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Case History: In spring 2021, on a seasonally calving, pastorally based, Taranaki dairy farm, 12 first-calving heifers (≤ 30 days post-calving) developed similar dry, red to black, crusting lesions on the medial aspect of the teat udder junction extending down the medial teat. Some cows had multiple teats affected. Treatment was initially unrewarding and did not slow the progression of the disease. Overall, 8/12 cows recovered, and 4/12 cows were culled, with three of the cows culled after a teat sloughed and the fourth after surgical amputation of a teat. Outbreaks of the same condition, on the same farm but affecting fewer animals, occurred in spring 2022 (n = 6) and spring 2023 (n = 3)., Clinical Findings: An initial scab-like or crusting lesion progressed to resemble a thick eschar consisting of very dry and hard dead tissue. The unaffected areas of the teat felt normal but immediately under the dead tissue, there was a warm, firmer area consistent with an inflammatory reaction. Removing the scab led to profuse bleeding, with no visible bed of granulation underneath the scab. There was no leaking of milk in those cows that lost a teat, and no smell to the lesions themselves. Serology and virology ruled out the involvement of bovine alphaherpesvirus (BoHV-2) bovine gammaherpesvirus (BoHV-4), orthopoxviruses (cowpox) and parapoxviruses (pseudocowpox). Histopathology of an affected and surgically amputated teat showed multifocal erosion and ulceration of the epidermis, covered by a thick serocellular crust. In areas of ulceration, there were numerous neutrophils, and the dermis was expanded by granulation tissue with variable numbers of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes around small blood vessels., Diagnosis: Based on the similarity of the history, presentation, and histopathological changes to those described for a novel disease reported in the UK, a diagnosis of ischaemic teat necrosis (ITN) was made., Clinical Relevance: If ITN is an emerging condition in New Zealand and becomes as prevalent as it has in the UK, clinicians will be confronted with a significant new welfare problem in dairy cows. Anecdotally, there have been reports of other ITN outbreaks in New Zealand, and the Ministry for Primary Industries would be interested in collating reports from other New Zealand veterinarians.

Chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) is the most severe manifestation of peripheral arterial disease and represents a particularly high-risk subgroup of patients. As such, efforts to better understand this complex patient population through well-designed clinical research studies are critical to improving CLTI care. Prospective randomized clinical trials (RCTs) remain the gold standard in clinical research, but these trials are resource-intensive and have highly selective patient populations, which limit their feasibility and generalizability. Alternatively, retrospective studies are less expensive than RCTs, have a larger sample size, and are more generalizable owing to a broader patient population. Health care administrative data provide rich sources of information that may be used for research purposes and are increasingly being used for the study of vascular surgery conditions, including CLTI. Although administrative data are collected for billing purposes, they may be leveraged to study a broad range of topics in vascular surgery including those related to health care delivery, epidemiology, health disparities, and outcomes. This review provides an overview of administrative data available for CLTI research, the strengths and limitations of these data sources, current areas of investigation, and future opportunities for further study with the goal of improving outcomes in this high-risk population., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are a major sequela of uncontrolled diabetes with a high risk of adverse outcomes. Poor DFU outcomes disproportionately impact patients living in rural and economically distressed communities with lack of access to consistent, quality care. This study aimed to analyze the risk of geographic and economic disparities, including rural status and county economic distress, on the disease burden of DFU at presentation utilizing the SVS WIfI classification system., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 454 patients diagnosed with a DFU from 2011 to 2020 at a single institution's inpatient and outpatient wound care service. Patients >18 years old, with type II diabetes mellitus, and diabetic foot ulcer were included., Results: ANCOVA analyses showed rural patients had significantly higher WIfI composite scores (F(1,451) = 9.61, p = .002), grades of wound (F(1,439) = 11.03, p = .001), and ischemia (F(1,380) = 12.574, p = .001) compared to the urban patients. Patients that resided in at-risk economic counties had significantly higher overall WIfI composite scores (F(2,448) = 3.31, p = .037) than patients who lived in transitional economic counties, and higher foot infection grading (F(2,440) = 3.02, p = .05) compared to patients who lived in distressed economic counties. DFU patients who resided in distressed economic counties presented with higher individual grades of ischemia (F(2, 377) = 3.14, p = .04) than patients in transitional economic counties. Chi-Square analyses demonstrated patients who resided in urban counties were significantly more likely to present with grade 1 wounds (χ2(3) = 9.86, p = .02) and grade 0 ischemia (χ2(3) = 16.18, p = .001) compared to patients in rural areas. Economically distressed patients presented with significantly less grade 0 ischemia compared to patients in transitional economic counties (χ2(6) = 17.48, p = .008)., Conclusions: Our findings are the first to demonstrate the impact of geographic and economic disparities on the disease burden of DFU at presentation utilizing the SVS WIfI classification system. This may indicate need for improved multidisciplinary primary care prevention strategies with vascular specialists in these communities to mitigate worsening DFU and promote early intervention., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: There is limited literature on digital ischemia in systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report the prevalence, associations and outcome of digital infarcts and gangrene from the Indian SLE inception cohort (INSPIRE)., Methods: From the web-based database of INSPIRE, we extracted information for patients with 'Digital Infarct' and 'Digital gangrene' at enrolment into cohort, together considered as critical peripheral ischemia (CPI); all others were controls. We describe the associations of CPI with SLE clinical phenotype, autoantibodies, and disease activity at enrolment. We also report short term outcomes viz. Digital tissue loss and early mortality up to 6 months and recurrence of digital ischemic events in cases till date., Results: Of 2503 SLE patients enrolled into the INSPIRE cohort, we identified 75 (2.9%) patients with CPI, 72 (96%) women and 6 (8%) children. Of them, 55 (73.3%) had digital gangrene and 21 (28%) patients had digital infarcts. Majority of digital gangrene resulted in amputation distal to terminal phalanx (63.6%). Multivariable analysis showed that pulmonary hypertension AOR [6.34 (1.99, 20.2)], coexistent thrombosis AOR [27.8 (15.7, 48.7)], triple antiphospholipid antibody positivity AOR [5.36 (1.67, 16.9)] and the presence of anti-Scl-70-antibody AOR [5.59 (1.86, 16.7)] were more likely while patients with class 3 or 4 lupus nephritis AOR [0.37 (0.15, 0.95)] and anti-nucleosome antibodies AOR [0.47 (0.23, 0.99)] were less likely to be associated with CPI. SLEDAI and short-term mortality were similar between cases and controls., Conclusions: CPI occurred in a higher proportion (2.9%) of SLE patients in the INSPIRE cohort as compared to earlier reports. Both prothrombotic state and vasculopathy contribute to its occurrence., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI) are at risk of foot infections, which is associated with an increase in amputation rates. The use of antibiotics may lead to a higher incidence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in subsequent episodes of ischaemic foot infections (IFI). This retrospective single-centre cohort study included 130 patients with IFI undergoing endovascular revascularisation. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the two most common pathogens, accounting for 20.5% and 10.8% of cases, respectively. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multi-drug resistance did not significantly increase between episodes (10.2% vs. 13.4%, p = 0.42). In 59% of subsequent episodes, the identified pathogens were unrelated to the previous episode. However, the partial concordance of identified pathogens significantly increased to 66.7% when S. aureus was identified (p = 0.027). Subsequent episodes of IFI in the same patient are likely to differ in causative pathogens. However, in the case of S. aureus, the risk of reinfection, particularly with S. aureus, is increased. Multi-drug resistance does not appear to change between IFI episodes. Therefore, recommendations for empirical antimicrobial therapy should be based on local pathogen and resistance statistics without the need to broaden the spectrum of antibiotics in subsequent episodes., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To evaluate the ocular adverse event (OAE) and the incidence rate that can occur after the COVID-19 vaccination., Methods: Patients who visited with an ophthalmologic diagnosis within a month of COVID-19 vaccination were retrospectively analyzed. OAEs were categorized as ischemia and inflammation by their presumed pathogenesis and were compared by types of vaccine: messenger RNA (mRNA) and viral vector vaccine. The crude incidence rate was calculated using data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency., Results: Twenty-four patients with OAEs after COVID-19 vaccination were reviewed: 10 patients after mRNA and 14 after viral vector vaccine. Retinal vein occlusion (nine patients) and paralytic strabismus (four patients) were the leading diagnoses. Ischemic OAE was likely to occur after viral vector vaccines, while inflammatory OAE was closely related to mRNA vaccine (p = 0.017). The overall incidence rate of OAE was 5.8 cases per million doses: 11.5 per million doses in viral vector vaccine and 3.4 per million doses in mRNA vaccine., Conclusions: OAEs can be observed shortly after the COVID-19 vaccination, and their category was different based on the types of vaccine. The information and incidence of OAE based on the type of vaccine can help monitor patients who were administered the COVID-19 vaccine.

