Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion leads to white matter injury (WMI), which plays a significant role in contributing to vascular cognitive impairment. While 13-docosenamide is a type of fatty acid amide, it remains unclear whether it has therapeutic effects on chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. In this study, we conducted bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) surgery to simulate chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced WMI and cognitive impairment. Our findings showed that 13-docosenamide alleviates WMI and cognitive impairment in BCAS mice. Mechanistically, 13-docosenamide specifically binds to cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). This interaction results in an upregulation of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 33 (USP33)-mediated CNR1 deubiquitination, subsequently increasing CNR1 protein expression, activating the phosphorylation of the AKT/mTOR pathway, and promoting the differentiation of OPCs. In conclusion, our study suggests that 13-docosenamide can ameliorate chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced WMI and cognitive impairment by enhancing OPC differentiation and could serve as a potential therapeutic drug.
Animals ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells/metabolism* ; Mice ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Male ; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/metabolism* ; Ubiquitination/drug effects* ; Carotid Stenosis/complications* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy*

Stroke is a critical health issue in China, and carotid artery stenosis and plaque play key roles in its prevalence. Despite the acknowledged significance of this condition, detailed information regarding the prevalence of carotid artery stenosis and plaque across the Chinese population has been scarce. This study analyzed data from the China Stroke High-risk Population Screening and Intervention Program for 2020-2021, focusing on 194 878 Chinese adults aged 40 years and above. It assessed the prevalence of carotid artery stenosis and plaque and identified their associated risk factors. Results revealed a standardized prevalence of 0.40% for carotid artery stenosis and 36.27% for carotid plaque. Notably, the highest rates of stenosis were observed in north and south China at 0.61%, while southwestern China exhibited the highest plaque prevalence at 43.17%. Key risk factors included older age, male gender, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, smoking, and atrial fibrillation. This study highlights significant geographical and demographic disparities in the prevalence of these conditions, underlining the urgent need for targeted interventions and policy reforms. These measures are essential for reducing the incidence of stroke and improving patient outcomes, addressing this significant health challenge in China.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged ; Carotid Stenosis/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Aged ; Adult ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic/epidemiology* ; Stroke/epidemiology* ; Aged, 80 and over

Injuries deeper than the platysma are considered as penetrating neck injuries, constituting approximately 5% - 10% of all trauma. Many vital organs are at risk from a penetrating neck injury. These injuries in zone 1 have the highest mortality, because the injuries are close to the vital organs and difficult to access surgically. A 41-year-old male, a car mechanic by profession, presented to the emergency department with a penetrating neck injury on the right side. CT scan demonstrated a metallic foreign body in zone 1 between the right internal jugular vein and the common carotid artery. The patient was asymptomatic, and the foreign body was removed surgically. This case shows a rare presentation of a penetrating neck injury with a foreign body located in zone 1, where no vital internal structure was injured. As of now, no previous case report has been identified on such presentation. Thus, it will provide a valuable addition to the pre-existing literature.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Neck Injuries/diagnostic imaging* ; Wounds, Penetrating/diagnostic imaging* ; Foreign Bodies/diagnostic imaging* ; Jugular Veins ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Carotid Artery Injuries/surgery* ; Carotid Artery, Common

Pathological vascular remodeling is a hallmark of various vascular diseases. Previous research has established the significance of andrographolide in maintaining gastric vascular homeostasis and its pivotal role in modulating endothelial barrier dysfunction, which leads to pathological vascular remodeling. Potassium dehydroandrographolide succinate (PDA), a derivative of andrographolide, has been clinically utilized in the treatment of inflammatory diseases precipitated by viral infections. This study investigates the potential of PDA in regulating pathological vascular remodeling. The effect of PDA on vascular remodeling was assessed through the complete ligation of the carotid artery in C57BL/6 mice. Experimental approaches, including rat aortic primary smooth muscle cell culture, flow cytometry, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay, Boyden chamber cell migration assay, spheroid sprouting assay, and Matrigel-based tube formation assay, were employed to evaluate the influence of PDA on the proliferation and motility of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Molecular docking simulations and co-immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to examine protein interactions. The results revealed that PDA exacerbates vascular injury-induced pathological remodeling, as evidenced by enhanced neointima formation. PDA treatment significantly increased the proliferation and migration of SMCs. Further mechanistic studies disclosed that PDA upregulated myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) expression in SMCs and interacted with T-cadherin (CDH13). This interaction augmented proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix deposition, culminating in pathological vascular remodeling. Our findings underscore the critical role of PDA in the regulation of pathological vascular remodeling, mediated through the MyD88/CDH13 signaling pathway.
Mice ; Rats ; Animals ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Vascular Remodeling ; Cell Proliferation ; Vascular System Injuries/pathology* ; Carotid Artery Injuries/pathology* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Cell Movement ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction ; Succinates/pharmacology* ; Potassium/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Diterpenes ; Cadherins

Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic

Objective To analyze the risk factors and build a clinical prediction model for hemodynamic depression (HD) after carotid artery stenting (CAS). Methods A total of 116 patients who received CAS in the Department of Vascular Surgery,Drum Tower Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University and the Department of Vascular Surgery,the Affiliated Suqian First People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 1,2016 to January 1,2022 were included in this study.The patients were assigned into a HD group and a non-HD group.The clinical baseline data and vascular disease characteristics of each group were collected,and multivariate Logistic regression was employed to identify the independent predictors of HD after CAS and build a clinical prediction model.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn,and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the predictive performance of the model. Results The HD group had lower proportions of diabetes (P=0.014) and smoking (P=0.037) and higher proportions of hypertension (P=0.031),bilateral CAS (P=0.018),calcified plaque (P=0.001),eccentric plaque (P=0.003),and the distance<1 cm from the minimum lumen level to the carotid bifurcation (P=0.009) than the non-HD group.The age,sex,coronary heart disease,symptomatic carotid artery stenosis,degree of stenosis,and length of lesions had no statistically significant differences between the HD group and the non-HD group (all P>0.05).Based on the above predictive factors,a clinical prediction model was established,which showed the AUC of 0.807 and the 95% CI of 0.730-0.885 (P<0.001).The model demonstrated the sensitivity of 62.7% and the specificity of 87.7% when the best cut-off value of the model score reached 12.5 points. Conclusions Diabetes,smoking,calcified plaque,eccentric plaque,and the distance<1 cm from the minimum lumen level to the carotid bifurcation are independent predictors of HD after CAS.The clinical prediction model built based on the above factors has good performance in predicting the occurrence of HD after CAS.
Humans ; Carotid Stenosis ; Depression ; Models, Statistical ; