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Background Guidelines recommend treating patients with an internal carotid artery near occlusion (ICANO) with best medical therapy (BMT) based on weak evidence. Consequently, patients with ICANO were excluded from randomized trials. The aim of this individual-patient data (IPD) meta-analysis was to determine the optimal treatment approach. Methods A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases in January 2018. The primary outcome was the occurrence of any stroke or death within the first 30 days of treatment, analysed by multivariable mixed-effect logistic regression. The secondary outcome was the occurrence of any stroke or death beyond 30 days up to 1 year after treatment, evaluated by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Results The search yielded 1526 articles, of which 61 were retrieved for full-text review. Some 32 studies met the inclusion criteria and pooled IPD were available from 11 studies, including some 703 patients with ICANO. Within 30 days, any stroke or death was reported in six patients (1·8 per cent) in the carotid endarterectomy (CEA) group, five (2·2 per cent) in the carotid artery stenting (CAS) group and seven (4·9 per cent) in the BMT group. This resulted in a higher 30-day stroke or death rate after BMT than after CEA (odds ratio 5·63, 95 per cent c.i. 1·30 to 24·45; P = 0·021). No differences were found between CEA and CAS. The 1-year any stroke- or death-free survival rate was 96·1 per cent for CEA, 94·4 per cent for CAS and 81·2 per cent for BMT. Conclusion These data suggest that BMT alone is not superior to CEA or CAS with respect to 30-day or 1-year stroke or death prevention in patients with ICANO. These patients do not appear to constitute a high-risk group for surgery, and consideration should made to including them in future RCTs of internal carotid artery interventions.

Background Abdominal adiposity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Objective To determine the magnitude of the association between abdominal adiposity, according to five different indicators, and the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Methods Data from 8,449 participants aged 35 to 74 years from the ELSA-Brazil study were used. The effect of waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), conicity index (C index), lipid accumulation product (LAP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) on CIMT were evaluated. Data were stratified by gender and analyzed using multivariate linear and logistic regressions. A significance level of 5% was considered. Results Participants with CIMT > P75 showed a higher frequency of abdominal adiposity (men >72% and women >66%) compared to those with CIMT < P75. Abdominal adiposity was associated with the mean CIMT, mainly through WC in men (0.04; 95%CI: 0.033; 0.058). The abdominal adiposity identified by the WC, WHR, LAP, and VAI indicators in women showed an effect of 0.02 mm on the CIMT (WC: 0.025, 95%CI: 0.016, 0.035; WHR: 0.026, 95%CI: 0.016, 0.035; LAP: 0.024, 95%CI: 0.014; 0.034; VAI: 0.020, 95%CI: 0.010, 0.031). In the multiple logistic regression, the abdominal adiposity diagnosed by WC showed an important effect on the CIMT in both genders (men: OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.22-1.77, women: OR = 1.38; 95%CI: 1.17-1.64). Conclusion Abdominal adiposity, identified through WC, WHR, LAP, and VAI, was associated with CIMT in both genders, mainly for the traditional anthropometric indicator, WC.

