STAR MR angiography for rapid detection of vascular abnormalities in patients with acute cerebrovascular disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We undertook to investigate the usefulness of signal targeting with alternating radiofrequency magnetic resonance angiography (STAR MRA) in the diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular disease. The potential advantage of the technique is that angiographic images can be acquired in less than 1 minute. METHODS: We studied 19 patients (11 men and 8 women, ranging in age from 36 to 84 years [mean age, 66 years]) presenting with signs and symptoms of acute stroke. Patients underwent STAR MRA and three-dimensional fast imaging with steady-state precession (3D FISP) MRA. The MRAs were analyzed as to image quality and vascular abnormalities in the vascular territory of stroke as defined by diffusion-weighted imaging abnormalities and compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: STAR MRAs had slightly inferior image quality compared with 3D FISP MRA (P < .05). STAR MRA and 3D FISP MRA agreed in 18 of 19 cases regarding vascular abnormalities in the territory of the infarct (occlusion, n = 8; stenosis, n = 4; no abnormality, n = 6). In one patient, the techniques disagreed, when 3D FISP MRA was normal and STAR MRA demonstrated a vessel occlusion in the vascular territory of a stroke as defined by diffusion-weighted imaging abnormalities (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite slightly inferior image quality compared with 3D FISP MRA, STAR MRA is comparable with 3D FISP MRA in depicting abnormalities in the proximal parts of the cerebral arteries corresponding to ischemic regions on diffusion-weighted imaging, in a strikingly shorter acquisition time. Further studies are necessary to confirm that the smaller branches are better shown by using longer inversion times.     

Endoluminal grafting for aneurysmal and occlusive disease in the superficial femoral artery: early experience

PURPOSE: To examine whether endoluminal grafts (ELGs) of radically expandable polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) can successfully form durable internal conduits to revascularize lengthy occlusive disease and exclude aneurysms in the femoropopliteal (FP) arteries. METHODS: Under protocol, implantation of an unpredilated PTFE tube ELG anchored with Palmaz stents using a low-profile percutaneous delivery system was attempted in 50 symptomatic patients for a variety of pathologies: (1) restenosis; (2) complex lesions unlikely to be treated successfully with other endoluminal therapies; (3) acute angioplasty failure; and (4) aneurysms. There were 37 occlusions, 14 stenoses, and 2 long, combined stenotic-aneurysmal lesions in 47 native arteries, 5 FP grafts, and 1 femorotibial (FT) vein graft. Thirty-two percent of the patients had < or = vessel runoff. The average lesion length was 20.4 +/- 11.4 cm (range 1.5 to 40), and the mean preoperative ankle-brachial index (ABI) at rest was 0.53 +/- 0.14. RESULTS: In a 20-month period through April 1995, 50 patients (34 males, 16 females; mean age 69.5 years, range 45 to 87) underwent 54 procedures in 53 limbs; 55 ELGs were successfully deployed in 51 limbs; 2 patients were converted to FP bypass owing to technical problems (96% procedural success). There were 18 inhospital complications: 1 distal wire dissection repaired with an additional ELG; 2 hematomas requiring surgical repair; 1 graft collapse; 1 pseudoaneurysm at the site of a mid-ELG leak; 7 minor access sequelae; and 6 acute ELG thromboses, 4 treated with lytic therapy and balloon dilation, 1 with open thrombectomy, and 1 with bypass grafting. The mean postoperative ABI was 1.01 +/- 0.10. During the 30-day postprocedure period, 2 ELGs rethrombosed and 2 other limbs (3 ELGs) occluded; 1 thrombosis and 1 rethrombosis were lysed successfully, but the other 2 patients had an FP bypass. Over the mean 8.3 +/- 5.5 month follow-up, 6 additional ELGs occluded and 1 reoccluded; 4 were successfully treated by endovascular techniques for a primary patency of 72% and secondary patency of 84% by life-table analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular grafting is a conceptually attractive technique that has the potential to expand the current boundaries of interventional treatment. This preliminary experience attests to the feasibility and safety of ELG deployment in the superficial femoral arteries. Whether such a device can match the durability of classical revascularization techniques remains to be determined in clinical trials when device configurations and deployment techniques have been standardized.     

