Project description:A cohort study was conducted to examine the association of an increased body mass index (BMI) with late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy (CEA). It comprised 1597 CEAs, performed in 1533 patients at the Vascular Surgery Clinic in Belgrade, from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2017. The follow-up lasted four years after CEA. Data for late myocardial infarction and stroke were available for 1223 CEAs, data for death for 1305 CEAs, and data for restenosis for 1162 CEAs. Logistic and Cox regressions were used in the analysis. The CEAs in patients who were overweight and obese were separately compared with the CEAs in patients with a normal weight. Out of 1223 CEAs, 413 (33.8%) were performed in patients with a normal weight, 583 (47.7%) in patients who were overweight, and 220 (18.0%) in patients who were obese. According to the logistic regression analysis, the compared groups did not significantly differ in the frequency of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, as late major adverse outcomes (MAOs), or in the frequency of restenosis. According to the Cox and logistic regression analyses, BMI was neither a predictor for late MAOs, analyzed separately or all together, nor for restenosis. In conclusion, being overweight and being obese were not related to the occurrence of late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy.
Project description:PurposeWe aimed to compare clinical outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) between Korean patients with and without severe contralateral extracranial carotid stenosis or occlusion (SCSO).MethodsBetween January 2004 and December 2014, a total of 661 patients who underwent 731 CEAs were stratified by SCSO (non-SCSO and SCSO groups) and analyzed retrospectively. The study outcomes included the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as stroke or myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality during the perioperative period and within 4 years after CEA.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the incidence of MACE or any individual MACE manifestations between the 2 groups during the perioperative period or within 4 years after CEA. On multivariate analysis to identify clinical variables associated with long-term study outcomes, older age (hazard ratios [HRs], 1.06; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 1.03-1.09; P < 0.001) and diabetes mellitus (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.14-2.57; P = 0.010) were significantly associated with an increased risk of MACE occurrence, while preexisting SCSO was not associated with long-term incidence of MACE and individual MACE components. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed similar MACE-free (P = 0.509), overall (P = 0.642), and stroke-free (P = 0.650) survival rates in the 2 groups.ConclusionThere were no significant differences in MACE incidence after CEA between the non-SCSO and SCSO groups, and preexisting SCSO was not associated with an increased risk of perioperative or long-term MACE occurrence.
Project description:The timing of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for symptomatic ipsilateral carotid artery stenosis has evolved in practice over time. Key landmark trials outlined the benefit of performing CEA in the recently symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, defined as revascularisation within 6 months of the index neurological event. Further evidence and sub-analysis demonstrate that performing CEA within 2 weeks of symptoms has the maximal benefit in reducing stroke free survival and is associated with a safe perioperative complication profile. This has translated into guideline recommendations and widespread clinical practice. The case for performing urgent CEA (within 48 hours of index neurological event) over early CEA (within 2 weeks) has been put forward and studied. Data examining perioperative complications for urgent CEA are mostly derived from retrospective single series studies. A moderate balance exists in the literature for the safety and risk of urgent CEA. Although many studies present acceptable perioperative stroke and mortality rates associated with urgent CEA, evidence still exists that the perioperative complications may not be insignificant. This is particularly the case if the presenting neurology is a stroke, rather than a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or amaurosis fugax. This should be contextualised in the practice of modern aggressive medical therapy with dual antiplatelets and statins, with evidence suggesting a reduction in recurrent ischaemic events prior to surgical intervention. Careful patient selection, presenting neurology and medical therapy is likely to be a key feature in considering urgent CEA versus early CEA.
