No abstract available.
Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases* ; Thrombolytic Therapy*

It is necessary to study further syndrome differentiation based treatment of peripheral vascular disease. In order to improve the clinical effect and reduce the rate of amputation, early diagnosis and early intervention are important. Meanwhile, treatment of Chinese medicine should be combined with necessary surgical intervention. It should be important to supplement some details about blood stasis syndrome and activating blood and dissolving stasis therapy of peripheral vascular disease. The application of various Chinese medicine external therapies should not be ignored, especially promoting granulation and wound healing therapy.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; therapy ; Research ; Syndrome ; Wound Healing

Adult ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Takayasu Arteritis ; drug therapy

This phase 1 clinical trial tested the safety of intramuscular gene transfer by using naked plasmid DNA encoding the gene for VEGF, and analyzed the potential therapeutic benefits in patients with severe peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This study was an open-labeled, dose- escalating, single-center trial on nine male patients with severe debilitating PAD who had not responded to conventional therapy. Seven had Buerger's disease and two had arteriosclerosis obliterans. Plasmid DNA (pCK) containing human VEGF165 was given by eight intramuscular injections in and around the area in need of new blood vessels. The study evaluated three escalating total doses (2, 4, and 8 mg of pCK- VEGF165), with half of each total dose given four weeks apart. The follow-up duration was nine months. The gene injections were well tolerated without significant side effects or laboratory abnormalities related to gene transfer. Three patients showed transient edema in their extremities. Ischemic pain of the affected limb was relieved or improved markedly in six of seven patients. Ischemic ulcers healed or improved in four of six patients. The mean ankle-brachial index (ABI) improved significantly. Six of nine patients showed an increase in collateral vessels around the injection sites demonstrated by digital subtraction angiography. However, there was no relationship between the degree of ABI improvement and the dose given. Mean plasma levels of VEGF did not increase significantly. In conclusion, intramuscular injections of pCK- VEGF165 can be performed safely to induce therapeutic angiogenesis in patients with severe PAD.
Adult ; Aged ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases/*therapy ; Foot/pathology ; *Gene Therapy ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases/*therapy ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/*genetics

BACKGROUNDIliac vein compression syndrome (IVCS), the symptomatic compression of the left common iliac vein between the right common iliac artery and the vertebrae, is not an uncommon condition. The aim of this research was to retrospectively evaluate long-term outcome and the significance of endovascular treatment in patients with left IVCS.

METHODSBetween January 1997 and September 2008, 296 patients received interventional therapy in the left common iliac vein. In the second stage, 170 cases underwent saphenous vein high ligation and stripping. Two hundred and thirty-one cases were followed up over a period of 6 to 120 months (average 46 months) and evaluated for symptom improvement with color ultrasound and ascending venography.

RESULTSThe stenotic or occlusive segments of the left iliac vein were successfully dilated in 285 cases, of whom 272 received stent implantation therapy. Most of the patients achieved satisfactory results on discharge. During the follow-up period, varicose veins were alleviated in 98.7% of the patients, and leg swelling disappeared or was obviously relieved in 84% of cases. About 85% of leg ulcers completely healed. The total patency rate was 91.7% as evaluated with color ultrasound and 91.5% with ascending venography.

CONCLUSIONSEndovascular treatment of IVCS provides effective symptomatic improvement and good long-term patency in most patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Female ; Humans ; Iliac Vein ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; pathology ; therapy ; Phlebography ; Stents ; Young Adult

Coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) are significant medical problems worldwide, including Korea. Although substantial progress has been made in prevention and treatment of these diseases, particularly CAD, there are still a large number of patients, who despite maximal medical treatment have substantial symptomatology, so are not suitable for mechanical revascularization. Therapeutic angiogenesis represents a novel, conceptually appealing, treatment option for these patients. Consequently, there are several different products in clinical trials looking at the various angiogenic growth factors. A number of small, mostly open-labeled phase I or I/II, studies have been conducted with adeno- and plasmid-based vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) gene constructs in CAD and PVD. Although these studies have provided intriguing indications of the possibility of new vessel formation, and that these new vessels could be functional, these studies have been too small to allow definite conclusions on their potential efficacy to be drawn. Although, larger scale placebo-controlled studies of gene transfer are in progress. Future clinical studies will be required to determine the optimal dose, formulation, route of administration and combination of growth factors, as well as the requirement for endothelial progenitor cell, or stem cell supplementation, to provide effective and safe therapeutic angiogenesis. This exciting new field is reviewed, with special emphasis on clinical trials.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; Genetic Therapy* ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Korea ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Stem Cells ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). METHODS: Eleven patients (11 eyes) with PCV who were diagnosed by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and optic coherence tomography (OCT) were given PDT. The changes of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus photography, FFA and ICGA before and after the PDT were compared. Follow-up time varied from 6 to 30 months. RESULTS: One month after the PDT, the BCVA was stable in 3 eyes, increased in 1 line in 3 eyes, increased in 2 lines in 2 eyes, and decreased in 2 lines in 3 eyes. FFA and ICGA showed no leakage in 5 eyes, leakage reduced in 3 eyes, and slight leakage in 3 eyes. At the last follow-up, the BCVA was stable in 5 eyes, increased in 1 line in 2 eyes, increased in 2 lines in 2 eyes, and decreased in 2 lines in 2 eyes. FFA and ICGA showed no leakage in 6 eyes, leakage reduced in 3 eyes, and slight leakage in 2 eyes. No severe systemic or local adverse effect was found during or after the PDT, except that 1 eye had vitreous hemorrhage 2 months after the PDT. CONCLUSION PDT may stop or reduce leakage of the lesion, facilitate the absorption of hemorrhage, edema and exudates, and stabilize or increase the patients' visual acuity. It could be a choice for PCV.
Adult ; Aged ; Choroid ; blood supply ; pathology ; Choroid Diseases ; drug therapy ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Photochemotherapy ; Photosensitizing Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Porphyrins ; therapeutic use ; Verteporfin ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUNDSarpogrelate is a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor subtype 2A antagonist which blocks 5-HT induced platelet aggregation and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. We compared the efficacy of sarpogrelate-based dual antiplatelet therapies for the prevention of restenosis and target lesion revascularization (TLR) rates comparing with that of clopidogrel after percutaneous endovascular interventions (EVIs) of femoropopliteal (FP) arterial lesions.