The vascular laboratory: a critical component required for successful management of peripheral arterial occlusive disease

Carotid artery dissection is a major cause of cerebral infarction in the young. The extracranial portion of the internal carotid artery is much more frequently involved than the intracranial portion. In up to 20% of cases it is bilateral or associated with vertebral artery dissection. It is mainly characterised by local signs such as headache or facial pain, Horner's syndrome, lower cranial nerve palsies and pulsatile tinnitus, followed a few hours or days later by signs of cerebral or retinal ischemia. Ultrasound investigations show signs of distal stenosis or occlusion, highly suggestive of dissection, but the best diagnostic tool is presently the association of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR angiography which tend to replace intra-arterial angiography. The prognosis is highly variable: excellent in cases limited to local signs, but very poor leading to death or major sequelae in about 15% of cases. Various treatments have been suggested but no controlled trial has ever been performed in this condition. Heparin in the acute stage followed by warfarin or aspirin for 3 to 6 months is most commonly used.     

Asymptomatic occlusive lesions of carotid and intracranial arteries in Japanese patients with ischemic heart disease: evaluation by brain magnetic resonance angiography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the prevalence and degree of asymptomatic occlusive lesions in the carotid and intracranial arteries in Japanese patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). METHODS: We performed carotid and intracranial MR angiography (MRA) on 67 patients (49 men, 18 women; age range, 40 to 78 years; mean age, 60.1 years) who had received selective coronary angiography for the clinical diagnosis of IHD. On the basis of these images, degree of stenosis in the regions of the bilateral carotid artery bifurcation and five regions of the intracranial arteries, ie, bilateral intracranial portions of the internal carotid arteries and the middle cerebral arteries and the basilar artery were estimated. RESULTS: Stenosis of more than 25% narrowing of the diameter of the target arteries was found in 15 patients (22.4%) in the extracranial carotid arteries and in 11 patients (16.4%) in the intracranial arteries. Most of the stenotic lesions were mild. The incidence of extracranial carotid stenosis and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis showed a significant correlation. The mean age of the patients with intracranial arterial lesions was statistically higher than those without intracranial lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that asymptomatic occlusive lesions in the carotid and intracranial arteries are fairly common in Japanese patients with IHD, although the degree of stenosis is relatively mild. Coexistence of carotid atherosclerosis should be suspected in IHD patients with severe coronary atherosclerosis, and the possibility of atherosclerosis in the intracranial arteries should be considered in aged IHD patients.     

Ischemic cerebrovascular disease in patients with atrial fibrillation

The purpose of this retrospective study was to elucidate 1) which subgroups are prone to have ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) among patients with atrial fibrillation (Af), 2) vulnerable period of CVD after the diagnosis of chronic Af and 3) the clinical efficacy of antiplatelet therapy in chronic nonvalvular Af patients. During 9 years, a total of 479 patients included 124 cases with paroxysmal Af, 30 cases with paroxysmal Af initially which later changed to chronic Af and 325 cases with chronic Af were enrolled. Among these 355 cases with chronic Af, 57 cases had valvular heart disease (VHD). The results were as follows: 1) The high risk subgroups (incidence rate/100 person-years is more than 6) were chronic Af with VHD or hypertension. The low risk subgroups (less than 2) were paroxysmal Af under 60 years of age, chronic Af with mitral valve prolapse syndrome or with hyperthyroidism. 2) There was no vulnerable period for occurrence of CVD during 9 years' follow-up from the onset of Af. 3) No significant difference in the incidence of CVD was seen in the groups with antiplatelet therapy and without.     

