Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with frequent cardiovascular ischemic events. We followed the survival of 811 PAD patients and and 778 control subjects and tested whether PAD remains an adverse prognostic indicator in spite of treatment according to the current European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention. Patients with PAD had a borderline higher risk of all-cause death and a significantly higher risk of major and minor non-fatal cardiovascular events compared to control subjects. However, treatment according to the European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention resulted in encouragingly low absolute mortality and morbidity.
COBISS.SI-ID: 29415385
Restenosis/re-occlusion remains a frequent complication in the first year after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). In this study, association of nuclear receptor related 1 protein (Nurr1) haplotypes to the restenosis/re-occlusion rate after femoropopliteal PTA was investigated. Patients (n = 142) with disabling claudication or critical limb ischaemia, who had undergone technically successful femoropopliteal PTA, were prospectively followed up by vascular ultrasound imaging 12 months after the procedure. Nurr1 haplotypes 2 and 3 were associated significantly with the restenosis/re-occlusion rate (adjusted odds ratio 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.3 and 2.0, 1.3-2.8, respectively) on univariate analysis.
COBISS.SI-ID: 203180
The efficacy of antiplatelet therapy (aspirin, P2Y12 and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists) to prevent occlusive arterial events in patients with atherothrombotic disease is well established. Despite this, many patients continue to experience arterial events. Some patients exhibit failure of platelet inhibition as determined by ex vivo laboratory tests, a phenomenon termed "resistance" to antiplatelet therapy. Further studies must show clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of laboratory monitoring of antiplatelet therapy before it can be recommended in clinical practice.
COBISS.SI-ID: 26908121
Thrombophilia can be identified in about half of all patients presenting with venous thromboembolism (VTE). Thrombophilia screening has increased tremendously, but whether the results help in the clinical management of patients is uncertain. Here, current recommendations for thrombophilia screening in selected groups of patients and other high-risk subjects tested are reviewed. The methods for determination of the most common thrombophilic defects are also described. Finally, psychological, social and ethical dilemmas associated with thrombophilia screening are indicated.
Obesity is associated with impaired endothelial function, and this may lead to increased cardiovascular risk. To gain insight into the beneficial effects of diet induced weight loss on endothelial function, endothelium dependent, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery and several metabolic and inflammatory markers were assessed in 40 obese women at baseline, after the 1st week and after 5 months on a low-calorie diet and in twenty lean women. At entry, the obese women had a lower FMD than the lean women. Improvements in obesity-related endothelial dysfunction began in the 1st week of dieting and continued during the following months of this simple non-pharmacological lifestyle modification to reach normalisation of endothelial function.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3853887