The effects of 3-glucosaminoglycan sulfate on lipids and the hemorheologic parameters were observed in a preliminary double-blind crossover study in 30 hyperlipidemic peripheral vascular disease (PVD) patients. Parenteral adminis tration of the test drug was associated with a reduction in serum lipids, espe cially in triglyceride levels, and a lowering of fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, and whole blood viscosity levels. These effects justify the drug's use in the treatment of PVD, especially when associated with hypertriglyceridemia and hemorheo logic disturbances.
A two-year follow-up on 118 atherosclerotic lesions of the extracranial carotid tract observed in 70 patients was carried out using real-time high-resolution echotomography. The following plaque characteristics were monitored: the echogenic patterns (soft, intermediate, hard, and mixed), the surface aspects, and the degree of stenosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate plaque evolution, in relation both to the degree of vessel stenosis produced and to the echostructural characteristics of the lesion. After two years 68% of the lesions remained unchanged while the degree of vessel stenosis increased in 32%; no case of regression was observed. Intrinsic factors appearing to condition an increase in degree of stenosis were "mixed" and "hard" echogenic pattern, an irregular lesion surface, and an initial degree of stenosis of more than 50%. A modification in the echogenic pattern, which generally tended to progress toward more highly reflecting echogenic levels was observed in 27% of the lesions studied.
High-resolution real-time echotomography was used in a longitudinal study on 118 atherosclerotic plaques of the extracranial carotid tract with the aim of identifying those most likely to cause a cerebrovascular event. Seventy patients (average age 61 +/- 7 years), referred to our Clinical Vascular Laboratory because suffering from transient cerebral ischemic attacks (TIA), coronary heart disease (CHD, peripheral artery disease (PAD), or cervical bruits (CB), were followed up for two years. Medical treatment remained that of the referring physician. Ten patients suffered from clinical events caused by stroke, TIA, and/or carotid occlusion during the follow-up. The echostructural profile of the lesions most often correlated with the clinical event was characterized by a mixed or hard echogenic pattern, and irregular surface, and an initial vascular stenosis of more than 50%.
An evaluation of the hemorheologic parameters and an ultrasonographic study of the extracranial carotid tract were performed on 48 patients, age range: sixty to seventy-five years, affected by acute stroke, 23 of whom had hypertension, while 27 were smokers. None of them was suffering from hyperli pidemia, diabetes mellitus, or symptomatic coronary heart or peripheral artery disease. The echotomographic analysis, using B-mode real-time echotomography re vealed atherosclerotic lesions in 26 patients. The hemorheologic pattern (hema tocrit, fibrinogen, whole blood filterability, whole blood and plasma viscosity) was determined in all the patients three months after the clinical event. Statistical analysis of the results indicates a possible link between athero sclerotic lesions of the extracranial carotid tract and age, fibrinogen levels, and whole blood filterability.
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