Publications by authors named "Christos D Liapis"

Introduction: Carotid artery stenosis is a significant risk factor for ischemic stroke, particularly in symptomatic patients. While carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has traditionally been the gold standard for management, transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative. TCAR combines direct carotid access with flow reversal technology to reduce embolic risk mainly from the aortic arch.

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Introduction: The optimal management of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (AsxCS) is enduringly controversial. The current stratification of AsxCS patients based on the degree of stenosis alone does not always reflect ipsilateral ischemic stroke risk. We hypothesized that the presence of ≥1 "high-risk" carotid plaque feature may more accurately identify AsxCS patients at high risk for a future ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular event.

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Introduction: The optimal management of patients with asymptomatic (AsxCS) and symptomatic carotid stenosis (SxCS) is still debatable. The present article will discuss emerging technological advances for the diagnosis and management of patients with AsxCS.

Evidence Acquisition: PubMed/MedLine was searched until December 31, 2024 for studies in English discussing emerging technological advances in the diagnosis and management of patients with AsxCS.

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Introduction: Two of the main reasons recent guidelines do not recommend routine population-wide screening programs for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (AsxCS) is that screening could lead to an increase of carotid revascularization procedures and that such mass screening programs may not be cost-effective. Nevertheless, selective screening for AsxCS could have several benefits. This article presents the rationale for such a program.

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Objective: Despite the publication of various national/international guidelines, several questions concerning the management of patients with asymptomatic (AsxCS) and symptomatic (SxCS) carotid stenosis remain unanswered. The aim of this international, multi-specialty, expert-based Delphi Consensus document was to address these issues to help clinicians make decisions when guidelines are unclear.

Methods: Fourteen controversial topics were identified.

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Article Synopsis
  • A recent update was made about how to manage patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (AsxCS), which means they have a narrow artery but don’t show symptoms.
  • Researchers looked at studies until August 2023 to learn about new treatments and techniques for these patients.
  • It's important to provide medical treatment to all patients, but some with specific risks may need surgery, and decisions should be based on individual needs and situations.
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Carotid occlusive disease has been related to ischaemic strokes and cerebral hypoperfusion, thus affecting patients' quality of life, mainly because of cognitive decline and depressive symptoms. Carotid revascularization techniques [carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS)] may, postoperatively, have a positive impact on patients' quality of life and mental condition, though there have been also presented elusive findings and controversial results. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of carotid revascularization (CEA, CAS) on patients' psychological condition and quality of life through a baseline and follow-up examination.

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Background: The optimal antithrombotic (antiplatelet or anticoagulant) treatment of patients undergoing extracranial carotid artery interventions is a subject of debate. The aim of this multidisciplinary document was to critically review the recommendations of current guidelines, taking into consideration the results of recently published studies.

Methods: The various antithrombotic strategies reported were evaluated for asymptomatic and symptomatic patients undergoing extracranial carotid artery interventions (endarterectomy, transfemoral carotid artery stenting [CAS] or transcarotid artery revascularization [TCAR]).

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Article Synopsis
  • Current guidelines advise against screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (AsxCS) due to the risk of unnecessary interventions, unlike the strong recommendation for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.
  • A literature analysis reveals that patients with AsxCS are at a high risk for future cardiovascular issues, yet universal screening is not advisable.
  • Selective screening for high-risk individuals could be beneficial, focusing on risk factor management and medical therapy to prevent future cardiovascular events rather than identifying candidates for surgery.
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Article Synopsis
  • International guidelines recommend using statins, alone or with other medications, to lower LDL cholesterol in patients with asymptomatic or symptomatic carotid stenosis, as it significantly reduces risks of stroke and cardiovascular events.
  • The overview evaluates the effectiveness of various lipid-lowering agents, emphasizing that statins and PCSK9 inhibitors offer substantial benefits like stabilizing carotid plaques and lowering stroke rates, while non-statin options like ezetimibe and fibrates also help but to a lesser extent.
  • Despite potential side effects, the advantages of lowering LDL cholesterol for these patients outweigh the risks, leading to a recommendation for high-dose statin therapy for all individuals, regardless of their baseline LDL levels.
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Objective: The optimal revascularization modality following complete resection of aortic graft infection (AGI) without enteric involvement remains unclear. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the revascularization approach associated with the lowest morbidity and mortality using real-world data in patients undergoing complete excision of AGI.

Methods: A retrospective, multi-institutional study of AGI from 2002 to 2014 was performed using a standardized database.

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Despite the publication of several national/international guidelines, the optimal management of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (AsxCS) remains controversial. This article compares 3 recently released guidelines (the 2020 German-Austrian, the 2021 European Stroke Organization [ESO], and the 2021 Society for Vascular Surgery [SVS] guidelines) vs the 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) guidelines regarding the optimal management of AsxCS patients.The 2017 ESVS guidelines defined specific imaging/clinical parameters that may identify patient subgroups at high future stroke risk and recommended that carotid endarterectomy (CEA) should or carotid artery stenting (CAS) may be considered for these individuals.

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Arterial stiffness and its valid index, the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), have emerged as predictors of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. We investigated the relationship of the CAVI with significant carotid stenosis (> 50%) and the related cerebrovascular symptoms or carotid plaque echogenicity, assessed by ultrasound gray-scale median (GSM) score, at baseline and after carotid artery stenting (CAS). We prospectively enrolled 113 patients with carotid stenosis (70-99% for asymptomatic and > 50% for symptomatic participants) eligible for CAS.

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The recommendations of international guidelines for the management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) often vary considerably and extend from a conservative approach with risk factor modification and best medical treatment (BMT) alone, to a more aggressive approach with a carotid intervention plus BMT. The aim of the current multispecialty position statement was to reconcile the conflicting views on the topic. A literature review was performed with a focus on data from recent studies.

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Objectives: The recommendations of international guidelines for the management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) often vary considerably and extend from a conservative approach with risk factor modification and best medical treatment (BMT) alone, to a more aggressive approach with a carotid intervention plus BMT. The aim of the current multispecialty position statement is to reconcile the conflicting views on the topic.

Materials And Methods: A literature review was performed with a focus on data from recent studies.

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