Objective: Adherence to antiplatelet therapy is recommended but unexplored in patients with symptomatic lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Therefore, this study aimed to determine adherence and persistence to antiplatelet therapy in patients with PAD, defined as intermittent claudication and chronic limb threatening ischaemia., Design: Population based nationwide cohort study., Methods: This study included all Danish citizens aged ≥ 40 years with a first inpatient or outpatient diagnosis of symptomatic PAD between 2010 - 2017, and who had at least one prescription claim for aspirin and/or clopidogrel within 90 days after diagnosis. Adherence was determined by the proportion of days covered (PDC) during the first year after diagnosis. Persistence was defined as no treatment gap ≥ 30 days between prescription renewals over three year follow up., Results: A total of 39 687 patients were eligible for inclusion, of whom 23 279 (58.7%) claimed a prescription for aspirin and/or clopidogrel within 90 days of diagnosis. Among these, 12 898 (55.4%) were prevalent users, while the remainder comprised new users who initiated the therapy after the index PAD diagnosis. The mean PDC was 74.5% (SD 35.0%) for prevalent users and 60.5% (SD 30.5%) for new users. Adherence increased with age and number of concomitant drugs. The overall one year cumulative incidence treatment discontinuation was 13.0% (95% CI 12.5 - 13.4%) overall, 17.2% (CI 16.6 - 17.9%) for prevalent users, and 7.9% (CI 7.4 - 8.4%) for new users. At three year follow up, the cumulative incidence of discontinuation was 31.5% (CI 30.9 - 32.2%) overall, 44.6% (CI 43.7 - 45.4%) for prevalent users, and 14.6% (CI 13.9 - 15.3) for new users., Conclusion: Less than 60% of patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic PAD claimed a prescription for antiplatelet therapy within 90 days of diagnosis, and both adherence and persistence were moderate during the first year after diagnosis. These findings underscore the importance of efforts to improve the initiation and continuation of antiplatelet therapy in patients with PAD., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Elevated apoB-containing lipoproteins (=remnants+LDLs [low-density lipoproteins]) are a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, including peripheral artery disease (PAD) and myocardial infarction. We tested the hypothesis that remnants and LDL both explain part of the increased risk of PAD conferred by elevated apoB-containing lipoproteins. For comparison, we also studied the risk of chronic limb-threatening ischemia and myocardial infarction., Methods: apoB, remnant cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol were measured in 93 461 individuals without statin use at baseline from the Copenhagen General Population Study (2003-2015). During up to 15 years of follow-up, 1207 had PAD, 552 had chronic limb-threatening ischemia, and 2022 had myocardial infarction in the Danish National Patient Registry. Remnant and LDL cholesterol were calculated from a standard lipid profile. Remnant and LDL particle counts were additionally measured with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in 25 347 of the individuals. Results were replicated in 302 167 individuals without statin use from the UK Biobank (2004-2010)., Results: In the Copenhagen General Population Study, multivariable adjusted hazard ratios for risk of PAD per 1 mmol/L (39 mg/dL) increment in remnant and LDL cholesterol were 1.9 (95% CI, 1.5-2.4) and 1.1 (95% CI, 1.0-1.2), respectively; corresponding results in the UK Biobank were 1.7 (95% CI, 1.4-2.1) and 0.9 (95% CI, 0.9-1.0), respectively. In the association from elevated apoB to increased risk of PAD, remnant and LDL cholesterol explained 73% (32%-100%) and 8% (0%-46%), respectively; corresponding results were 63% (30%-100%) and 0% (0%-33%) for risk of chronic limb-threatening ischemia and 41% (27%-55%) and 54% (38%-70%) for risk of myocardial infarction; results for remnant and LDL particle counts corroborated these findings., Conclusions: PAD risk conferred by elevated apoB-containing lipoproteins was explained mainly by elevated remnants, while myocardial infarction risk was explained by both elevated remnants and LDL., Competing Interests: Disclosures B.G. Nordestgaard reports consultancies and talks sponsored by AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Regeneron, Akcea, Amgen, Kowa, Denka, Amarin, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Esperion, Abbott, Silence Therapeutics, USV, Mankind, Lilly, Arrowhead, and Marea. The other authors report no conflicts.

Introduction: Studies exploring the relationship between peripheral arterial disease (PAD), critical limb ischemia (CLI), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its effect on in-hospital outcomes are limited. We aimed to analyze the outcomes of patients with CKD and PAD who are admitted for CLI., Methods: We utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to capture hospitalizations for CLI from 2012 to 2020 and then identified cases with concomitant CKD. The primary outcome was mortality, and secondary outcomes were cerebrovascular accident, major bleeding, vasopressor requirement, percutaneous coronary intervention, cardiac arrest, acute respiratory failure, transfusion, length of stay, and total hospital charges. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for covariates., Results: A total of 441,245 patients with CLI were identified, of which 122,370 (27.7%) reported concomitant CKD. Patients with CKD had higher in-patient mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.68, p < 0.001), vascular complications (OR 1.31, 95% CI, 1.17-1.48, p < 0.001), acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis (OR 3.17, 95% CI, 2.64-3.80, p < 0.001), and major bleeding (OR 1.12, 95% CI, 1.05-1.19, p < 0.001). Patients with CKD underwent minimally invasive endovascular therapy (31.08% vs. 36.73%, p < 0.0001) and invasive procedures (14.73% vs. 23.55%, p < 0.0001) less often. PAD-CLI with CKD was associated with major (20.54% vs. 16.17%, OR 1.04; p < 0.0001) and minor (26.87% vs. 19.53%, OR 1.2, p < 0.0001) amputations more often., Conclusion: Patients admitted for PAD-CLI with concomitant CKD have significantly higher in-hospital mortality as compared to patients without CKD. Moreover, patients with CKD and PAD-CLI are less likely to receive revascularization and more likely to undergo amputation., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objective: There is increasing evidence that depression is a risk factor for worse outcomes in patients with peripheral artery disease. The association of depression in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is not well described, nor is the impact of medical treatment for depression in this patient population. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression in patients with CLTI, its association on major amputation and all-cause mortality, and whether medical antidepressant treatment is associated with improvement in these outcomes in patients with depression., Methods: A retrospective review of all adult patients (≥18 years old) diagnosed with CLTI from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2018, at a single academic medical center was performed. Collected data included patient demographics, comorbidities, and diagnosis of depression within 6 months of initial CLTI diagnosis. We also collected data on use of antidepressant medications. Outcomes evaluated were need for major lower extremity amputation and all-cause mortality. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated the adjusted effects of comorbid depression and antidepressant medication use on major amputation and all-cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival curves illustrated the probabilities of survival and limb salvage over time, stratified by diagnosis of comorbid depression. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models estimated the adjusted effects of comorbid depression on time to major amputation and all-cause mortality, and the adjusted effect of antidepressant treatment on time to all-cause mortality., Results: A total of 2987 patients with CLTI were identified. Mean age was 68.6 years (standard deviation, 12.9 years); 56.5% were male, and 43.5% were female. Comorbid depression within 6 months of CLTI diagnosis was present in 7.1% of the cohort (212 patients). In multivariable analysis, comorbid depression was associated with a 68% increase in the odds of major amputation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-2.37; P < .01), a 164% increase in the odds of all-cause mortality among patients not taking antidepressants (aOR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.31-5.32; P = .03), and only a 6% increase in the odds of all-cause mortality among patients taking antidepressants (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.72-1.55; P = .99). The effect of comorbid depression on mortality varied significantly by whether or not the patient was taking an antidepressant medication (P = .02)., Conclusions: Comorbid depression in the patient population with CLTI is associated with a worse prognosis for major lower extremity amputation overall, and a worse prognosis for all-cause mortality among patients not taking an antidepressant. Furthermore, antidepressant treatment in the presence of comorbid depression in this patient population is associated with an improvement in the odds of all-cause mortality, illustrating the potential importance of medical management of depression., Competing Interests: Disclosures None., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) frequently leads to hospital admission. Sex related differences in in-patient care are a current matter of debate. Patients and methods: Data were provided from the German national in-patient sample provided by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (DESTATIS). Trends on risk profiles, therapeutic procedures, and outcomes were evaluated from 2014 until 2019 stratified by sex and PAD severity. Results: Two-thirds of an annual >191,000 PAD in-patient cases applied to male sex. Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) was recorded in 49.6% of male and 55.2% of female cases (2019). CLTI was as a major risk factor of in-hospital amputation (OR 229) and death (OR 10.5), whereas endovascular revascularisation (EVR) with drug-coated devices were associated with decreased risk of in-hospital amputation (OR 0.52; all p<0.001). EVR applied in 47% of CLTI cases compared to 71% in intermittent claudication (IC) irrespective of sex. In-hospital mortality was 4.3% in male vs. 4.8% in female CLTI cases, minor amputations 18.4% vs. 10.9%, and major amputation 7.5% vs. 6.0%, respectively (data 2019; all p<0.001). After adjustment, female sex was associated with lower risk of amputation (OR 0.63) and death (OR 0.96) during in-patient stay. Conclusions: Male PAD patients were twice as likely to be admitted for in-patient treatment despite equal PAD prevalence in the general population. Among in-patient cases, supply with invasive therapy did not relevantly differ by sex, however is strongly reduced in CLTI. CLTI is a major risk factor of adverse short-term outcomes, whereas female sex was associated with lower risk of in-patient amputation and/or death.