Fibrinogen heterogeneity in cancer, in occlusive vascular disease, and after surgical procedures

Electrophoresis in 3.5% polyacrylamide gel was used to determine the patterns of fibrinogen heterogeneity in healthy subjects, in postoperative patients and in patients with cancer or occlusive vascular disease. Two major and one minor fibrinogen fractions, differing in molecular weight, were identified, and their concentrations in blood determined. The high-molecular-weight (HWM) fraction was found in greatest concentration after operation, during the period of hyperfibrinogenemia, whereas no simultaneous increase of lower-molecular-weight (LMW and LMW') fractions occurred, suggesting that these were derivatives of HMW ("native") fibrinogen. No correlation between the concentrations of the LMW and LMW' fractions and fibrinolytic activity was found, suggesting that direct degradation of HMW fibrinogen by plasmin was unlikely. The high fibrinogen level in cancer patients was related to increased concentrations of HMW and LMW fractions, whereas in the vascular-disease patients it was due exclusively to increased concentrations of LMW and LMW' fibrinogen. Serial observations indicated little fluctuation in the concentration of these fractions, indicating a persistently accelerated rate of conversion of HMW to LMW and LMW' fibrinogen in occlusive vascular disease. Possible pathogenic implications are discussed.     

Improved walking economy in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease

The effect of exercise rehabilitation on the oxygen cost of ambulation in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) was evaluated with specific emphasis on the effects of exercise rehabilitation on the slow component of VO2. Because the slow component of VO2 represents an increase in VO2 despite constant-intensity exercise, it can profoundly affect the relative energy cost of exercise in individuals with a low functional capacity. Twenty-six patients with intermittent claudication performed treadmill walking at 2.0 mph/0% grade for 20 min or until maximal claudication pain before and after 4 months of rehabilitation. The slow component of VO2 during the treadmill test was defined as the difference between the end-exercise VO2 and the VO2 observed at minute 3. Ankle/brachial systolic pressure index (ABI) was measured before and immediately following the exercise test. Rehabilitation consisted of 3 d x wk(-1) of treadmill walking for 15-30 min at 60-70% of VO2peak. The slow component of VO2 and end-exercise VO2 at pretraining (0.75 +/- 0.90 and 11.12 +/- 2.10 mL x kg[-1] x min[-1]) were significantly reduced after 4 months of exercise rehabilitation (-0.07 +/- 1.11 and 10.07 +/- 1.80 mL x kg[-1] x min[-1]; P < 0.05). Exercise rehabilitation also significantly (P < 0.05) increased the post-exercise ABI (pre-rehabilitation = 0.36 +/- 0.26, post-rehabilitation = 0.43 +/- 0.25). These data suggest that 4 months of exercise rehabilitation: 1) improves walking economy in PAOD patients because of a decreased slow component of VO2, and 2) increases post-exercise ABI.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with cerebrovascular disease

The incidence of carotid artery disease in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting appears to be increasing as our population ages. The optimal treatment for these high-risk patients with concomitant carotid and coronary artery disease remains controversial. This review focuses on the management of patients with coexistent carotid and coronary arteriosclerosis. The significance and management of the patient with an asymptomatic carotid stenosis in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and the role of combined coronary artery bypass grafting and carotid endarterectomy in these patients will be discussed.     

Bone assessment in patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with ulcerative colitis are at risk of low bone mineral density (BMD). Proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis diminishes the risk of bone disease. The aims of this study were to assess the mechanism of low BMD and to measure bone density changes after IPAA. METHODS: Twenty patients with IPAA for ulcerative colitis, of mean(s.d.) age 38(9) (range 21-58) years, had measurements of lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, a mean(s.d.) 28(23) (range 3-84) months after proctocolectomy. Serum levels of calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin and 25-hydroxy vitamin D were determined. Fifteen patients were followed for 28(12) (range 8-50) months. RESULTS: At baseline, six patients had spine BMD more than two standard deviations below the normal value, and three had vertebral crush fractures. Mean vitamin D values were normal and no patient had osteomalacia. BMD increased with time elapsed since IPAA (spine: r = 0.71, P = 0.005). During follow-up, mean(s.d.) changes in bone density were +2.3(3.8) and +2.1(5.6) per cent per year at the spine and femoral neck respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in patients with IPAA for ulcerative colitis, low BMD is not associated with vitamin D malabsorption and may be reversible after surgery.     

