Background Among asymptomatic patients with severe carotid artery stenosis but no recent stroke or transient cerebral ischaemia, either carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can restore patency and reduce long-term stroke risks. However, from recent national registry data, each option causes about 1% procedural risk of disabling stroke or death. Comparison of their long-term protective effects requires large-scale randomised evidence.Methods ACST-2 is an international multicentre randomised trial of CAS versus CEA among asymptomatic patients with severe stenosis thought to require intervention, interpreted with all other relevant trials. Patients were eligible if they had severe unilateral or bilateral carotid artery stenosis and both doctor and patient agreed that a carotid procedure should be undertaken, but they were substantially uncertain which one to choose. Patients were randomly allocated to CAS or CEA and followed up at 1 month and then annually, for a mean 5 years. Procedural events were those within 30 days of the intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses are provided. Analyses including procedural hazards use tabular methods. Analyses and meta-analyses of non-procedural strokes use Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN21144362.

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Aortic pulse wave velocity is a worldwide accepted index to evaluate aortic stiffness and can be assessed noninvasively by several methods. This study sought to determine if commonly used noninvasive devices can all accurately estimate aortic pulse wave velocity. Pulse wave velocity was estimated in 102 patients (aged 65±13 years) undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography with 7 noninvasive devices and compared with invasive aortic pulse wave velocity. Devices evaluating carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (Complior Analyse, PulsePen ET, PulsePen ETT, and SphygmoCor) showed a strong agreement between each other ( r >0.83) and with invasive aortic pulse wave velocity. The mean difference ±SD with the invasive pulse wave velocity was −0.73±2.83 m/s ( r =0.64) for Complior-Analyse: 0.20±2.54 m/s ( r =0.71) for PulsePen-ETT: −0.04±2.33 m/s ( r =0.78) for PulsePen ET; and −0.61±2.57 m/s ( r =0.70) for SphygmoCor. The finger-toe pulse wave velocity, evaluated by pOpmètre, showed only a weak relationship with invasive aortic recording (mean difference ±SD =−0.44±4.44 m/s; r =0.41), and with noninvasive carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity measurements ( r <0.33). Pulse wave velocity estimated through a proprietary algorithm by BPLab (v.5.03 and v.6.02) and Mobil-O-Graph showed a weaker agreement with invasive pulse wave velocity compared with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (mean difference ±SD =−0.71±3.55 m/s, r =0.23; 1.04±2.27 m/s, r =0.77; and −1.01±2.54 m/s, r =0.71, respectively), revealing a negative proportional bias at Bland-Altman plot. Aortic pulse wave velocity values provided by BPLab and Mobil-O-Graph were entirely dependent on age-squared and peripheral systolic blood pressure (cumulative r 2 =0.98 and 0.99, respectively). Thus, among the methods evaluated, only those assessing carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (Complior Analyse, PulsePen ETT, PulsePen ET, and SphygmoCor) appear to be reliable approaches for estimation of aortic stiffness.

Our study shows that the short-term repeatability of PWV measures is good but not homogenous across different devices and at different PWV values. These findings, obtained in patients at high cardiovascular risk, may be relevant when evaluating the prognostic importance of PWV.