Background: Acute aortic occlusion (AAO) is a morbid diagnosis in which mortality correlates with severity of ischemia on presentation. Visceral ischemia (VI) is challenging to diagnose and its presentation as a consequence of AAO is not well-studied. We aim to identify characteristics associated with VI in AAO to facilitate diagnosis., Methods: Patients diagnosed with AAO who underwent revascularization were identified retrospectively from institutional records (2006-2020). The primary outcome was the development of VI (intra-abdominal ischemia). Univariate analysis was used to compare demographic, exam, imaging, and intraoperative variables between patients with and without VI in the setting of AAO., Results: Ninety-one patients were included. The prevalence of VI was 20.9%. Preoperative comorbidities, time to revascularization, and operative approach did not differ between patients with and without VI. Patients with VI more frequently were transferred from outside institutions (100% vs. 53%, P = 0.02), presented with advanced acute limb ischemia (Rutherford III 36.9% vs. 7.5%, P < 0.01), and had elevated preoperative serum lactate (4.31 vs. 2.41 mmol/L, P < 0.01). VI patients had an increased occurrence of bilateral internal iliac artery (IIA) occlusion (47.4% vs. 18.1%, P = 0.01). Unilateral IIA occlusion, level of aortic occlusion, and patency of inferior mesenteric arteries were not associated with VI. Patients with VI had worse postoperative outcomes. In particular, VI conferred significant risk of mortality (odds ratio 5.45, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Visceral ischemia is a common consequence of AAO. Elevated lactate, bilateral IIA occlusion, and advanced acute limb ischemia (ALI) should increase clinical suspicion for concomitant VI with AAO and may facilitate earlier diagnosis to improve outcomes., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is an established risk factor for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). Procedural location for ESKD patients has not been well described. This study aims to examine variation in index procedural location in ESKD versus non-ESKD patients undergoing peripheral vascular intervention for CLTI and identify preoperative risk factors for tibial interventions., Methods: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) patients were identified in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) peripheral vascular intervention dataset. Patient demographics and comorbidities were compared between patients with and without ESKD and those undergoing index tibial versus nontibial interventions. A multivariable logistic regression evaluating risk factors for tibial intervention was conducted., Results: A total of 23,480 procedures were performed on CLTI patients with 13.6% (n = 3154) with ESKD. End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients were younger (66.56 ± 11.68 versus 71.66 ± 12.09 y old, P = 0.019), more often Black (40.6 versus 18.6%, P < 0.001), male (61.2 versus 56.5%, P < 0.001), and diabetic (81.8 versus 60.0%, P < 0.001) than non-ESKD patients. Patients undergoing index tibial interventions had higher rates of ESKD (19.4 versus 10.6%, P < 0.001) and diabetes (73.4 versus 57.5%, P < 0.001) and lower rates of smoking (49.9 versus 73.0%, P < 0.001) than patients with nontibial interventions. ESKD (odds ratio (OR) 1.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.52-1.86, P < 0.001), Black race (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09-1.30, P < 0.001), and diabetes (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.71-2.00, P < 0.001) were risk factors for tibial intervention., Conclusions: Patients with ESKD and CLTI have higher rates of diabetes and tibial disease and lower rates of smoking than non-ESKD patients. Tibial disease was associated with ESKD, diabetes, and Black race., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: The primary purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the development of arterial line-related limb ischemia in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The authors also sought to characterize and report the outcomes of patients who developed arterial line-related limb ischemia., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: A single academic tertiary referral ECMO center., Participants: Consecutive patients who were treated with ECMO over 6 years., Interventions: Use of arterial line., Measurements and Main Results: A total of 278 consecutive ECMO patients were included, with 19 (7%) patients developing arterial line-related limb ischemia during the ECMO run. Postcannulation Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.20, 95% CI 1.08-1.32), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74-0.95), and adjusted Vasopressor Dose Equivalence (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05) scores were independently associated with the development of arterial line-associated limb ischemia. A SOFA score of ≥17 at the time of ECMO cannulation had an 80% sensitivity and 87% specificity for predicting arterial line-related limb ischemia., Conclusions: Arterial line-related limb ischemia is much more common in ECMO patients than in the typical intensive care unit setting. The SOFA score may be useful in identifying which patients may be at risk for arterial line-related limb ischemia. As this was a single-center retrospective study, these results are inherently exploratory, and prospective multicenter studies are necessary to validate these results., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Babar Shafiq is a paid consultant for Bone Foam Inc., Smith & Nephew, and DePuy Synthes. He is on the editorial board for Frontiers in Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, and is a board/committee member for the Orthopedic Trauma Association. He also receives research support from DePuy Synthes., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is common in patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis. PAD exists as a spectrum, and patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), the most severe form of PAD, are at high risk for limb loss and death. We seek to determine patient characteristics and clinical outcomes among patients who underwent TAVR with or without CLTI. We identified all hospitalizations for TAVR from October 2015 to December 2018 using the National Inpatient Sample database. Patients with any diagnosis of CLTI were identified using the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision codes. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were major complications, open revascularization, and endovascular revascularization after TAVR. During the study period, a total of 31,335 hospitalizations for TAVR procedures were included, including 7,048 (22.5%) in patients with CLTI. CLTI was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 to 1.74, p = 0.002) and major complications (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.25, p <0.001). CLTI was also associated with a significantly higher rate of open limb revascularization (OR 5.1, 95% CI 3.94 to 6.48, p <0.001) and endovascular revascularization (OR 4.0, 95% CI 3.54 to 4.59, p <0.001). CLTI among patients who underwent TAVR is associated with higher in-hospital mortality, major complications, and longer lengths of stay compared with patients without CLTI. However, the overall rates of adverse events remain low. Further studies are needed to optimize the multidisciplinary care of these patients before TAVR with a focus on shared decision-making., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This Commentary highlights the under-recognized prevalence and heavy burden of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and its important role as a harbinger of complications of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Although increasing in prevalence globally, PAD is being further accelerated with diabetes, and patients with advanced PAD are at high risk for chronic limb-threatening ischemia. The need for (repeated) revascularization and amputation places a heavy social burden on patients and family, and a heavy financial burden on the health care system, exceeding the cost of coronary artery and cerebrovascular diseases. Clinical trial research in PAD will be enhanced by widely agreed-upon definitions of major adverse cardiovascular events and major adverse limb events. Antithrombotic and lipid-lowering therapies are recommended but underutilized, while the optimal peri-interventional antithrombotic regimen is still under debate. Additional antiinflammatory treatment is currently an unaddressed strategy in the management of patients with PAD, and there is a strong case for the evaluation of widely available antiinflammatory agents such as colchicine., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) has been a rare complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), however, with the increasing use of mechanical circulatory devices it is seen more frequently. The incidence and predictors of ALI in patients with AMI in contemporary clinical practice are unknown. A retrospective review of patients with index hospitalization for AMI in the Nationwide Readmission Database from 2016 to 2019 was done. We evaluated the annual incidence of ALI and its impact on outcomes. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of ALI. In 1,283,586 patients with AMI, 3,971 patients (0.31%) had ALI and 365 (0.03%) had limb amputation. The 3 major predictors of ALI were peripheral artery disease (odds ratio [OR] 11.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.78 to 13.51), intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist device (OR 4.39, 95% CI 3.86 to 5.00), and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (OR 4.37, 95% CI 3.19 to 6.01). Intra-aortic balloon pump had a substantially lower predictive ability (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.63 to 2.0, p <0.0001) than other forms of mechanical circulatory support. The mortality rate in patients with ALI was significantly higher than those without ALI (19.49% vs 4.85%, p <0.0001). Patients who developed ALI had higher rates of amputation (1.59% vs 0.02%, p <0.0001). This observational nationwide study showed that ALI is an important complication in patients with AMI and is more frequently seen in patients who have peripheral artery disease, and require a left ventricular assist device or venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. This complication was also associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As the population ages, the prevalence of chronic diseases increases and, accordingly, the probability of simultaneous occurrence of many chronic diseases among the elderly population increases, which affects the dynamics and prognoses of the underlying disease. Prevention of complications of concomitant semantics for the underlying disease seems to be a complex medical problem, the solution to which is aimed at improving the quality of life of patients. Based on the data obtained, the effect of polymorbidity on the course of acute lower limb ischemia (ALLI) was studied in the elderly urban population. The purpose of the study is to analyze the effect of multimorbidity on the life quality of the elderly urban population, exemplified by patients with acute lower limb ischemia., Material and Methods: 91 patients with ALLI (n=91) were examined, the mean age equaled to 70±1.2 years, with thromboembolism against the background of arterial occlusion., Results: The age of patients is one of the highest risks and must be taken into account when deciding on surgical intervention and further therapy for ALLI., Research Limitations: The study had no administrative restrictions., Conclusion: It was found that the value of the comorbidity index in patients with acute lower limb ischemia is associated with the severity of the underlying disease and characterizes the predicted decrease in the probability of a 10-year survival and the risk of death.

Background: The burden and prognostic significance of coronary artery disease (CAD) in adults with peripheral artery disease and chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is unknown., Methods: Temporal trends in prevalence of significant CAD (history of myocardial infarction or coronary revascularizations) in hospitalizations for CLTI were determined using the 2000 to 2018 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. A multivariable regression analysis of outcomes was performed based on presence or absence of CAD., Results: Among 13 575 099 hospitalizations for CLTI (41% female, 69% white, mean age 69 years), 23% had concomitant CAD, of which 11% underwent lower extremity arterial revascularization (43.6% endovascular and 56.4% surgical). The prevalence of concomitant CAD with CLTI increased from 15.3% in 2000 to 23.1% in 2018. Furthermore, the frequency of endovascular revascularization in adults with CAD and CLTI increased from 15.1% to 48.3%, while there was a decreasing trend of surgical revascularization, from 84.9% to 51.7%. After multivariate adjustments, CLTI with CAD was associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.32-1.47; P less than .0001) and bleeding requiring transfusion (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.06-1.12; P less than .0001) compared with patients with CLTI without CAD. As compared with surgical revascularization, endovascular revascularization was associated with lower risk of in-hospital mortality in both patients with CLTI with CAD (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.63-0.76; P less than .001) and CLTI without CAD (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.67-0.76; P less than .001)., Conclusions: Prevalence of CAD has increased in adults presenting with CLTI and is associated with poor outcomes, warranting the need for effective interventions and secondary prevention in this high-risk population.