Screening for intracranial aneurysms in patients with isolated polycystic liver disease

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Cloacal exstrophy can now be managed with excellent survival rates and reasonable long-term outcomes with many of these patients living into their late teens and early adulthood. In this report, the authors describe for the first time the association of large ovarian cysts with cloacal exstrophy. METHODS: From 1974 to 1996, 12 patients with cloacal exstrophy have been treated at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Massive ovarian cysts developed in four of these. These patients represent the subjects of this study. RESULTS: All four patients have been followed up beyond puberty and massive ovarian cysts have developed, which have caused significant morbidity. Three patients have required surgical intervention. All the patients had reached menarche before the development of the cysts. In all cases, the presentation was severe pelvic pain. Urinary tract obstruction from the large pelvic cysts developed in three of the four. The cysts were bilateral in three of four patients and measured 8 to 10 cm in diameter on ultrasound scan or computed tomography (CT). Cyst aspiration was attempted in two cases and was unsuccessful. Three of the four patients have required bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The indications for surgery were uncontrollable pelvic pain in one and urinary obstruction and uncontrollable pelvic pain in two. Surgical findings demonstrated massive thin-walled cysts with essentially no normal ovarian tissue in association with duplicated mullerian structures. The pathology findings were corpus luteal cyst in two and mucinous cystadenoma in one. The fourth patient with an 8- x 10-cm unilateral cyst is being followed up. CONCLUSIONS: The authors have described, for the first time, the association of massive ovarian cysts with cloacal exstrophy. These cysts can lead to severe pelvic pain and urinary tract obstruction. Bilateral oophorectomy has been required in most of these patients.     

Extra-anatomic bypass for aorto-iliac occlusive disease in octogenarians

Effect of verapamil post-treatment (0.2 mg/kg bolus, followed by 0.01 mg/kg/min infusion) on the functional and metabolic changes of the heart after a brief regional ischemia (20 min) followed by 1 hr of reperfusion was studied in open-chest pentobarbitone anaesthetized dogs. In control dogs 1 hr of reperfusion failed to cause any improvement of depressed myocardial contractility (LVdP/dtmax and LVEDP) caused by 20 min of ischemia, which confirmed the earlier reported phenomenon of 'Stunned Myocardium'. Myocardial ischemia caused a significant loss of high-energy phosphate (HEP) content of the affected myocardium (ATP decreased by 60% and CP decreased by 75% of non-ischemic level). Following 1 hr of reperfusion, myocardial ATP was not replenished, though creatine phosphate became near normal. When verapamil was administered just before reperfusion, it showed a profound beneficial effect on the incidence of fatal reperfusion arrhythmias. At the end of 1 hr of reperfusion in this group, the recovery of the myocardial contractility was incomplete, but a significant replenishment of the myocardial HEP content was observed. Thus verapamil post-treatment can prevent reperfusion-induced myocardial injury but functional recovery may be delayed due to the drug's inherent direct myocardial depressant effect.     

Restoring vascular nitric oxide formation by L-arginine improves the symptoms of intermittent claudication in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease

BACKGROUND: Administration of L-arginine improves nitric oxide (NO) formation and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in atherosclerotic patients. OBJECTIVES: We investigated in this double-blind, controlled study whether prolonged intermittent infusion therapy with L-arginine improves the clinical symptoms of patients with intermittent claudication, as compared with the endothelium-independent vasodilator prostaglandin E1, and control patients. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with intermittent claudication were randomly assigned to receive 2 x 8 g L-arginine/day, or 2 x 40 microg prostaglandin E1 (PGE1)/day or no hemodynamically active treatment, for 3 weeks. The pain-free and absolute walking distances were assessed on a walking treadmill at 3 km/h, 12% slope, and NO-mediated, flow-induced vasodilation of the femoral artery was assessed by ultrasonography at baseline, at 1, 2 and 3 weeks of therapy and 6 weeks after the end of treatment. Urinary nitrate and cyclic guanosine-3', 5'-monophosphate (GMP) were assessed as indices of endogenous NO production. RESULTS: L-Arginine improved the pain-free walking distance by 230+/-63% and the absolute walking distance by 155+/-48% (each p < 0.05). Prostaglandin E1 improved both parameters by 209+/-63% and 144+/-28%, respectively (each p < 0.05), whereas control patients experienced no significant change. L-Arginine therapy also improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the femoral artery, whereas PGE1 had no such effect. There was a significant linear correlation between the L-arginine/asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) ratio and the pain-free walking distance at baseline (r=0.359, p < 0.03). L-Arginine treatment elevated the plasma L-arginine/ADMA ratio and increased urinary nitrate and cyclic GMP excretion rates, indicating normalized endogenous NO formation. Prostaglandin E1 therapy had no significant effect on any of these parameters. Symptom scores assessed on a visual analog scale increased from 3.51+/-0.18 to 83+/-0.4 (L-arginine) and 7.0+/-0.5 (PGE1; each p < 0.05), but did not significantly change in the control group (4.3+/-0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Restoring NO formation and endothelium-dependent vasodilation by L-arginine improves the clinical symptoms of intermittent claudication in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.     

The effect of mesoglycan in patients with cerebrovascular disease: a psychometric evaluation

Mesoglycan is a preparation of natural glycosaminoglycans, containing mainly heparan sulphate and dermatan sulphate. A clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and the tolerability of once-daily mesoglycan in 30 patients with clinical evidence of cerebrovascular insufficiency. Clinical effectiveness was assessed using psychometric and neurological scales: Sandoz Clinical Assessment for Geriatric Patients (SCAG); Parkside Behaviour Rating Scale Modified; Geriatric Depression Scale; and Anxiety Evaluation. Mesoglycan was given as a single oral once-daily dose of 100 mg for a period of 6 months. This treatment was shown to have positive effects on the cognitive and behavioural parameters evaluated. The effects on SCAG were already evident after 3 months' treatment and a significant improvement was observed after 6 months in those patients with a moderate to severe disease. During the treatment period only one patient suffered an adverse reaction attributed to the drug investigated.     

Cerebral revascularization using muscle free flap for ischemic cerebrovascular disease in adult patients

The efficacy of encephalo-myo-synangiosis (EMS) using muscle free flap was evaluated for the treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease in adult patients. Three patients with adult moyamoya disease and three patients with atherosclerotic ischemic cerebrovascular disease were treated. EMS used four latissimus dorsi muscles and two serratus anterior muscles. Postoperative selective angiography showed collateral circulation from the transferred muscle to the brain in four of the six patients. The other two patients showed patent nutrient artery of the transferred muscle flap. Cerebral blood flow study disclosed postoperative improvement of perfusion reserve capacity in all sides. One patient suffered a perioperative stroke by hemoconcentration due to poor control of diabetes mellitus. The mean follow-up period was 23 months. EMS using muscle free flap is a possible procedure in selected patients with impaired cerebral perfusion reserve capacity due to multiple stenosis or occlusion of cerebral arteries including moyamoya disease or who required cerebral blood flow augmentation in the anterior and/or posterior cerebral artery territories due to internal carotid artery occlusion.     

Severe occlusive carotid artery disease: hemodynamic assessment by MR perfusion imaging in symptomatic patients