Project description:This study aimed to describe the duplex ultrasound (DUS) findings associated with carotid restenosis after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and to determine whether carotid restenosis is associated with the clinical outcomes of CEA. Between January 2007 and December 2016, a total of 660 consecutive patients who underwent 717 CEAs were followed up at our hospital with DUS surveillance for at least 3 years after CEA. These patients were analyzed retrospectively for this study. Following CEA, restenosis was defined as the development of ≥50% stenosis, diagnosed on the basis of DUS findings of the luminal narrowing and velocity criteria. The study outcomes were defined as restenosis of the ipsilateral carotid artery after CEA and late (>30days) fatal or nonfatal stroke ipsilateral to the carotid restenosis. During the median follow-up period of 74 months, the restenosis incidence was 2.8% (20/717), and there were 2 strokes (2/20, 10%) ipsilateral to the restenosis after CEA; reintervention was performed for 11 patients with carotid restenosis (55%). Within 2 years after CEA, restenosis was identified in 9 cases (45%, 9/20), and 8 reinterventions (72.7%, 8/11) were performed. According to DUS findings, the morphologic characteristics of carotid restenosis were different from the preoperative plaque morphology. Among the 20 carotid restenosis cases, we observed the following DUS patterns: homogenous isoechoic restenosis (n = 14, 70%), homogenous hypoechoic (n = 2, 10%), isoechoic with hypoechoic surface (n = 3, 15%), and hypoechoic with isoechoic surface (n = 1, 5%). Although 9 carotid restenosis patients received prophylactic reintervention to mitigate the progression of restenosis, the 2 symptomatic restenosis patients had isoechoic lesions with hypoechoic surfaces on DUS. On Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, in terms of stroke-free survival rates, there was a higher risk of stroke among patients with carotid restenosis compared with patients without restenosis, with a non-significant trend (P = 0.051). In conclusion, most carotid restenoses were identified within 2 years after CEA, and there was a non-significant trend toward a higher risk of stroke among patients with carotid restenosis.
Project description:ObjectivePatients with contralateral carotid occlusion (CCO) have been excluded from randomized clinical trials because of a deemed high risk for adverse neurologic outcomes with carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Evidence for this rationale is limited and conflicting. Therefore, we aimed to compare outcomes after CEA between patients with and without CCO and varying degrees of contralateral carotid stenosis (CCS).MethodsWe identified patients undergoing CEA from 2003 to 2015 in the Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE) registry. Patients were stratified by preoperative symptom status and presence of CCO. Multivariable analysis was used to account for differences in demographics and comorbidities. Our primary outcome was 30-day stroke/death risk.ResultsOf 15,487 patients we identified who underwent CEA, 10,377 (67%) were asymptomatic. CCO was present in 914 patients, of whom 681 (75%) were asymptomatic. Overall, the 30-day stroke/death was 2.0% for symptomatic patients (CCO: 2.6%) and 1.1% for asymptomatic patients (CCO: 2.3%). After adjustment, including symptom status, CCO was associated with higher 30-day stroke/death (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-3.3; P = .001), any in-hospital stroke (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.7-4.6; P < .001), in-hospital ipsilateral stroke (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-4.0; P = .02), in-hospital contralateral stroke (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.2-11.4; P < .001), and prolonged length of stay (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-1.9; P < .001). CCS of 80% to 99% was only associated with a prolonged length of stay (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6; P = .01), not with in-hospital stroke. Neither CCO nor CCS was associated with 30-day mortality.ConclusionsAlthough CCO increases the risk of 30-day stroke/death, in-hospital strokes, and prolonged length of stay after CEA, the 30-day stroke/death rates in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with CCO remain within the recommended thresholds set by the 14 societies' guideline document. Thus, CCO should not qualify as a high-risk criterion for CEA. Moreover, there is no evidence that patients with CCO have lower stroke/death rates after carotid artery stenting than after CEA. We believe that CEA remains a valid and safe option for patients with CCO and that CCO should not be applied as a criterion to promote carotid artery stenting per se.