Background: Severe obesity could be an independent risk factor for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and critical limb ischemia (CLI). Bariatric surgery reduces cardiac risk factors, decreasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in subjects with severe obesity., Objectives: We aimed to describe the impact of bariatric surgery on risk of hospitalization due to PAD and CLI., Setting: Academic hospital., Methods: The National Inpatient Sample data collected from 2010 to 2015 were examined. Patients were classified as treatment and control groups. Treatment was defined as patients with a previous history of bariatric surgery, and control was defined as patients with a body mass index ≥35 without a history of bariatric surgery. The primary outcome was hospitalization due to PAD; secondary outcomes were CLI, revascularization, major amputation, length of hospital stay (LOS), and total cost of hospitalization. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the differences between groups., Results: There were a total of 2,300,845 subjects: 2,004,804 controls and 296,041 treatment patients. Hospitalization rate for PAD was significantly lower compared to the control group (.10% versus .21%, P < .0001), which was confirmed after adjusting for covariables (control versus treatment: odds ratio= 1.20, confidence interval: 1.15-1.47). Subgroup analysis showed patients without a history of bariatric surgery had a higher prevalence of CLI (59.3% versus 52.4%, P < .0219) and a higher mean LOS (6.7 versus 5.7 days, P = .0023) and cost of hospitalization (78.756 versus 72.621$, P = .0089), with no significant differences in other outcomes. After multivariate analysis, only LOS and total costs were significantly different., Conclusions: Bariatric surgery may decrease the risk of hospitalization due to PAD, similarly to the LOS and total cost of hospitalization. Prospective studies should be performed to describe this relationship., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: Associating comorbidities and cardiac symptoms that alter myocardial mechanical function could help clinicians to correctly identify at-risk population., Methods: We conducted a functional open population cross-sectional study of patients referred to a positron emission computed tomography/computed tomography unit in Mexico City for evaluation of myocardial function, perfusion, and coronary circulation. Ischemia was defined as a sum difference score (SDS) > 2. Association between comorbidities and cardiac symptoms was tested using logistic regression models and trend analysis. We performed an interaction analysis to evaluate the addition of any accompanying symptoms to comorbid conditions on impairment of myocardial function., Results: One thousand two hundred and seventy-three patients were enrolled, 66.1% male, with a mean age of 62.4 (± 12.7) years, 360 (28.7%) with ischemia, 925 (72.7%) with at least one comorbidity, and 676 (53.1%) had at least one associated cardiac symptom. Patients without ischemia, type 2 diabetes, arterial hypertension, and adverse cardiac symptoms were associated with adverse function, perfusion, and coronary flow parameters. We observed a trend of a cumulative number of comorbidities and cardiac symptoms with increased ischemia and decreased coronary flow. Only in decreased LVEF, we demonstrated an interaction effect between increased comorbidities and adverse symptoms., Conclusions: The high burden of comorbidities and symptoms in our population alter myocardial function regardless of the level of ischemia.

Literature regarding monitoring and consequences of distal limb ischemia due to femoral artery cannulation for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS) remains limited. The primary objective was to determine its incidence, defined as a ≥ 15% difference in regional Oxygen Saturation (rSO 2 ) lasting ≥ four consecutive minutes between the cannulated and non-cannulated limb. The secondary objectives included: determination of distal limb ischemia, defined as a Tissue Oxygenation Index (TOI) < 50% in the cannulated limb, identification of predictors for distal limb ischemia, determination of a possible association of NIRS-diagnosed ischemia with acute kidney injury, and the need for vascular surgery up to six months after cardiac surgery. A prospective, observational cohort study with blinded rSO 2 -measurements to prevent intraoperative clinical decision-making. A single-center, community-hospital, clinical study. All consecutive patients ≥ 18 years old, and scheduled for predefined MICS. Patients underwent MICS with bilateral calf muscle rSO 2 -measurements conducted by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). In total 75/280 patients (26.79%) experienced distal limb ischemia according to the primary objective, while 18/280 patients (6.42%) experienced distal limb ischemia according to the secondary objective. Multivariate logistic regression showed younger age to be an independent predictor for distal limb ischemia (p = 0.003). None of the patients who suffered intraoperative ischemia required vascular surgery within the follow-up period. The incidence of NIRS-diagnosed ischemia varied from 6.4% to 26.8% depending on the used criteria. Short and long-term vascular sequelae, however, are limited and not intraoperative ischemia related. The added value of intraoperative distal limb NIRS monitoring for vascular reasons seems limited. Future research on femoral artery cannulation in MICS should shift focus to other outcome parameters such as acute kidney injury, postoperative pain or paresthesias., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine and assess the basic demographic characteristics and prevalence of comorbidities in acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) and its various subtypes., Patients and Methods: A literature search was conducted by using the databases PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar (to June 1, 2022). Random-effects or fixed-effects models were selected to pool means and proportions and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), based on heterogeneity between studies. The results of meta-analyses for basic demographic characteristics and prevalence (proportions) of each specific comorbidities of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) and its various subtypes were described., Results: Ninety-nine studies were included in the meta-analysis, including 17,103 patients with AMI. Furthermore, 7941 patients with subclass diagnoses of AMI were identified, including 3,239 patients with arterial occlusive mesenteric ischemia (AOMI), 2,977 patients with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI), and 1,725 patients with mesenteric venous thrombosis (MVT). As a surgical emergency, AMI is associated with older patients and a high likelihood of multisystem comorbidities. Comorbidities of AMI involved multiple systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, endocrine and metabolic diseases, kidney diseases, digestive diseases, respiratory diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, vascular diseases, and cancer., Conclusion: The basic demographic characteristics and the prevalence of comorbidities of different subtypes of AMI are different. The management of comorbidities should be an essential part of improving the prognosis of AMI patients and may contribute to precise prevention of AMI.

Objective: Estimates of chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) based on diagnosis codes of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) suggest a prevalence of 0.23%-0.32% and incidence of 0.20%-0.26% among Medicare patients. ICD-10-CM includes 144 CLTI diagnosis codes, allowing improved specificity in identifying affected patients. We sought to use ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes to determine the prevalence of CLTI among Medicare patients and describe the patient cohort affected by this condition., Methods: Using two years of data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we identified all patients that had at least one CLTI diagnosis code to determine prevalence and incidence rates. Sensitivity analyses were performed to compare our methodology to prior publications and quantify the extent of missed diagnoses. The number and type of vascular procedures that occurred after diagnosis were tabulated. A cohort of patients with two or more CLTI diagnosis codes were then identified for further descriptive analysis. Associations between patient demographics and survival were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models., Results: Over 65 million patients were enrolled in Medicare in 2017 to 2018. Of these, 480,227 had diagnosis of CLTI, with a corresponding to a 1-year incidence of 0.33% and a 2-year prevalence of 0.74%. Patients underwent an average of 43.6 vascular procedures per 100 person-years. Sensitivity analyses identified 89,805 additional patients that had a diagnosis code of peripheral arterial disease who underwent revascularization or amputation. Patients with CLTI were predominantly male (56.2%), white (76.4%), and qualified for Medicare due to age (64.0%). Thirty-seven percent were dual-eligible. One-year survival was 77.7%, significantly lower than estimated actuarial survival adjusted for age, sex, and race (95.1%; P < .001). Cox proportional hazards models demonstrate significantly increased mortality for men vs women (hazard ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.10; P < .001), but no association between race and overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-1.01; P = .83)., Conclusions: Using ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, we demonstrated slightly higher incidence and prevalence of CLTI than in published literature, reflecting our more complete methodology. Sensitivity analyses suggest that increased complexity of the highly specific ICD-10-CM coding may diminish capture of CLTI. Inclusion of patients with non-CLTI peripheral arterial disease diagnoses produces moderate increases in incidence and prevalence at the cost of decreased specificity in identifying patients with CLTI. Medicare patients with CLTI are older, and more commonly male, black, and dual eligible compared with the general Medicare population. Observed mid-term survival for patients with CLTI is significantly lower than actuarial estimates, confirming the importance of focused efforts on identifying and aligning goals of care in this complex patient population., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This retrospective study aims to evaluate the impact of interrupted services for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients and especially women in a single north-eastern Italian center over a period of 3 months prior to the pandemic, during the first (2020) and the second (2021) wave of contagion in northern Italy., Methods: Patients with PAD at Rutherford stages 3 to 6 that required revascularization between March 2019 and March 2021 were classified into 3 groups, according to the period of treatment: the prepandemic period, the pandemic-20 period, and the pandemic-21 period., Results: Twenty-eight patients were treated in the prepandemic period, 21 in the pandemic-20 period, and 39 in the pandemic-21 period. It was observed that in the both pandemic periods patients presented with more severe stages of limb ischemia, Rutherford 5 and 6 stages. During pandemic-20, patients underwent mostly open surgery, followed by hybrid procedures. No differences were observed between the 3 groups in major amputations, length of hospital stay, type of discharge, limb salvage and mortality. During long-term follow-up, limb salvage appeared to be significantly better in the pandemic-21 group. The gender analysis revealed a significantly reduced female proportion of overall treated patients in 2020 and 2021 compared to the prepandemic period. In the pandemic-20 this difference appears even more evident since treatments on females represented 19% of the total while in the same period of the previous year the male/female percentage was comparable (54% vs. 46%). The women admitted presented higher stages of disease and tended to have a longer hospital stay than men. At 12-month follow-up, limb salvage was similar between the 2 genders but was slightly worse in women., Conclusions: An efficient reorganization of the vascular surgery services during the pandemic period guaranteed the quality and standard of treatment offered in the preceding periods. Among patients suffering from PAD the impact of the pandemic was greater for the female gender. It is therefore important that in addition to a reorganization of hospital services to provide adequate care for patients with ACOP in the pandemic period, greater information and awareness of women., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), the end stage of peripheral artery disease, often present with comorbid depression and anxiety disorders. The prevalence of these comorbidities in the inpatient context over time, and their association with outcomes after revascularization and resource usage is unknown., Methods: Using the 2011 to 2017 National Inpatient Sample, two cohorts were created-CLTI hospitalizations with endovascular revascularization and CLTI hospitalizations with surgical revascularization. Within each cohort, the