery with an autologous graft from the saphenous vein, although it is also possible to use an autologous superficial femoral artery (SFA). The use of the SFA in oncologic surgery does not seem to be widespread; in fact, we only found 7 references (67 cases). Here we report three cases in which the SFA was employed and offer a review of the literature. The SFA has advantages and disadvantages in comparison with the saphenous vein. The need for interdisciplinary collaboration (otorhinolaryngology/vascular surgery) is very important, especially in situations where the saphenous vein is not available.

Nitric oxide prevents the bacterial translocation and inhibits the systemic inflammatory response produced by implantation of a vascular prosthesis followed by Zymosan A

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN

To evaluate the beneficial effects of exogenous NO and its levels of action in a model of SIRS/Bacterial Translocation (BT) induced by two sequential insults.

MATERIAL OR SUBJECTS

Eighty-six Wistar rats were submitted to different treatments and their tissue and blood samples were accessed at the end of the experiment.

TREATMENT

Nitric Oxide was compared to Gentamicin as the tested guideline for our study.

METHODS

Dacron graft implantation (first insult) and subsequent administration of Zymosan A((R)) (second insult) were performed in Wistar rats. The animals were divided into 6 groups: I) No manipulation (BASAL: ); II) Laparotomy (L) + mineral oil (SHAM: ); III) L + Graft-Zymosan (GZ) (CONTROL: ); IV) L + GZ + Antibiotic (A) (ASSAY: I); V) L + GZ + NO (ASSAY: II) and VI) L + GZ + A + NO (ASSAY: III). Determinations: Survival, Bacterial Translocation, myeloperoxidase (MPO), Cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IFN-gamma), Oxygen Free Radical (OFR) SOA and detoxifying enzymes (SOD, Superoxide Dismutase, CAT, Catalase and GPX, Glutathione Peroxidase), Cell Adhesion Molecules, CAMs (ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and PECAM-1) and Nuclear Transcription Factor, NFkappaB.

RESULTS

The model established induced a mortality rate of 20% and generated BT in all samples. It also significantly increased all variables, with P < 0.001 for MPO and all Cytokines; P < 0.01 for all OFR, and P < 0.05 for CAMs and for NFkappaB. Treatment with A reduced mortality to 0%, significantly decreased BT, MPO, Cytokines and OFR (P < 0.05), but did not reduce CAMs or NFkappaB. NO, either alone or associated, reduced mortality to 0% and abolished BT, significantly decreasing nearly all the variables studied (P < 0.001 for MPO and all Cytokines; P < 0.01 for OFR, and P < 0.05 for CAMs and for NFkappaB).

CONCLUSIONS

The exogenous administration of NO before the two sequential insults prevented BT and controlled SIRS peripherally and at both cellular and transcriptional level in a lasting manner. In contrast, antibiotic treatment only exerted its action at peripheral level. The association of both treatments did not provide any important advantages.

Inflammatory response regulation by tacrolimus in an experimental model of multiorgan failure induced by bacterial translocation

Background

Bacterial translocation may induce multiorgan failure (MF), an infrequent but very serious clinical situation. This study used the immunosuppressant tacrolimus to control the inflammatory response in order to avoid MF, and also aimed to elucidate its mode of action.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sham group, control MF group (zymosan intraperitoneal injection and studies at 2, 12 and 24 h) and tacrolimus group (different times of administration and studies at 2, 12 and 24 h). Survival, renal and hepatic function, microbiological cultures, neutrophil infiltration, oxygen free radicals, cytokines, cellular adhesion molecules and intracellular transcriptional mechanisms were studied in both renal and hepatic tissue.

Results

Use of tacrolimus before the systemic inflammatory response regulated this response (less production of free radicals, P &lt; 0·01; of cytokines, P &lt; 0·01; of neutrophil infiltration, P &lt; 0·05) by control of nuclear factor κB activation which induces minor expression of cellular adhesion molecules and minor production of the inflammatory mediators controlled by κB.

Conclusion

The use of prophylactic antiflammatory therapy in MF may be useful and tacrolimus has been demonstrated to be a powerful regulator of this situation.

Quality of life (Spain and France): validation of the chronic venous insufficiency questionnaire (CIVIQ)

A health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assessment is particularly necessary for patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), as is an assessment of the objective signs (edema, dilated veins, ulceration and other lesions). A comprehensive 3-year research program was undertaken in France to construct and validate the Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire (CIVIQ), a questionnaire designed specifically to evaluate the quality of life for CVI sufferers. The next step was to implement a program of cross-cultural validation in several countries. Translation into Spanish was undertaken following international guidelines. Face validity was verified with a pilot test among 12 Spanish patients. Psychometric validation was performed in Spain (n = 476 patients with CVI). The Spanish CIVIQ demonstrated very good internal consistency, high reproducibility and responsiveness, as well as longitudinal clinical validity. It appears to be a valuable instrument for assessing improvement in patient quality of life in response to both therapy in clinical practice and clinical trials.