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the capability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cytology and flow cytometric (FCM) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis in fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB)-derived materials for diagnosing malignancy of the parotid lesions and the efficacy of FCM analysis in FNAB. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging findings and FCM results (ploidy and S + G2 + M phases [S + G2M] fraction) and cytology in FNAB-derived materials in 26 patients with 26 parotid lesions (12 benign lesions, 14 malignancies) were assessed for predicting malignancy. Flow cytometric results in aspirates were compared with those in surgically resected tissues. RESULTS: When a single predictor was used, cytology (92% accuracy) was most accurate for malignancy, followed by ill-defined margin (88% accuracy) and aneuploidy (88% accuracy). The combination of FCM and cytology raised the rate of sufficient materials from 92% to 100% and accuracy from 92% to 96% compared with cytology alone. The same highest accuracy (96%) was obtained with the combination of the ill-defined margin or other findings such as cytology, aneuploidy, or a high (S + G2M) fraction (6% <). Deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy in the FNAB showed full agreement with that in the surgical specimens. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the diagnosis of malignancy with (S + G2M) fraction in FNAB was superior to that in surgical specimens, but no significant difference was noted. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of MRI findings, cytology, and FCM results is optimal for diagnosing malignancies of the parotid lesions, and FNAB may replace the surgical specimens in FCM analysis.     

Headache in acute cerebrovascular ischemic disease: a prospective clinical study of 195 patients

BACKGROUND: Headache is a little known aspect in the study of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease (AICVD). METHODS: To contribute to the knowledge of the clinical characteristics of headache in the different nosologic entities of AICVD a prospective study was performed in 195 patients consecutively studied by CT scan and/or cerebral MRI. RESULTS: There was headache in 32% of the total and in 41% of the thrombotic infarctions, 39% of the cardioembolisms, 26% of the transient ischemic attacks (TIA) and 23% of the lacunar infarcts. The mean duration was 25 +/- 28 hours. Headache was focal in 74% of the cases and of slight or moderate intensity in 74%. Headache was significantly more common in thrombotic infarctions than in lacunar ones (p < 0.05). It was more frequent when the topography is vertebrobasilar (57.5%), in comparison with carotid (21%) or undetermined (17.5%) (p < 0.0001). Headache was more common when topography was cortical (56.5%) in comparison with subcortical (26.5%) (p < 0.005). Eight per cent of the patients presented sentinel headache: 22% of the cardioembolic infarctions, 7% of the lacunars, 6.5% of the TIA and 5.5% of the thrombotic. CONCLUSIONS: Headache in acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease is not uncommon predominating in thrombotic infarctions and cardioembolisms of cortical topography and of vertebrobasilar vascular territory.     

Prothrombotic changes in children with sickle cell disease: relationships to cerebrovascular disease and transfusion

Vascular occlusion has a central role in the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease (SCD) and, although there is little evidence that thrombosis alone is responsible, patients with sickle cell disease are known to have an ill-defined but increased thrombotic risk. The most serious complication of this in childhood is stroke which occurs in 7-10% of children and a further 14% have asymptomatic cerebrovascular disease (CVD) on imaging. We have performed a comprehensive profile of coagulation inhibitors and markers of thrombin generation in 96 children (83 nontransfused [NTx] and 13 transfused [Tx]) with steady-state SCD and 18 healthy sibling controls. The levels of protein S (free and total) and heparin cofactor II were reduced in both the NTx and Tx groups compared to controls and protein C and APC resistance ratios were reduced in the NTx group only. Antithrombin levels were not different from controls. Thrombin-antithrombin complexes and prothrombin fragment F1+2 were increased in both patient groups. In the NTx subgroups with or without CVD there were no differences for any of the parameters measured except for lower haemoglobin levels and higher white cell counts in those with asymptomatic CVD. We conclude that children with SCD have a reduction in levels of the majority of the coagulation inhibitors and increased thrombin generation in the steady-state and these are only partially reversed by transfusion. However, these abnormalities do not appear to play a primary role in the development of cerebrovascular disease.     

The role of magnetic resonance angiography in the assessment of intracranial vascular disease

Magnetic resonance techniques have a significant role in the evaluation of intracranial vascular diseases; however, to achieve an appropriate diagnosis, a combination of both magnetic resonance imaging and angiography are needed. It is extremely important for the interpreting physician to be aware of the potential limitations of the techniques being used. With this knowledge, magnetic resonance techniques can eliminate the need for more invasive procedures. An overview of the current methods and their applications and limitations is provided.