annual prevalence of depression and anxiety disorder diagnoses was determined, and temporal trends were evaluated using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test. Hierarchical multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses were used to examine the association of depression and anxiety disorder diagnoses with inpatient major amputation, mortality, length of stay (LOS), and cost, adjusting for illness severity, comorbidities, and potential bias in the documentation of depression and anxiety disorder diagnoses stratified by patient sociodemographic data., Results: Across the study period were a total of 245,507 CLTI-related hospitalizations with endovascular revascularization and 138,922 with surgical revascularization. Hospitalizations with a depression or anxiety disorder diagnosis increased from 10.8% in 2011 to 15.3% in 2017 in the endovascular revascularization cohort and from 11.7% in 2011 to 14.4% in 2017 in the surgical revascularization cohort (P trend  < .001). In the endovascular revascularization cohort, depression was associated with higher odds of major amputation (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.30). In addition, depression (9 vs 8 days [P < .001]; $105,754 vs $102,481 [P = .018]) and anxiety disorder (9 vs 8 days [P < .001]; $109,496 vs $102,324 [P < .001]) diagnoses were associated with a longer median LOS and higher median costs. In the surgical revascularization cohort, depression was associated with a higher odds of major amputation (odds ratio, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-1.58) and a longer LOS (median, 9 vs 9 days; P = .004)., Conclusions: Depression and anxiety disorder diagnoses have become increasingly prevalent among CLTI hospitalizations including revascularizations. When present, these psychiatric comorbidities are associated with an increased risk of amputation and greater resource usage., (Copyright © 2022 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Critical ischemia of the lower limbs refers to the last stages of peripheral arterial disease. It is characterized by resting discomfort or trophic disorders such as ulceration, skin necrosis, or gangrene in the lower limbs. Critical ischemia corresponds to Leriche-Fontaine (LF) stages III-IV and Rutherford stages 4-6. The purpose of this study was to observe the patency and postoperative complications of patients who have had infra-inguinal surgical revascularization and compare the results based on the kind of graft utilized., Methods: The present study was designed as an observational retrospective cohort study, including all patients from 2018 to 2019 diagnosed with severe ischemia of the lower limbs who were hospitalized at the Vascular Surgery Clinic of the County Emergency Clinical Hospital of Targu Mures., Results: Patients with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft had a higher incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( p = 0.01), stage III LF (70.41% vs. 55.29%), p = 0.03), and a lower incidence of stage IV LF (29.95% vs. 44.71%, p = 0.03). As for complications, the PTFE group showed a lower incidence of bypass thrombosis (29.59% vs. 44.71%; p = 0.03) and graft infection (9.18% vs. 21.18%; p = 0.02), but no statistical significance in the event of bleeding ( p = 0.40). Regarding the outcomes, no statistical significance was seen for below-the-knee amputations or death. However, the PTFE group had a lower incidence of above-the-knee amputations (11.22% vs. 24.71%; p = 0.01). At multivariate analysis, the PTFE graft is an independent predictor of primary patency at 6, 12, and 24 months (OR: 2.15, p = 0.02; OR: 1.84, p = 0.04; and OR: 1.89, p = 0.03), as well as a protective factor against bypass thrombosis (OR: 0.52; p = 0.03), graft infection (OR: 0.37; p = 0.02), and above-the-knee amputation (OR: 0.38; p = 0.01).; Conclusions: According to this study's findings, there were minor differences regarding the long-term patency, bypass thrombosis, graft infections, and above-the-knee amputations. In addition, the PTFE graft group had a higher incidence of primary patency at 6, 12, and 24 months, as well as a lower incidence of bypass thrombosis, graft infection, and above-the-knee amputations.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with comorbid conditions and frailty. The role of preoperative nutrition in patients with PAD has not been well characterized. In the present scoping review, we sought to describe the prevalence and prognostic implications of preoperative malnutrition in patients undergoing vascular interventions for claudication or chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI)., Methods: We systematically searched for studies across six databases from inception to August 2021. Studies that had focused on patients with claudication or CLTI who had undergone open or endovascular procedures were included if preoperative nutrition had been measured and correlated with a clinical outcome., Results: Of 4186 records identified, 24 studies had addressed the prevalence or prognostic effects of malnutrition in patients who had undergone interventions for PAD. The proportion of women included in these studies ranged from 6% to 58%. The prevalence of preoperative malnutrition ranged from 14.6% to 72%. Seven different malnutrition assessments had been used in these studies. Across all the scales, preoperative malnutrition was associated with at least one of the following outcomes: mortality, postoperative complications, length of stay, readmission rates, and delayed wound healing., Conclusions: A variety of tools were used to measure malnutrition in patients undergoing interventions for PAD. Our findings suggest that preoperative malnutrition is associated with adverse clinical outcomes for patients undergoing open and endovascular procedures for claudication or CLTI and that consensus is lacking regarding which tool to use. Clinicians and surgeons should be sensitized to the importance of assessing for malnutrition preoperatively in adults undergoing interventions for PAD., (Copyright © 2022 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a salvage treatment for acute circulatory failure. Our high-volume tertiary centre performs more than 100 implants annually and provides ECLS-transports. With this study, we aimed to analyze the incidence and risk factors of limb ischemia depending on the vascular access., Methods: Between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2018, 937 patients received an ECLS. Preoperative, intraoperative, in-hospital and up to 5 years follow-up data were collected. Outcome measures were limb ischemia and survival., Results: In total, 402 femoro-femoral veno-arterial ECLS patients were identified. Mean age was 56 ± 16.7 years, 26.9% were female, 7.9% had a history of peripheral vascular disease. Cannulation was performed percutaneously in 82.1% (n = 330), surgically in 5.7% (n = 23) and combined in 12.2% (n = 49). Mortality was not significantly different between the groups (51.1% percutaneous, 43.5% surgical, 44.9% combined [p = 0.89]). There was no significant difference in limb ischemia either, but a trend toward an increased frequency in the percutaneous group (p = 0.0501). No amputation was necessary. Limb ischemia slightly increased in-hospital mortality (54.6%) but did not affect long-term survival beyond 30 days. Univariate analysis adjusted for cannulation methods revealed younger age and female gender as risk factors of limb ischemia and younger age for limb ischemia after percutaneous cannulation., Conclusions: Our study shows that percutaneous, surgical, and combined vascular access techniques for ECLS implantation are associated with comparable and low incidence of limb ischemia which slightly increases in-hospital mortality. Special precaution has to be taken in young and female patients., (© 2022 International Center for Artificial Organ and Transplantation (ICAOT) and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is one of the most disabling cardiovascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus and is indeed associated with a high risk of cardiovascular and limb adverse events. High mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1) is a nuclear protein involved in the inflammatory response that acts as a pro-inflammatory cytokine when released into the extracellular space. HMBG-1 is associated with PAD in diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum HMGB-1 levels and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major adverse limb events (MALE) after lower-extremity endovascular revascularization (LER) in a group of diabetic patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI)., Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of 201 diabetic patients with PAD and CLTI requiring LER. Baseline serum HMGB-1 levels were determined before endovascular procedure. Data on cardiovascular and limb outcomes were collected in a 12-month follow-up., Results: During the follow-up period, 81 cases of MACE and 93 cases of MALE occurred. Patients who subsequently developed MACE and MALE had higher serum HMGB-1 levels. Specifically, 7.5 ng/mL vs 4.9 ng/mL (p < 0.01) for MACE and 7.2 ng/mL vs 4.8 ng/mL (p < 0.01) for MALE. After adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, the association between serum HMGB-1 levels and cardiovascular outcomes remained significant in multivariable analysis. In our receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, serum HMGB-1 levels were a good predictor of MACE incidence (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.78) and MALE incidence (AUC = 0.75)., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that serum HMGB-1 levels are associated with the incidence of MACE and MALE after LER in diabetic populations with PAD and CLTI., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Microvascular surgery has become a standardized technique for reconstruction of large tissue defects in Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery. However, the main dreaded complications are thrombosis of blood vessels or major bleeding after surgery. Several different anticoagulation protocols have been established in the last decades to overcome these problems with varying degrees of success., Methods: Over a period of six years, a standardized anticoagulation protocol including acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and unfractionated heparin (UFH) for direct intraoperative and postoperative administration was established, optimized and compared to a previously used non-standardized protocol. A total of 178 flap surgeries were included in the development and optimization process of the protocol., Results: ASA significantly increased the risk of complications when used for longer than 72 h (OR = 2.52; p = 0.002; 95% CI 1.39-4.59). Administration of UFH reduced flap loss (bolus: OR 0.68; p = 0.47; 95% CI 0.24-1.93; continuous UFH administration: OR = 0.61; p = 0.33; 95% CI 0.22-1.66), however doses greater than 500 IU/ h of UFH as continuous infusion increased the risk of complications. Reduction in ischemia time had no effect on the occurrence of complications., Conclusion: Anticoagulation regimes in microvascular surgery can influence the postoperative complication rate. The optimal protocol should consist of a combination of ASA and UFH for the intraoperative and direct postoperative phase. Prolonged administration of ASA as well as doses &gt;500 IU/ h of UFH are to be avoided due to the increased complication rate., Competing Interests: Declarations of interest NONE., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This subgroup analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of comorbidities on infrapopliteal angioplasty outcomes in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI)., Methods: This was an observational study evaluating eligible CLTI patients aged >18 years who underwent infrapopliteal angioplasty between April 2014 and May 2017 at a tertiary care center. Subgroup analyses were based on (1) baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c ≤6.5% vs >6.5%), (2) presence/absence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and (3) control of lipid parameters., Results: A total of 231 patients with 332 infrapopliteal vessels were treated. While diabetes was prevalent in all participants, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and CKD were reported in 76.6%, 46.3%, and 25.5% of patients at baseline, respectively. The overall technical success rate was 84.4%, and the patency rate at 6 months was 82.04%. Patency at 6 months, wound healing, in-line flow, and complete plantar arch formation were numerically higher in patients with HbA1c ≤6.5% versus >6.5%, but all comparisons were nonsignificant. According to multivariable analysis, the odds of wounds not healing was 2.38 times higher (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2 to 4.5) and developing plantar arch was 5.88 times higher (OR = 5.9, 95% CI: 1.3 to 25) among patients with CKD compared with patients without CKD., Conclusions: The 6-month outcomes of infrapopliteal angioplasty may be better in patients with controlled versus uncontrolled glycemic levels. Control of lipid parameters may not have a significant influence on outcomes, especially in patients on statin therapy. The short-term outcomes may be similar in patients with and without CKD.

