Paclitaxel-coated versus uncoated devices for infrainguinal endovascular revascularisation in chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (SWEDEPAD 1): a multicentre, participant-masked, registry-based, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Drug-coated devices are frequently used in coronary and peripheral interventions, but their effect on amputation risk in peripheral artery disease is unclear. We assessed whether drug-coated devices affect the rate of above-ankle amputation in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia undergoing infrainguinal endovascular revascularisation.

Methods: The Swedish Drug-Elution Trial in Peripheral Arterial Disease 1 (SWEDEPAD 1) was a pragmatic, nationwide, multicentre, participant-masked, registry-based, randomised controlled trial at 22 Swedish centres.

Paclitaxel-coated versus uncoated devices for infrainguinal endovascular revascularisation in patients with intermittent claudication (SWEDEPAD 2): a multicentre, participant-masked, registry-based, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Drug-coated devices are widely used to reduce restenosis after lower limb revascularisation in patients with peripheral artery disease, but their effect on patient-centred outcomes remains unclear. We assessed the effect of paclitaxel-coated devices on clinically important outcomes in patients with intermittent claudication undergoing infrainguinal endovascular revascularisation.

Methods: The Swedish Drug-Elution Trial in Peripheral Arterial Disease 2 (SWEDEPAD 2) was a pragmatic, nationwide, multicentre, participant-masked, registry-based, randomised controlled trial conducted at 22 Swedish vascular centres.

Long Term Outcomes of Endovascular Repair for Blunt Traumatic Aortic Injury: A Twenty Year Multicentre Follow Up Study.

Objective: This retrospective, multicentre, observational study analysed patients who underwent endovascular repair for blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) at four tertiary trauma referral centres over twenty years. It aimed to determine early and long term survival, to analyse aortic and device related complications, and to assess the re-intervention rate after endovascular repair for BTAI.

Methods: All patients treated from 1 January 2001 to 31 October 2021 were identified using local hospital registries and two national registries: the Swedish vascular registry (Swedvasc) and Swedish trauma registry (SweTrau).

Semi-Conservative Treatment Versus Radical Surgery in Abdominal Aortic Graft and Endograft Infections.

Objective: Abdominal aortic graft and endograft infections (AGIs) are rare complications following aortic surgery. Radical surgery (RS) with resection of the infected graft and reconstruction with extra-anatomical bypass or in situ reconstruction is the preferred therapy. For patients unfit for RS, a semi-conservative (SC), graft preserving strategy is possible.

Long Term Mortality Rate in Patients Treated with Carotid Endarterectomy.

Objective: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an effective surgical method for stroke prevention in selected patients with carotid stenosis. Few contemporary studies report on the long term mortality rate in CEA treated patients, despite continuous changes in medication, diagnostics, and patient selection. Here, the long term mortality rate is described in a well characterised cohort of asymptomatic and symptomatic CEA patients, sex differences evaluated, and mortality ratio compared with the general population.

Effects of a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme on adherence to prescribed medication among patients surgically treated for intermittent claudication: randomized clinical trial.

Background: Management of intermittent claudication should include secondary prevention to reduce the risk of cardiocerebrovascular disease. Patient adherence to secondary prevention is a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme could improve adherence to medication compared with standard care.

Editor's Choice - Outcome of Radical Surgical Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Graft and Endograft Infections Comparing Extra-anatomic Bypass with In Situ Reconstruction: A Nationwide Multicentre Study.

Objective: Abdominal aortic graft and endograft infection (AGI) is primarily treated by resection of the infected graft and restoration of distal perfusion through extra-anatomic bypass (EAB) or in situ reconstruction/repair (ISR). The aim of this study was to compare these surgical strategies in a nationwide multicentre retrospective cohort study.

Methods: The Swedish Vascular Registry (Swedvasc) was used to identify surgically treated abdominal AGIs in Sweden between January 1995 and May 2017.

Deep Femoral Vein Reconstruction for Abdominal Aortic Graft Infections is Associated with Low Aneurysm Related Mortality and a High Rate of Permanent Discontinuation of Antimicrobial Treatment.

Objective: Aortic prosthesis infection is a devastating complication of aortic surgery. In situ reconstruction with the neo-aorto-iliac system (NAIS) bypass technique has become increasingly used and is recommended in recent treatment guidelines. The main aim was to evaluate NAIS procedural outcomes when undertaken after previous open or endovascular aortic repair in Sweden.

Risk Factors for Abdominal Compartment Syndrome After Endovascular Repair for Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Case Control Study.

Objective: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) are treated by endovascular aneurysm repair (rEVAR) increasingly often. Despite rEVAR being a minimally invasive method, abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) remains a significant post-operative threat. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors for ACS after rEVAR, including aortic morphological features.

Mortality with Paclitaxel-Coated Devices in Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: The results of a recent meta-analysis aroused concern about an increased risk of death associated with the use of paclitaxel-coated angioplasty balloons and stents in lower-limb endovascular interventions for symptomatic peripheral artery disease.

