Objective To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of iliofemoral endovascular therapy for the treatment of chronic ischemia of lower extremities due to arterial atherosclerosis. Methods During the period of September 2005-January 2009 percutaneous endovascular angioplasty and stent implantation were performed in 15 consecutive patients with CTA-proved chronic occlusive iliofemoral artery disease. The patients included 11 males and 4 females with a mean age of (72.1 ± 5.9) years (ranged from 61 to 82 years). Before the procedure, all patients underwent clinical and imaging assessments, including Fontaine classification, ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI), and lower limb computed tomography angiography (CTA). According to the length, morphology and location of the occlusive segment, different types of stents were employed together with pereutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) to treat the occluded lilac or superficial femoral artery. At the end of the procedure, distal angiogram was performed to assess the success of the procedure and to exclude thromboembolism or dissection complications. After PTA, the residual stenosis < 30% and/or pressure gradient < 10 mmHg were defined as technical success. Clinical success was identified when patient's clinical symptoms were improved by one or more grade according to Fontaine classification. Results Technical success was totally achieved in all patients with no occurrence of complication. Recanalization of the occluded artery was performed preferably by retrograde ipsilateral femoral artery approach in 5 patients and by contralateral access using the crossover aorta technique in 10 patients. PTA was performed in all patients after stent release to open the occluded vessel to its normal diameter. The mean length of the lilac arterial segment covered with 8 stents was (7.6 ± 1.4) cm (ranged from 6 cm to 10 cm). The mean diameter ± SD of the iliac stents was 9.5 mm ± 1.4 mm (ranged from 8 mm to 12 mm). The mean length of 5 superficial artery implanted stents was (4.5 ± 1.1) cm (ranged from 4 cm to 6 cm). The mean ABI before treatment and six months after treatment was 0.64 (range 0.41 to 0.89) and 0.76 (range 0.50 to 0.95), respectively. The difference in ABI between pre-interventional and post-interventional procedure was statistically significant (t = -4.64, P < 0.01). Clinical improvements according to Fontaine classification were obtained in all patients, in whom technical success was achieved (100%). Conclusion Endovascular interventional procedure is a safe and effective treatment for iliofemoral arterial occlusive disease due to arterial atherosclerosis. PTA combined with subsequent stent implantation can well improve the patient's quality of life as well as the hemodynamics of lower extremities, which is very important for preserving the diseased limb for a long period of time.

Objective:To investigate the effects of different doses of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).Methods:The clinical data of 144 patients with NSTEMI from January 2017 to October 2020 in the 942 Hospital of Chinese PLA were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 36 cases were treated with Dex 0.05 to 0.15 μg/(kg·h) (Dex1 group), 36 cases with Dex 0.20 to 0.40 μg/(kg·h) (Dex2 group), 36 cases with Dex 0.50 to 0.70 μg/(kg·h) (Dex3 group), and 36 cases without Dex (control group). The changes of HRV time domain indexes, frequency domain indexes and prognosis index before and after treatment were compared among 4 groups, the time domain indexes include normal R-R interval standard deviation (SDNN), mean value of adjacent normal R-R interval standard deviation (SDANNindex), root mean square of adjacent normal R-R interval standard deviation (SDNNindex), square root of adjacent normal R-R interval difference (rMSSD) and percentage of adjacent normal R-R interval difference>50 ms to R-R interval number (PNN50); the frequency domain indexes include total power (TP), low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF), ultra-low frequency power (VLF) and LF/HF; the prognostic indexes include ICU stay time, vasoactive drug use time, 28-day mortality and incidence of complication.Results:There was no significant difference in HRV indexes among 4 groups before treatment ( P>0.05); after treatment, except for LF/HF in Dex2 group and Dex3 group was significantly lower than that in control group and Dex1 group, other HRV indexes were significantly higher than those in control group and Dex1 group, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality among 4 groups; the ICU stay time and vasoactive drug use time in Dex2 group were significantly shorter than those in control group, Dex1 group and Dex3 group: (7.14 ± 1.25) d vs. (9.08 ± 1.68), (9.53 ± 1.98) and (9.81 ± 1.95) d, (122.67 ± 29.5) h vs. (176.15 ± 23.26), (181.72 ± 23.40) and (180.42 ± 22.90) h, the incidence of complication was significantly lower than that in control group, Dex1 group and Dex3 group: 16.67% (6/36) vs. 72.22% (26/36), 47.22% (17/36) and 61.67% (22/36), and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); there were no statistical difference in ICU stay time, vasoactive drug use time and incidence of complication among control group, Dex1 group and Dex3 group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Dex 0.20 to 0.40 μg/(kg·h) is well tolerated, and has less adverse reactions. It can effectively increase HRV, regulate the balance of sympathetic-vagal nerve tension, stabilize cardiovascular response and improve prognosis in patients with NSTEMI.