METHODSThis prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial recruited a total of 120 patients with successful EVI of FP lesions at seven centers across China between January 2011 and June 2012. Patients were randomized to receive either sarpogrelate (100 mg trice daily for 6 months, n = 63) or clopidogrel (75 mg once daily for 6 months, n = 57). All patients also received oral aspirin (100 mg once daily for 12 months). Clinical follow-up was conducted up to 12 months postprocedure.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference between the two groups in basic demographic data. The restenosis rate was higher in the clopidogrel group (22.80%) than in sarpogrelate group (17.50%), but there was no significant difference between these two groups (P = 0.465). The TLR rate, ipsilateral amputation rate, mortality in all-cause and bleeding rate were also similar in the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAspirin plus sarpogrelate is a comparable antithrombotic regimen to aspirin plus clopidogrel after EVI of FP arterial lesions. Dual antiplatelet therapies might play an important role in preventing restenosis after successful EVI of FP lesions.

Aged ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; drug therapy ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; Popliteal Artery ; drug effects ; pathology ; Serotonin Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Succinates ; therapeutic use ; Ticlopidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

We report VEGF-induced angiogenic gene therapy in a patient with critical limb ischemia, who did not respond to conventional treatment. This patient was the first case in a dose-escalating series of phase I clinical trial. The patient had severe resting pain, gangrene and diffuse ulcer in his left foot. Total 1,000 micro gram of naked DNA encoding human VEGF165 was administered intramuscularly to 8 sites of the left lower extremity. Four weeks after the first 1,000 micro gram injection, a second 1,000 micro gram was administered to the same sites (total dose: 2,000 micro gram). After gene therapy, resting pain gradually reduced and the amount of analgesics taken by the patient decreased. The ischemic wound of lower extremity slightly improved. However, there was no complete wound healing at 12 weeks of treatment. Digital subtraction angiography at 12 weeks after gene therapy showed an increase in collateral vessels at the mid-tibial, ankle and foot arch levels. Immediately and up to 12 weeks, there was no complication related to gene therapy. These findings may be cautiously interpreted to indicate that intramuscular injection of naked plasmid DNA of VEGF165 may induce therapeutic angiogenesis in a patient with critical limb ischemia. Further clinical evaluation of VEGF-induced gene therapy is needed to evaluate the safety and efficiency of this treatment.
Analgesics ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Ankle ; DNA ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; Extremities* ; Foot ; Gangrene ; Genetic Therapy* ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Ischemia* ; Lower Extremity ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Plasmids ; Ulcer ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A* ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

The incidence of ischemic heart disease has been increased rapidly in Korea. However, the clinical effects of antecedent hypertension on acute myocardial infarction have not been identified. We assessed the relationship between antecedent hypertension and clinical outcomes in 7,784 patients with acute myocardial infarction in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry during one-year follow-up. Diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease were more prevalent in hypertensives (n=3,775) than nonhypertensives (n=4,009). During hospitalization, hypertensive patients suffered from acute renal failure, shock, and cerebrovascular event more frequently than in nonhypertensives. During follow-up of one-year, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events was higher in hypertensives. In multi-variate adjustment, old age, Killip class > or =III, left ventricular ejection fraction <45%, systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg on admission, post procedural TIMI flow grade < or =2, female sex, and history of hypertension were independent predictors for in-hospital mortality. However antecedent hypertension was not significantly associated with one-year mortality. Hypertension at the time of acute myocardial infarction is associated with an increased rate of in-hospital mortality.
Acute Disease ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Cerebrovascular Disorders/etiology ; Diabetes Mellitus/etiology ; Female ; Heart Failure/etiology ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias/etiology ; Hypertension/*complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/complications/*mortality/therapy ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases/etiology ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Registries ; Sex Factors