Background: For many surgeons the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 meant a downscaling of surgical interventions. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the measures taken on the care for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAOD) and acute limb ischemia (ALI)., Methods: A retrospective analysis of the vascular practices of 2 major teaching hospitals in the Netherlands was performed. All interventions and outpatient visits for PAOD or ALI in 2020 were included. Patients treated in 2018 and 2019 were to serve as a control group. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics., Results: In 2020, a total of 1513 procedures were performed for PAOD or ALI. This did not differ significantly from previous years. Overall, Fontaine 2 and 4 were the most frequent indications for intervention. A significant increase in the number of major amputations was observed in 2020 compared to 2018 (P< 0.01). This was mainly due to patients suffering from PAOD Fontaine 4. Inversely, a reduction in the number of femoro-popliteal bypasses was observed between 2020 and 2018. The number of outpatient visit due to Fontaine 2 was significantly lower in 2020 compared to 2018., Conclusions: The vascular practices of our hospitals were minimally influenced by the measures taken due to the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. There was an increase in the number of amputation but an enormous surge in patients presenting with critical limb ischemia was not observed., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Heavy cannabis use has been associated with the development of acute myocardial infarction and stroke. The objective of this study was to determine if heavy, chronic cannabis use is associated with the development of acute limb ischemia (ALI) or critical limb ischemia (CLI)., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study within the National Inpatient Sample (2006-2015). Patients without cannabis use disorder (CUD) were matched to patients with CUD in a 2:1 ratio using propensity scores. Our primary outcomes were incidence of ALI and CLI. Secondary outcomes included incidence of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI), chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI), frequency of open or endovascular interventions, length of stay, and total costs. Sensitivity analyses were performed with alternative models, including in the entire unmatched cohort with regression models utilizing survey weights to account for sampling methodology., Results: We identified a cohort of 46,297 857 unmatched patients. Patients with CUD in the unmatched cohort were younger, with less cardiovascular risk factors, but higher rates of smoking and substance abuse. The matched cohort included 824,856 patients with CUD and 1,610,497 controls. Those with CUD had a higher incidence of ALI (OR 1.20 95% CI: 1.04-1.38 P =.016). Following multiple sensitivity analyses, there was no robust association between CLI and CUD. We observed no robust association of CUD with AMI, CMI, procedures performed, frequency of amputation, costs, or total length of stay., Conclusions: Cannabis use disorder was associated with a significantly higher incidence of admission for acute limb ischemia. CUD was not associated with an increased risk of critical limb ischemia following sensitivity analysis. Given CUD is often seen in younger, less co-morbid patients it provides an important target for intervention in this population.

Objective: This systematic review aims to identify predictors of outcomes of mesenteric ischemia in patients following cardiac surgery., Methods: A comprehensive literature search was done on EMBASE, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and SCOPUS using keywords relating to bowel ischemia and cardiac surgery. Database search results were screened by at least two authors and 32 articles were selected for inclusion in this review., Results: Data on 1907 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 70.0 ± 2.99 years and the prevalence of bowel ischemia was 1.74%. Advanced age was a significant risk factor. 63.16% of patients reported were men, and 58.4% of patients died in hospital. There was heterogeneity in the reported significance of the following preoperative risk factors: hypertension, smoking status, type 2 diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease, preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction <35%. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, preoperative/operative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support, and inotrope usage were significantly associated with the development of mesenteric ischemia; however, other intraoperative factors including the type of cardiac surgery and duration of aortic cross-clamping had varying levels of reported significance. There were discrepancies in the reported significance of leukocytosis and metabolic acidosis (pH <7.3) as postoperative markers. Postoperative vasopressor use, prolonged ventilation time, and elevation in lactate, transaminases, creatinine, and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (IFABP) levels were found to be strongly associated with bowel ischemia., Conclusion: This systematic review found the strongest associations of mesenteric ischemia postcardiac surgery to be advanced age, CPB time, rise in lactate, transaminases, creatinine, and IFABP. IABP support, vasopressor, and inotrope use as well as prolonged ventilation were strongly linked too., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: It was hypothesised that there is a linear relationship between the severity of exercise induced calf ischaemia and the prevalence of calf claudication on a treadmill until a plateau is reached. It was expected that no pain would be present in the absence of ischaemia and all severely ischaemic calves would be symptomatic., Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of a cross sectional acquired database recording. Transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO 2 ) on the chest and on each calf was used to evaluate calf ischaemia during treadmill tests with simultaneous recording of calf pain in 7 884 subjects (15 768 calves). The minimum value of calf changes from rest minus chest changes from rest (DROPm) was calculated. Regression analyses were used to determine the correlation between the proportion of exercise induced symptoms present in the calves and each unit of DROPm values. Analysis was repeated after objective determination of the cutoff point between the linear increase and the plateau., Results: A linear relationship was found between the degree of ischaemia and the proportion of symptomatic calves for DROPm values ranging from 0 mmHg to -28 mmHg (proportion = -0.014 × DROPm + 0.32, r = 0.961, p <.001). For DROPm values lower than -28 mmHg (severe ischaemia), on average one of three limbs remained asymptomatic. The biphasic relationship between DROPm and prevalence of symptoms persists after exclusion of patients with diabetes mellitus, exercise induced hypoxaemia, and no evidence of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD)., Conclusion: The relationship between exercise induced pain and ischaemia is biphasic with a linear increase in the proportion of symptomatic limbs with ischaemia severity, until a plateau is reached for the more severely ischaemic limbs. The presence of exercise related calf symptoms should not automatically be reported as indicating the presence of LEAD; and the absence of exercise induced symptoms is not proof that ischaemia does not occur during exercise., (Copyright © 2022 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Long-term continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CFLVAD) therapy is limited by complications. Compared with stroke and renal dysfunction, post-CFLVAD bowel ischemia is poorly characterized. Adult patients who underwent first-time durable CFLVAD implantation at our institution between 2008 and 2018 were identified and screened for bowel ischemia using Current Procedural Terminology codes for abdominal surgical exploration and International Classification of Disease codes for intestinal vascular insufficiency. Patients who developed biopsy-proven bowel ischemia (cases) were matched to controls (1:1, nearest neighbor, caliper = 0.29) based on preoperative characteristics. Incidences of postoperative right heart failure and renal replacement therapy were compared using McNemar's test. One year survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Overall, 711 patients underwent CFLVAD implantation. Nineteen (2.7%) developed bowel ischemia (cases) median 17 days postimplantation (IQR 8-71). The majority of cases were male (78.9%), Black (63.2%), received HeartMate II (57.9%), treated as destination therapy (78.9%), and had a history of hypertension (89.5%), chronic kidney disease (84.2%), hyperlipidemia (84.2%), smoking (78.9%), and atrial fibrillation (57.9%). Post-LVAD, case patients were more likely to develop moderate-severe right heart failure (89.5% vs. 68.4%, p = 0.005), require renal replacement therapy (21.1% vs. 0%, p < 0.001), and less likely to survive to discharge (52.6% vs. 89.5%, p = 0.02) compared with controls. Case subjects demonstrated worse 1 year survival. While less common than stroke and renal dysfunction, post-CFLVAD bowel ischemia is associated with high 1 year mortality. Multi-institutional registries should consider reporting abdominal complications such as bowel ischemia as an adverse event to further investigate these trends and identify predictors of this complication to reduce patient mortality., (Copyright © ASAIO 2021.)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of colonic involvement in patients with acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI)., Methods: CT scans from a prospective cohort of 114 AMI patients treated in an intestinal stroke center between 2009 and 2018 were blindly reviewed by two radiologists. Colon involvement was defined on CT scan by the presence of at least one of the following CT colonic features: wall thickening, pneumatosis, decreased wall enhancement, dilatation, or perforation. In addition, the clinical, biological, and radiological characteristics of patients with and without colonic involvement were compared to identify risk factors for colonic involvement on CT and its impact on morbidity and mortality., Results: Colonic involvement was identified in 32/114 (28%) patients with AMI, the right colon being more frequently involved (n = 29/32, 91%). Wall thickening (n = 27/32) was the most common CT finding. Occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery was the only statistically significant risk factor for colonic involvement (35% vs. 15%, p = 0.02). Patients with colonic involvement on CT vs. those without had more frequently transmural colonic necrosis (13% vs. 0%, p = 0.006), short bowel syndrome (16% vs. 4%, p = 0.04), need for long-term parenteral support (19% vs. 5%, p = 0.03), and death during follow-up (22% vs. 10%, p = 0.03)., Discussion: In patients with AMI, colonic involvement is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and should be carefully searched for during initial CT scan assessment., Key Points: • In a prospective cohort of acute mesenteric ischemia patients from an intestinal stroke center, 28% had an associated colonic involvement on CT. • Colonic involvement on CT most commonly affected the right colon, and the occlusion of the inferior mesenteric artery was the only risk factor. • Colonic involvement on CT was associated with increased morbidity and mortality and should be carefully searched for during initial CT scan assessment., (© 2021. European Society of Radiology.)