Methods: We conducted an unplanned interim analysis of data from a multicenter, randomized, open-label, registry-based clinical trial. At the time of the analysis, 2289 patients had been randomly assigned to treatment with drug-coated devices (the drug-coated-device group, 1149 patients) or treatment with uncoated devices (the uncoated-device group, 1140 patients).

Risk Factors for Complications and Long-Term Outcomes Following Completion Lymph Node Dissection for Cutaneous Melanoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Completion lymph node dissection (CLND) for malignant melanoma is performed for regional cancer control and is associated with a high complication rate. It is unknown whether post-operative complications influence cancer recurrence or survival. Our aim was to evaluate the risk factors for short- and long-term complications after CLND, and to determine whether complications affect recurrence or survival.

PCSK6 Is a Key Protease in the Control of Smooth Muscle Cell Function in Vascular Remodeling.

Rationale: PCSKs (Proprotein convertase subtilisins/kexins) are a protease family with unknown functions in vasculature. Previously, we demonstrated PCSK6 upregulation in human atherosclerotic plaques associated with smooth muscle cells (SMCs), inflammation, extracellular matrix remodeling, and mitogens.

Objective: Here, we applied a systems biology approach to gain deeper insights into the PCSK6 role in normal and diseased vessel wall.

Malondialdehyde Conjugated With Albumin Induces Pro-Inflammatory Activation of T Cells Isolated From Human Atherosclerotic Plaques Both Directly and Via Dendritic Cell-Mediated Mechanism.

Human dendritic cells were differentiated from blood monocytes and treated with malondialdehyde (MDA) conjugated with human serum albumin (HSA). Autologous T cells from human plaques or blood were co-cultured with the pre-treated dendritic cells or treated directly. MDA modifications were studied by mass spectrometry.

2-cm versus 4-cm surgical excision margins for primary cutaneous melanoma thicker than 2 mm: long-term follow-up of a multicentre, randomised trial.

Background: The optimal surgical excision margins are uncertain for patients with thick (>2 mm) localised cutaneous melanomas. In our previous report of this multicentre, randomised controlled trial, with a median follow-up of 6·7 years, we showed that a narrow excision margin (2 cm vs 4 cm) did not affect melanoma-specific nor overall survival. Here, we present extended follow-up of this cohort.

The effect of ticagrelor on growth of small abdominal aortic aneurysms-a randomized controlled trial.

Aims: To evaluate if ticagrelor, an effective platelet inhibitor without known non-responders, could inhibit growth of small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).

Methods And Results: In this multi-centre randomized controlled trial, double-blinded for ticagrelor and placebo, acetylic salicylic acid naïve patients with AAA and with a maximum aortic diameter 35-49 mm were included. The primary outcome was mean reduction in log-transformed AAA volume growth rate (%) measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 12 months compared with baseline.

Nationwide Study on Treatment of Mycotic Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms.

Objective: Mycotic aortic aneurysms are rare, life threatening, and complex. This nationwide study aimed to assess outcome after repair of mycotic thoracic aortic aneurysms (MTAAs).

Methods: Patients treated in Sweden for MTAAs between 2000 and 2016 were identified in the Swedish vascular registry (2010-16) and local patient registries (2000-09).

Novel Multiomics Profiling of Human Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques and Plasma Reveals Biliverdin Reductase B as a Marker of Intraplaque Hemorrhage.

Clinical tools to identify individuals with unstable atherosclerotic lesions are required to improve prevention of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Here, a systems-based analysis of atherosclerotic plaques and plasma from patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy for stroke prevention was used to identify molecular signatures with a causal relationship to disease. Local plasma collected in the lesion proximity following clamping prior to arteriotomy was profiled together with matched peripheral plasma.

Haemodialysis access thrombosis: Outcomes after surgical thrombectomy versus catheter-directed thrombolytic infusion.

Introduction:: Thrombosis is one of the most common complications of dialysis vascular access and is a significant source of morbidity and healthcare-associated costs. In this retrospective study, outcomes for surgical thrombectomy and thrombolysis after access thrombosis in patients with arteriovenous fistulas or prosthetic grafts (arteriovenous grafts) were analysed.

Methods:: All patients with a primary episode of dialysis access thrombosis between 2005 and 2013 were included which yielded 131 patients with 149 episodes of access thrombosis (108 arteriovenous grafts; 41 arteriovenous fistulas).

IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine promote polarization of T regulatory cells from patients with atherosclerotic plaques, systemic lupus erythematosus and healthy donors.

Background And Aims: IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) are negatively associated with atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), where the risk of CVD and atherosclerosis is high. We here study the effects of IgM anti-PC immune regulation.

Methods: Mononuclear leukocytes were isolated from peripheral blood (PBMC) obtained from healthy blood donors, six SLE patients with age- and sex-matched controls, and symptom-giving human atherosclerotic plaques.