Background: Abdominal adiposity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Objective: To determine the magnitude of the association between abdominal adiposity, according to five different indicators, and the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Methods: Data from 8,449 participants aged 35 to 74 years from the ELSA-Brazil study were used. The effect of waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), conicity index (C index), lipid accumulation product (LAP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) on CIMT were evaluated. Data were stratified by gender and analyzed using multivariate linear and logistic regressions. A significance level of 5% was considered. Results: Participants with CIMT > P75 showed a higher frequency of abdominal adiposity (men >72% and women >66%) compared to those with CIMT < P75. Abdominal adiposity was associated with the mean CIMT, mainly through WC in men (0.04; 95%CI: 0.033; 0.058). The abdominal adiposity identified by the WC, WHR, LAP, and VAI indicators in women showed an effect of 0.02 mm on the CIMT (WC: 0.025, 95%CI: 0.016, 0.035; WHR: 0.026, 95%CI: 0.016, 0.035; LAP: 0.024, 95%CI: 0.014; 0.034; VAI: 0.020, 95%CI: 0.010, 0.031). In the multiple logistic regression, the abdominal adiposity diagnosed by WC showed an important effect on the CIMT in both genders (men: OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.22-1.77, women: OR = 1.38; 95%CI: 1.17-1.64). Conclusion: Abdominal adiposity, identified through WC, WHR, LAP, and VAI, was associated with CIMT in both genders, mainly for the traditional anthropometric indicator, WC. Resumo Fundamento: A adiposidade abdominal é um fator de risco para doença cardiovascular. Objetivo: Determinar a magnitude da associação entre a adiposidade abdominal, segundo cinco diferentes indicadores, e a espessura médio-intimal de carótidas (EMI-C). Métodos: Usou-se dados de 8.449 participantes de 35 a 74 anos do ELSA-Brasil. Foi avaliado o efeito da circunferência da cintura (CC), razão cintura quadril (RCQ), índice de conicidade (Índice C), produto da acumulação lipídica (LAP) e índice de adiposidade visceral (IAV) sobre EMI-C. Os dados foram estratificados por sexo e analisados por meio de regressões linear e logística multivariadas. Foi adotado nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Participantes com EMI-C acima do P75 mostraram maior frequência de adiposidade abdominal (homens acima de 72% e mulheres acima de 66%) em comparação aos participantes com EMI-C abaixo do P75. A adiposidade abdominal foi associada com a média da EMI-C, principalmente por meio da CC entre homens (0,04 IC95%: 0,033; 0,058). A adiposidade abdominal identificada pelos indicadores CC, RCQ, LAP e IAV entre as mulheres mostrou efeito de 0,02 mm sobre a EMI-C (CC: 0,025 IC95%: 0,016; 0,035; RCQ: 0,026 IC95%: 0,016; 0,035; LAP: 0,024 IC95%: 0,014; 0,034; IAV: 0,020 IC95%: 0,010; 0,031). Na regressão logística múltipla a adiposidade abdominal diagnosticada pela CC mostrou importante efeito sobre a EMI-C em ambos os sexos (homens: OR = 1,47; IC95%: 1,22-1,77; mulheres: OR = 1,38; IC95%: 1,17-1,64). Conclusão: A adiposidade abdominal, identificada por meio da CC, RCQ, LAP e IAV, foi associada à EMI-C em ambos os sexos, com destaque para o tradicional indicador antropométrico CC.

SummaryBackgroundIf carotid artery narrowing remains asymptomatic (ie, has caused no recent stroke or other neurological symptoms), successful carotid endarterectomy (CEA) reduces stroke incidence for some years. We assessed the long-term effects of successful CEA.MethodsBetween 1993 and 2003, 3120 asymptomatic patients from 126 centres in 30 countries were allocated equally, by blinded minimised randomisation, to immediate CEA (median delay 1 month, IQR 0·3–2·5) or to indefinite deferral of any carotid procedure, and were followed up until death or for a median among survivors of 9 years (IQR 6–11). The primary outcomes were perioperative mortality and morbidity (death or stroke within 30 days) and non-perioperative stroke. Kaplan-Meier percentages and logrank p values are from intention-to-treat analyses. This study is registered, number ISRCTN26156392.Findings1560 patients were allocated immediate CEA versus 1560 allocated deferral of any carotid procedure. The proportions operated on while still asymptomatic were 89·7% versus 4·8% at 1 year (and 92·1% vs 16·5% at 5 years). Perioperative risk of stroke or death within 30 days was 3·0% (95% CI 2·4–3·9; 26 non-disabling strokes plus 34 disabling or fatal perioperative events in 1979 CEAs). Excluding perioperative events and non-stroke mortality, stroke risks (immediate vs deferred CEA) were 4·1% versus 10·0% at 5 years (gain 5·9%, 95% CI 4·0–7·8) and 10·8% versus 16·9% at 10 years (gain 6·1%, 2·7–9·4); ratio of stroke incidence rates 0·54, 95% CI 0·43–0·68, p

Objective Although evidence has shown that ischemic heart disease (IHD) in vascular surgery patients has a negative impact on the prognosis after surgery, it is unclear whether directed treatment of IHD may influence cause-specific and overall mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the prognostic implication of coronary revascularization (CR) on overall and cause-specific mortality in vascular surgery patients. Methods Patients undergoing surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery stenosis, or peripheral artery disease in a university hospital in The Netherlands between January 2003 and December 2011 were retrospectively included. Survival estimates were obtained by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. Results A total of 1104 patients were included. Adjusted survival analyses showed that IHD significantly increased the risk of overall mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-1.87) and cardiovascular death (HR, 1.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-2.76). Compared with those without CR, patients previously undergoing CR had similar overall mortality (HR, 1.38 vs 1.62; P = .274) and cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.83 vs 2.02; P = .656). Nonrevascularized IHD patients were more likely to die of IHD (6.9% vs 35.7%), whereas revascularized IHD patients more frequently died of cardiovascular causes unrelated to IHD (39.1% vs 64.3%; P = .018). Conclusions This study confirms the significance of IHD for postoperative survival of vascular surgery patients. CR was associated with lower IHD-related death rates. However, it failed to provide an overall survival benefit because of an increased rate of cardiovascular mortality unrelated to IHD. Intensification of secondary prevention regimens may be required to prevent this shift toward non-IHD-related death and thereby improve life expectancy.