(1) Compression stockings are too rarely prescribed and often unaccepted at early stages of CVD; (2) The common reason for discontinuation of compression therapy is its high cost.

IntroductionAvailable reports underline the significance of the inflammatory process in the development, progression and destabilisation of atherosclerotic plaques in the internal carotid artery (ICA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the degree of ICA stenosis, ultrasound plaque morphology and serum concentration of selected inflammatory markers.Material and methodsSixty-five patients with ICA stenosis > 50% (39 symptomatic) and 30 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Clinical, neurological examination and laboratory evaluation (leucocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins (1β, 6 and 10), anti-cytomegalovirus IgG antibody titre) were performed. Stenosis grade ≥ 70%, ulcerations on the plaque surface and a hypoechoic (or predominantly hypoechoic) structure of the plaque, obtained by colour-coded duplex examination, were accepted as the characteristics of unstable stenoses.ResultsUnstable ultrasound features of ICA stenosis were found significantly more often in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients (71.79% vs. 30.71% for stenosis degree ≥ 70%, p = 0.001 and 61.23% vs. 38.46% for unstable plaque morphology, p = 0.01). Patients with ICA stenosis had significantly higher serum concentrations of interleukin-6, fibrinogen, ESR and higher CRP values than the individuals from the control group (p = 0.001, p = 0.009, p = 0.036, p = 0.009 respectively). Patients with unstable plaques structure had significantly higher concentrations of TNF-α, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, higher number of leukocytes, monocytes and higher CRP values than patients with stable plaques (p = 0.008, p = 0.049, p = 0.012, p = 0.0002, p = 0.006, p = 0.0003 respectively). No significant differences in above-mentioned parameters between the groups with stenosis < 70% and ≥ 70% were found.ConclusionsThere is a relationship between the activity of the selected inflammatory markers in serum and atherosclerotic unstable internal carotid artery stenosis. There is no relationship between serum concentration of inflammatory markers and degree of carotid artery stenosis.

P53-related apoptosis is one of the regulatory mechanisms of vein wall homeostasis maintenance. During varicose vein development its activation is related to the early stages of the disease. In the further course, the down-regulation of the SMC apoptosis within the vein media leads to the structural changes increase. The reduction of the SMC population corresponding to an increase of p21 expression in proximal saphenous vein segments suggests that the cell cycle disturbances may lead to the 'weakness' of the proximal GSV wall. Valve injury is not the only factor leading to the varicose veins occurrence.

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bidity and the additional risk factors related to them contribute to a high risk of operative and postoperative complications. The main objective of the physiotherapy after abdominal surgery is to prevent and treat the postoperative complications and functional disorders resulting from the elective operation.All around the world, an increasing occurrence of abdominal aortic aneurysm has been observed, partly due to the prolongation of human life span and partly due to the development of diagnostic methods. Elective surgery is the best management of the disease [1,2]. Age, general health status, co-mor- AbstractBackground. Major surgical procedures as well as general anesthesia contribute to muscle weakness and posture instability and may result in increased postoperative complications and functional disorders resulting from an elective operation. Objectives. We aim to state the significance of backward walking as a form of interval march training with patients after abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. Material and Methods. Sixty-five patients were randomly divided into three subgroups and three various models of physiotherapy were applied. The participants were males, aged 65-75 years, with stable cardiologic status, absence of neurological disorders, and non-symptomatic aneurysm -non-ruptured, no pain complaints and no motor system impairments. The control group had only routine physiotherapy, since therapeutic groups I and II also had walking exercises, forward in group II and backward in group I. Both experimental groups were applied interval training. The patient data analyzed was as follows: hospitalization period-days; 6-min walking test-distance (m), training heart rate (1/min), mean speed (km/h), MET; spirometry test-FVC(L), FEV1(L), FEV1/FVC and PEF(L/s).Results. The hospital stay period in all groups did not vary significantly. Statistical analysis showed that patients with backward walking had a statistically significantly lower reduction of walking distance in the corridor test when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). After the operation, a significant reduction of mean speed in the control group was noted in comparison with both the forward and backward walking groups (p < 0.05). No significant differences were noted between the experimental groups in average walking speed as well as in heart rate in all observed groups. Conclusions. Physical training applied to patients after major abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery influences sustaining the level of exercise tolerance to a small extent. Both backward and forward walking seem to be alternative methods when compared to classic post-surgery physiotherapy (Adv Clin Exp Med 2016, 25, 6, 1241-1371).

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Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), caused by atherosclerotic processes, is allied with an increased risk of ischemic events, limb loss, and death. Recently, the use of a solid-state laser at 355 nm within a hybrid catheter was suggested for that purpose. In this work, short nanosecond pulses of a solid-state laser at 355 nm delivered through a hybrid catheter, composed of optical fibers and a blunt mechanical blade, are used to conduct a pre-clinical study and two clinical cases. The pre-clinical study consisted of an atherosclerotic calcified cadaveric leg and a porcine in vivo trial within the iliac artery, respectively. The clinical cases include chronic total occlusions with a calcified lesion. The occluded cadaveric leg is recanalized successfully and no evidence of thermal necrosis is indicated in the histopathology analysis of the porcine study. No arterial wall damage is demonstrated on the animals' treated arteries and no significant impact on blood count and biochemistry analysis is noted in the animal trial. Successful recanalization of the occluded arteries followed by balloon angioplasty is obtained in both clinical cases. Our work constitutes a proof of concept for using a solid-state pulsed laser at 355 nm in atherectomy.

A molecular mechanism responsible for varicose vein occurrence was investigated. The role of potential cell cycle regulator p21 and programmed cell death in the pathology leading to the proximal long saphenous vein (LSV) incompetence was investigated. Proximal LSV specimens were obtained from 40 patients with primary varicose veins who had undergone crossectomy. The expression of the p21, p53, and fas encoding genes was investigated by the means of real-time RT-QPCR. Immunostaining for gene product presence, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and apoptotic cells (TUNEL assay) was carried out. The results were compared to the control healthy vein specimens and correlated with pathologic examination findings (of the valve and vein structure). A significant increase in p21, p53, and fas mRNA expression were reported in the proximal incompetent veins. The expression of p21 correlated with expression of p53 (r = 0.658; p<0.05) and negative correlation between media apoptotic index and p21 mRNA expression was found (r = -0.493; p<0.05). Decrease in the muscular component within the media and disturbances of the local structure in the incompetent LSVs were reported. Fas overexpression did not correlate with p53 expression level and did not correlate with apoptotic cell number in the respective vein layers. PCNA-positive cells were present more frequently in the media of the control veins, especially in young subjects. Apoptosis downregulation, cell cycle inhibition and smooth muscle cell hypertrophy are important factors influencing vein wall disturbances related to sapheno-femoral junction incompetence.