Objective: We examined the association of iso-osmolar contrast media (IOCM) versus low-osmolar contrast media (LOCM) with major adverse renal, cardiovascular, or limb events in patients at high-risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) undergoing peripheral endovascular procedures., Background: Procedural characteristics including iodinated contrast type and volume have been associated with adverse renal and cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing angiographic interventions., Methods: Patients at high-risk of AKI, undergoing peripheral endovascular procedures were identified using the Premier Healthcare Database and separated into claudication and critical limb ischemia (CLI) cohorts. For each cohort, we compared IOCM versus LOCM for the primary endpoint of MARCE (major adverse renal or cardiovascular events) and secondary endpoints of major adverse renal events (MARE) and major adverse renal and limb events (MARLE). These outcomes were captured within the indexed hospitalization via adjusted multivariable regression analyses., Results: Two procedure-based cohorts of high-risk patients were formed: claudication (N = 11,976) and CLI (N = 8713). Use of IOCM was associated with a significant absolute risk reduction (ARR) of 2.2% (p < 0.0001) for MARCE overall and in each cohort (claudication, 1.8%, p = 0.0070; CLI, 2.7%, p = 0.0054). The incidence of MARE and MARLE in the overall cohort was also lower with the use of IOCM: MARE (ARR = 1.4%, p = 0.0072) and MARLE (ARR = 2.0%, p = 0.0043)., Conclusions: Using IOCM versus LOCM in patients at high-risk of adverse renal events undergoing peripheral endovascular procedures was independently associated with lower risk of MARCE, MARE, and MARLE., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The objective of this study was to explore the associations between skin microcirculatory function and established cardiovascular risk factors in a large Swedish cohort. As part of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS), microcirculatory data were acquired at Linköping University hospital, Linköping, Sweden during 2016-2017. The subjects, aged 50-64 years, were randomly selected from the national population register. Microcirculatory reactivity was assessed using a 5-min arterial occlusion-release protocol. Comprehensive skin microcirculatory data were continuously acquired by using a fiberoptic probe placed on the lower right arm. After exclusion of missing data (208), 1557 subjects were remaining. Among the parameters, skin microcirculatory peak oxygen saturation after occlusion release, had the strongest relationship to the cardiovascular risk factors. The linear associations between peak oxygen saturation and cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed adjusted for age and sex. We found a negative association with peak oxygen saturation (standardized regression coefficient) for blood pressure (systolic -0.05 (95% CI: -0.10;-0.003) and diastolic -0.05 (-0.10; -0.003)), BMI -0.18 (-0.23; -0.13), waist circumference (males -0.20 (-0.32; -0.16), females -0.18 (-0.25; -0.11)), prevalent diabetes -0.31 (-0.49; -0.12), hypertension -0.30 (-0.42; -0.18), dyslipidemia -0.24 (-0.40; -0.09), fasting glucose level -0.06 (-0.12; -0.01), HbA1c -0.07 (-0.12; -0.02), triglyceride level -0.09 (-0.14; -0.04), hsCRP -0.12 (-0.17; -0.07), and current smoker versus never smoked -0.50 (-0.67; -0.34). A positive association with peak oxygen saturation was found for cholesterol level 0.05 (0.005; 0.11) and HDL 0.11 (0.06; 0.17). This is the first study showing that post-ischemic skin microvascular peak oxygen saturation is associated with virtually all established cardiovascular risk factors in a population-based middle-aged cohort., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the contemporary population based incidence of acute lower limb ischaemia (ALI) and factors associated with major amputation/death at one year., Methods: In this retrospective observational study, in hospital, operation, radiological, and autopsy registries were scrutinised to capture 161 citizens of Malmö, Sweden, with ALI between 2015 and 2018. Age and sex specific incidence rates were calculated in the population of Malmö between 2015 and 2018, expressed as number of patients per 100 000 person years (PY). Independent risk factors for major amputation/death at one year were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis and expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: One hundred and sixty-one patients with ALI gave an overall incidence of 12.2/100 000 PY (95% CI 10.3 - 14.1), with no sex related differences. Embolism (42.2%) was the most common cause of ALI. Among 52 patients with atrial fibrillation, 38.5% were on anticoagulant medication. Endovascular or open vascular revascularisation was performed in 54.7% of patients. The total cause specific mortality ratio was 2.63 (95% CI 1.66 - 3.61)/1 000 deaths, without no sex related differences. The combined major amputation/mortality rate at one year for the whole cohort was 46.6%. Rutherford ≥ IIb ALI (OR 4.19, 95% CI 1.94 - 9.02; p < .001), age (OR 1.03/year, 95% CI 1.00 - 1.06; p = .036), female sex (OR 2.37, 95% 1.07 - 5.26; p = .034), and anaemia (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.08 - 5.62; p = .033) were associated with an increased risk of major amputation/death at one year. The major amputation/mortality rate at one year was 100% (n = 14/14) for patients living in a nursing home on admission., Conclusion: The incidence of ALI appears to be unchanged, and major amputation and mortality at one year remain high. It is necessary to include the substantial proportion of patients with ALI that do not undergo revascularisation in epidemiological studies. There is room for improvement in anticoagulation therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation to prevent ALI due to embolism. Research on gender inequalities in patients with ALI is warranted., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Nonoperative management of adhesive small bowel obstruction (SBO) is successful in up to 80% of patients. Current recommendations advocate for computed tomography (CT) scan in all patients with SBO to supplement surgical decision-making. The hypothesis of this study was that cumulative findings on CT would predict the need for operative intervention in the setting of SBO., Methods: This is an analysis of a retrospectively and prospectively collected adhesive SBO database over a 6-year period. A Bowel Ischemia Score (BIS) was developed based on the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma guidelines of CT findings suggestive of bowel ischemia. One point was assigned for each of the six variables. Early operation was defined as surgery within 6 hours of CT scan., Results: Of the 275 patients in the database, 249 (90.5%) underwent CT scan. The operative rate was 28.3% with a median time from CT to operation of 21 hours (Interquartile range 5.2-59.2 hours). Most patients (166/217, 76.4%) with a BIS of 0 or 1 were successfully managed nonoperatively, whereas the majority of those with a BIS of 3 required operative intervention (5/6, 83.3%). The discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of BIS for early surgery, any operative intervention, and small bowel resection were 0.83, 0.72, and 0.61, respectively., Conclusion: The cumulative signs of bowel ischemia on CT scan represented by BIS, rather than the presence or absence of any one finding, correlate with the need for early operative intervention.