Project description:ObjectiveTo determine whether the obesity paradox exists in patients who undergo carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for symptomatic carotid artery stenosis.MethodsWe combined individual patient data from 2 randomized trials (Endarterectomy vs Angioplasty in Patients with Symptomatic Severe Carotid Stenosis and Stent-Protected Angioplasty vs Carotid Endarterectomy) and 3 centers in a third trial (International Carotid Stenting Study). Baseline body mass index (BMI) was available for 1,969 patients and classified into 4 groups: <20, 20-<25, 25-<30, and ≥30 kg/m2. Primary outcome was stroke or death, investigated separately for the periprocedural and postprocedural period (≤120 days/>120 days after randomization). This outcome was compared between different BMI strata in CAS and CEA patients separately, and in the total group. We performed intention-to-treat multivariable Cox regression analyses.ResultsMedian follow-up was 2.0 years. Stroke or death occurred in 159 patients in the periprocedural (cumulative risk 8.1%) and in 270 patients in the postprocedural period (rate 4.8/100 person-years). BMI did not affect periprocedural risk of stroke or death for patients assigned to CAS (ptrend = 0.39) or CEA (ptrend = 0.77) or for the total group (ptrend = 0.48). Within the total group, patients with BMI 25-<30 had lower postprocedural risk of stroke or death than patients with BMI 20-<25 (BMI 25-<30 vs BMI 20-<25; hazard ratio 0.72; 95% confidence interval 0.55-0.94).ConclusionsBMI is not associated with periprocedural risk of stroke or death; however, BMI 25-<30 is associated with lower postprocedural risk than BMI 20-<25. These observations were similar for CAS and CEA.
Project description:The objective of this study was to examine the variation in practice patterns and associated outcomes for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) within the Southern California Vascular Outcomes Improvement Collaborative (So Cal VOICe), a regional quality group of the Vascular Quality Initiative.All cases entered in the CEA registry by the So Cal VOICe were included in the study.From September 2010 through September 2015, 1,110 CEA cases were entered by 9 centers in the So Cal VOICe. Six hundred seventy-seven patients (61%) were male with mean age of 73 years. Nine hundred eighty-eight (89%) were hypertensive, 655 (59%) were prior or current smokers, 389 (35%) were diabetics, and 233 (21%) had coronary artery disease. Eight hundred twenty-one (74%) patients were asymptomatic (no history of ipsilateral neurologic event). The percentage of asymptomatic patients varied across the 9 centers from 57% to 91%. Preoperatively, 344 (31%) underwent cardiac stress test, center variation 13-75%, 500 (45%) underwent only duplex, center variation 11-72%. Intraoperatively, 600 (54%) underwent routine shunting, whereas 67 (6%) were shunted for an indication, and 444 (40%) were not shunted. Wound drainage was used in 422 (38%) cases, center variation 2-98%. Completion imaging by duplex and/or angiogram was performed in 766 (69%) cases, center variation 0-100%. Postoperatively, 11 (1%) patients had a new ipsilateral postoperative neurologic event, center variation 0-1.3%, 6 (0.5%) had a postoperative myocardial infarction, center variation 0-1.3%, and 8 (0.7%) required return to operating room for bleeding, center variation 0-1.3%.Despite wide variation in practice patterns surrounding CEA in the So Cal VOICe, postoperative complications were uniformly low. Further work will focus on identifying practices that can be modified to improve cost-effectiveness while maintaining excellent outcomes.
Project description:A common practice during cross-clamp of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is to manage mean arterial pressure (MAP) above baseline to optimize the collateral cerebral blood flow and reduce the risk of ischemic stroke.To determine whether MAP management ?20% above baseline during cross-clamp is associated with lower risk of early cognitive dysfunction, a subtler form of neurological injury than stroke.One hundred eighty-three patients undergoing CEA were enrolled in this ad hoc study. All patients had radial arterial catheters placed before the induction of general anesthesia. MAP was managed at the discretion of the anesthesiologist. All patients were evaluated with a battery of neuropsychometric tests preoperatively and 24 hours postoperatively.Overall, 28.4% of CEA patients exhibited early cognitive dysfunction (eCD). Significantly fewer patients with MAP ?20% above baseline during cross-clamp exhibited eCD than those managed <20% above (11.6% vs 38.6%, P < .001). In a multivariate logistic regression model, MAP ?20% above baseline during the cross-clamp period was associated with significantly lower risk of eCD (odds ratio [OR], 0.18 [0.07-0.40], P < .001), whereas diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.73 [1.14-6.61], P = .03) and each additional year of education (OR, 1.19 [1.06-1.34], P = .003) were associated with significantly higher risk of eCD.The observations of this study suggest that MAP management ?20% above baseline during cross-clamp of the carotid artery may be associated with lower risk of eCD after CEA. More prospective work is necessary to determine whether MAP ?20% above baseline during cross-clamp can improve the safety of this commonly performed procedure.