We hypothesized that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, -9, and tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1, -2 (TIMP-1, -2) would be abnormal in diabetes and in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We measured MMP-2, -9, and TIMP-1, -2 plasma levels in healthy subjects (controls), in type 2 diabetic patients, in nondiabetic patients with ACS (ACS) and in diabetic patients with ACS (DACS). We enrolled 165 controls, 181 diabetic patients, 78 ACS, and 46 DACS. We measured also BMI (body mass index), HbA(1c) (glycated hemoglobin) FPG (fasting plasma glucosa), FPI (fasting plasma insulin), HOMA index (homeostasis model assessment index), SBP (systolic blood pressure), DBP (diastolic blood pressure), TC (total cholesterol), LDL-C (low density lipoprotein cholesterol), HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), Tg (triglycerides), Lp(a) (lipoprotein(a)) PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1), Hct (homocysteine), Fg (fibrinogen), and hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). A significant increase of BMI was observed in the diabetic group, in ACS and DACS patients compared to controls. A significant increase of SBP and DBP resulted in the diabetic and DACS groups, while only SBP improvement was present in ACS patients with respect to controls. A decrease in SBP and DBP was observed in the ACS group, while SBP variation was present in DACS patients compared to diabetics, and DBP increase was obtained in the DACS group with respect to ACS patients. TC, LDL-C, Tg, and Lp(a) increase was present in diabetics, while TC, Tg, and Lp(a) improvement was present in ACS and DACS patients with a significant decrease of HDL-C levels in diabetic, ACS, and DACS groups compared to controls. A decrease in LDL-C was obtained in ACS and DACS groups, while HDL-C increase was observed in these patients with respect to diabetics. Tg levels were higher in the DACS group compared to diabetics and ACS patients, respectively. Increases in PAI-1, Hct, Fg, and hs-CRP were present in diabetic and DACS groups, while PAI-1, Hct, and hs-CRP improvement was obtained in ACS patients with respect to controls. Higher PAI-1 levels came about in ACS and DACS groups, while HCT and Fg levels were lower in ACS patients compared to diabetics. An increase in Fg was present in the DACS group with respect to ACS patients. A decrease in Hs-CRP was observed in DACS patients compared to diabetics and the ACS group, respectively. Higher MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 levels were present in diabetic, ACS, and DACS patients compared to controls. Significant MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 increases were observed in ACS and DACS groups, while MMP-9 decreased in these patients compared to diabetics. In conclusion, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 plasma levels were higher in diabetic, ACS, and DACS patients, which may reflect abnormal extracellular matrix metabolism in diabetes and in acute coronary syndrome.

In patients with aortic stenosis, the presence of hypertension negatively affects the hemodynamic severity of the stenosis, and worsens adverse left ventricular remodeling. It accelerates the progression of the stenosis and is associated with worse prognosis. Proper management of hypertension is thus crucial but there are concerns about the safety and efficacy of antihypertensive medications as well as uncertainty about optimal blood pressure (BP) targets and their impact on left ventricular mass regression and survival benefits. In the present review, we discuss these issues based on the evidence available in the current literature. Focus is first directed on the consequences of a persistently elevated BP before and after surgical aortic valve replacement or transcatheter valve implantation, and the clinical significance of an abnormal BP response during exercise in patients with significant aortic stenosis. Available data on use of antihypertensive drugs are then critically addressed, the conclusion being that calcium channel blockers may be associated with lower survival, and that diuretics may have disadvantages in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and smaller left ventricular cavity dimensions, β-blockers may be well tolerated and a better choice for patients with concomitant coronary artery disease and arrhythmias. Renin--angiotensin system blockers improve survival given either before or after valve intervention. Emphasis is placed on the fact that evidence is not derived from randomized trials but only from observational studies. Finally, we discuss the optimal SBP level to reach in patients with aortic stenosis. Again, randomized trials are not available but observational evidence suggests that values between 130 and 139 mmHg systolic and 70–90 mmHg diastolic might represent the best option, and lower BP targets should probably be avoided.

Using digitized M-mode echograms, we evaluated the influence of sex on age-related changes of left ventricular (LV) anatomy and function in a normal population (75 males and 75 females, subdivided in age groups for each decade from 20 to 70 years). Aging is accompanied with an increase in septal and wall thickness in both males and females and in LV diameter only in males, with a progressive increase of LV mass more pronounced in males than in females. As regards LV function we found a progressive slowing of relaxation in females and of both contraction and relaxation in males, not related to changes in LV mass.

CV was significantly inferior to CD sonography and IVUS in detecting JEM. Differences between IVUS and CD sonography in detecting JEM and in quantifying jugular diameters were not significant. The IJV CSA was underestimated by CD sonography compared with IVUS. CD sonography was proven to be important in the anatomical characterization of CCSVI, providing useful information for correct intravascular treatment.