Objective: Limited data exists on management and outcomes of patients presenting with type A aortic dissection (TAAD) and acute lower extremity ischemia (ALI). The role of limb-related revascularization and optimal treatment strategy remains undefined. The objective of this study was to analyze dissection characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes of patients undergoing proximal aortic repair for TAAD with ALI., Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent proximal aortic repair for TAAD were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Clinical data, imaging, operative details, and outcomes of patients with TAAD and ALI were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate overall and amputation-free survival. Log-rank tests were used to compare overall curves. Predictors of revascularization and in-hospital mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression analysis., Results: From 2010 to 2018, 463 patients with TAAD underwent proximal aortic repair. A total of 81 patients (17%) presented with ALI; 48% (39/81) with isolated ALI, and 52% (42/81) with ALI and renovisceral malperfusion. Thirty percent (24/81) required revascularization in addition to proximal aortic repair. Revascularization strategies involved endovascular (46%; 11/24), open (33%; 8/24), and hybrid (21%; 5/24) interventions. The major amputation rate was 4% (3/81), and in-hospital mortality was 21% (17/81). Amputation-free survival was significantly lower in patients requiring revascularization compared with those who did not (log-rank P = .023). Overall survival did not significantly differ between the two groups (log-rank P = .095). Overall survival was significantly lower in patients with concomitant ALI and renovisceral malperfusion compared with those with isolated ALI (log-rank P = .0017). Distal extent of dissection flap into zone 11 (odds ratio [OR], 5.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-20.2; P = .008) and partial/complete thrombosis of any iliac artery (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.23-12.6; P = .021) were associated with increased risk of requiring an additional revascularization procedure. True lumen collapse at level of renovisceral aorta (OR, 8.84; 95% CI, 1.74-44.9; P = .0086) was associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality., Conclusions: ALI resolves after proximal aortic repair of TAAD in most cases. Distal extent of aortic dissection into zone 11 and iliac thrombosis are risk factors for additional peripheral revascularization. True lumen collapse at the renovisceral aorta and TAAD with concomitant ALI and renovisceral malperfusion portends a poor prognosis. A multi-disciplinary team approach to manage these patients who present with ascending aortic dissection and distal malperfusion may improve outcomes in this complex population., (Copyright © 2021 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with diabetes are at increased risk of developing chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) due to peripheral arterial disease, and this often results in lower extremity amputation (LEA). Little is known of the interaction between diabetes and other vascular risk factors in affecting the risk of CLTI., Methods: We investigated the association of diabetes, and its interaction with hypertension, body mass index (BMI) and smoking, with the risk of LEA due to CLTI in the population-based Singapore Chinese Health Study. Participants were interviewed at recruitment (1993-1998) and 656 incident LEA cases were identified via linkage with nationwide hospital database through 2017. Multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for the associations., Results: The HR (95% CI) for LEA risk was 13.41 (11.38-15.79) in participants with diabetes compared to their counterparts without diabetes, and the risk increased in a stepwise manner with duration of diabetes (P for trend < 0.0001). Hypertension and increased BMI independently increased LEA risk in those without diabetes but did not increase the risk in those with diabetes (P for interaction with diabetes ≤ 0.0006). Conversely, current smoking conferred a risk increment of about 40% regardless of diabetes status., Conclusions: Although diabetes conferred more than tenfold increase in risk of LEA, hypertension and increased BMI did not further increase LEA risk among those with diabetes, suggesting a common mechanistic pathway for these risk factors. In contrast, smoking may act via an alternative pathway and thus confer additional risk regardless of diabetes status., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Limited data were published on the management of direct oral anticoagulants in the insertion of pacemaker and cardiac monitoring devices. This study describes the management and outcomes of edoxaban, a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor, in patients undergoing pacemaker or monitoring device implantation in routine clinical practice., Methods and Results: EMIT-AF/VTE collected data of patients from Europe, Korea, and Taiwan. Timing and duration of periprocedural interruption of edoxaban were at the treating physician's discretion. Pacemakers or monitoring devices were implanted into 136 patients who were evaluated from 5 days pre- until 30 days post-procedure. The primary outcomes were the incidences of acute thromboembolic events (ATE), ischemic events, and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis-defined Major Bleeding; secondary outcomes included incidence of clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB) and perioperative edoxaban interruption times. Conformance with European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) Guidance on interruption of direct oral anticoagulant therapy was variable: of the cardiac monitoring device patients, where no interruption of therapy would be expected, nonetheless, 62.5% had interruption of treatment, whereas in pacemaker procedures, where interruption would be expected, 23.4% had no interruption. No ATE or ischemic events occurred. One case of CRNMB and two of minor bleeding occurred. All bleedings occurred more than 3 days after the procedure., Conclusion/relevance: The periprocedural complication risk for edoxaban treated patients undergoing pacemaker or invasive cardiac monitoring implantation was low. This population of patients was well managed in routine practice., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The current study aimed to reveal clinical features and prognosis of asymptomatic contralateral limbs in patients undergoing revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI)., Methods: We analyzed a database of 520 CLTI patients registered in a prospective, multicenter registry in Japan. Severe ischemia in asymptomatic contralateral limbs was determined as the Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) classification system Ischemia (I) grade 2/3., Results: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and dialysis-dependent renal failure was 74.2% and 53.5%, respectively. Asymptomatic limbs accounted for 65.0% [95% confidence interval (CI), 60.9-69.1%] of the overall population, and 55.0% (95% CI, 49.6-60.4%) of the asymptomatic contralateral limbs had WIfI I-2/3. The multivariate analysis identified age ≥65 years, dialysis-dependent renal failure, WIfI I-3 in the index limb, and loss of pressure sensation in the contralateral limb as independent risk factors for WIfI I-2/3 in asymptomatic contralateral limbs (all p < 0.05). The 3-year cumulative incidence rate of major adverse limb events (MALE) in asymptomatic contralateral limbs was 19.3% (95% CI, 15.1-23.7%), whereas that of all-cause mortality was 46.9% (95% CI, 41.0-52.5%). The corresponding rate including a composite of mortality and MALE was 58.8% (95% CI, 52.9-64.6%). In asymptomatic contralateral limbs, the adjusted hazard ratio of WIfI I-2/3 versus I-0/1 was 1.53 (95% CI, 1.11-2.10) for a composite of mortality and MALE, 1.96 (95% CI, 1.14-3.36) for MALE, and 1.37 (95% CI, 0.95-1.96) for mortality (p = 0.009, 0.015, and 0.091, respectively)., Conclusions: Two-thirds of CLTI patients had an asymptomatic contralateral limb, and approximately half of the asymptomatic contralateral limbs were exposed to severe ischemia. Older age, dialysis-dependent renal failure, WIfI I-3 in the index limb, and loss of pressure sensation in the contralateral limb were independently associated with severe ischemia in asymptomatic contralateral limbs. In addition to mortality, MALE commonly occurred in asymptomatic contralateral limbs, especially with WIfI I-2/3., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective/background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been associated with thrombotic complications such as deep vein thrombosis or stroke. Recently, numerous cases of acute limb ischemia (ALI) have been reported although pooled data are lacking., Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library for studies published online up to January 2021 that reported cases with SARS-CoV-2 infection and ALI. Eligible studies should have reported early outcomes including mortality. Primary endpoints included also pooled amputation, clinical improvement, and reoperation rates., Results: In total, 34 studies (19 case reports and 15 case series/cohort studies) including a total of 540 patients (199 patients were eligible for analysis) were evaluated. All studies were published in 2020. Mean age of patients was 61.6 years (range, 39-84 years; data from 32 studies) and 78.4% of patients were of male gender (data from 32 studies). There was a low incidence of comorbidities: arterial hypertension, 49% (29 studies); diabetes mellitus, 29.6% (29 studies); dyslipidemia, 20.5% (27 studies); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 8.5% (26 studies); coronary disease, 8.3% (26 studies); and chronic renal disease, 7.6% (28 studies). Medical treatment was selected as first-line treatment for 41.8% of cases. Pooled mortality rate among 34 studies reached 31.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.4%%-37.7%). Pooled amputation rate among 34 studies reached 23.2% (95% CI, 17.3%-29.7%). Pooled clinical improvement rate among 28 studies reached 66.6% (95% CI, 55.4%%-76.9%). Pooled reoperation rate among 29 studies reached 10.5% (95% CI, 5.7%%-16.7%). Medical treatment was associated with a higher death risk compared with any intervention (odds ratio, 4.04; 95% CI, 1.075-15.197; P = .045) although amputation risk was not different between the two strategies (odds ratio, 0.977; 95% CI, 0.070-13.600; P = .986) (data from 31 studies)., Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a high risk for thrombotic complications, including ALI. COVID-associated ALI presents in patients with a low incidence of comorbidities, and it is associated with a high mortality and amputation risk. Conservative treatment seems to have a higher mortality risk compared with any intervention, although amputation risk is similar., (Copyright © 2021 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The increased use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) facilitates an increase in breast-conserving surgery and immediate breast reconstruction. While NACT is considered to have the same oncological safety as adjuvant chemotherapy, evidence on the impact of NACT on surgical outcomes following breast surgery is unclear and varies across studies. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the impact of NACT on surgical complications in breast cancer patients undergoing any kind of breast surgery., Methods: Database searches were conducted (March 26, 2021) to identify studies assessing the impact of NACT on postoperative complications. Studies were included if they compared a group of patients treated with NACT to a control group that was not, and if they reported at least one of our defined outcomes. Primary effect measures were odds ratios (ORs) and mean difference with a 95% confidence interval. Study quality was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale., Results: Twenty-six studies comprising 134,191 patients were included. NACT was not associated with an increased complication rate for overall complications (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.47, p = 0.38), individual postoperative complications, nor surgery duration. There was a non-significant trend towards NACT increasing the risk of seroma, wound complications, skin or nipple necrosis, flap ischemia or loss, and implant loss. A significant difference in blood loss was found, favouring NACT (MD = -75.85, 95% CI: -107.47 to -44.23, p < 0.00001). Heterogeneity was significant between the studies (I 2 >50%)., Conclusion: Compared to a control group, NACT was not found to affect the surgical complications adversely., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To study the incidence, extent and fate of uterine ischaemia as one of the forms of non-target embolisation following uterine artery embolisation (UAE), as detected on immediate post-embolisation and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at the 3-month follow-up., Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken comprising 43 women (mean age: 44.8 ± 3.79 years). MRI was performed before, immediately after (within 6 h), and 3 months after successful UAE. Areas of uterine ischaemia were identified on immediate post-embolisation MRI as regions of newly developed (compared to pre-embolisation MRI) absent enhancement within the uterus not corresponding to the location of the leiomyoma. The volume of the ischaemic region was calculated using the formula (height × length × width × 0.523)., Results: Uterine ischaemia was encountered in 29 patients (67.44%). The mean volume of the ischaemic region immediately after UAE was 29.29 ± 19.15 ml (range: 7.36-87.71 ml). At 3-month follow-up, it was 0.35 ± 0.95 ml (range: 0-3.5 ml) with 25 (86%) patients showing complete resolution of the ischaemia. The mean reduction in the volume of the ischaemic region at the 3-month follow-up was 98.24 ± 5.72% (range: 72-100%). This volume reduction was statistically significant (p<0.0001)., Conclusion: Uterine ischaemia as a form of non-target embolisation following UAE might be encountered in up to two thirds of patients. These ischaemic areas are significantly reduced at the 3-month follow-up with up to 86% of cases showing complete reversibility of the ischaemia., (Copyright © 2021 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)