Project description:ObjectiveIn medically high-risk patients the choice between carotid artery stenting (CAS) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can be difficult. The purpose of this study was to compare risk-stratified outcomes of CAS and CEA.MethodsPatients who underwent isolated primary CEA (n = 11,336) or primary CAS (n = 544) at 29 centers in the Vascular Study Group of New England were analyzed (2003-2013); patients with previous ipsilateral CEA or CAS, or concomitant coronary artery bypass graft were excluded. A medical risk score based on predicted 5-year mortality was developed for each patient using a Cox proportional hazards model. Patients in the highest risk score quartile were termed high-risk (vs normal-risk for the other three quartiles). Medically high-risk patients had a 5-year survival of 65% and comprised 23% of CEA and 25% of CAS patients. Risk-stratified outcomes were compared within neurologically symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.ResultsAmong asymptomatic patients, rates of in-hospital stroke and/or death were not different between CAS and CEA in normal and high-risk cohorts, ranging from 0.7% in normal-risk CEA patients to 1.6% in high-risk CAS patients. In symptomatic patients, significantly worse outcomes were seen with CAS compared with CEA in normal-risk and high-risk patients. Normal-risk symptomatic patients had a stroke or death rate of 1.3% with CEA, but 5.2% with CAS (P < .01). In high-risk symptomatic patients, the stroke or death rate was 1.5% with CEA and 9.3% with CAS (P < .01). No significant differences were seen between asymptomatic CEA and CAS within risk strata across secondary outcome measures of stroke, death, or myocardial infarction, and ipsilateral stroke, major stroke, or death. However, symptomatic high-risk CAS patients had significantly greater rates of all secondary outcomes compared with CEA except death, and symptomatic normal-risk CAS patients had only significantly greater rates of death and stroke, death, or myocardial infarction.ConclusionsIn the Vascular Study Group of New England, asymptomatic normal- and high-risk patients do equally well after CEA or CAS. However, normal- and high-risk symptomatic patients have substantially worse outcomes with CAS compared with CEA. High medical risk alone might be an insufficient indication for CAS in symptomatic patients.
Project description:BackgroundObesity is a well-established risk factor for both adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, it is not known whether APOs are mediators or markers of the obesity-CVD relationship. This study examined the association between body mass index, APOs, and postpartum CVD risk factors.MethodsThe sample included adults from the nuMoM2b (Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-To-Be) Heart Health Study who were enrolled in their first trimester (6 weeks-13 weeks 6 days gestation) from 8 United States sites. Participants had a follow-up visit at 3.7 years postpartum. APOs, which included hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age birth, and gestational diabetes, were centrally adjudicated. Mediation analyses estimated the association between early pregnancy body mass index and postpartum CVD risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes) and the proportion mediated by each APO adjusted for demographics and baseline health behaviors, psychosocial stressors, and CVD risk factor levels.ResultsAmong 4216 participants enrolled, mean±SD maternal age was 27±6 years. Early pregnancy prevalence of overweight was 25%, and obesity was 22%. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy occurred in 15%, preterm birth in 8%, small-for-gestational-age birth in 11%, and gestational diabetes in 4%. Early pregnancy obesity, compared with normal body mass index, was associated with significantly higher incidence of postpartum hypertension (adjusted odds ratio, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.10-1.18]), hyperlipidemia (1.11 [95% CI, 1.08-1.14]), and diabetes (1.03 [95% CI, 1.01-1.04]) even after adjustment for baseline CVD risk factor levels. APOs were associated with higher incidence of postpartum hypertension (1.97 [95% CI, 1.61-2.40]) and hyperlipidemia (1.31 [95% CI, 1.03-1.67]). Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy mediated a small proportion of the association between obesity and incident hypertension (13% [11%-15%]) and did not mediate associations with incident hyperlipidemia or diabetes. There was no significant mediation by preterm birth or small-for-gestational-age birth.ConclusionsThere was heterogeneity across APO subtypes in their association with postpartum CVD risk factors and mediation of the association between early pregnancy obesity and postpartum CVD risk factors. However, only a small or nonsignificant proportion of the association between obesity and CVD risk factors was mediated by any of the APOs, suggesting APOs are a marker of prepregnancy CVD risk and not a predominant cause of postpartum CVD risk.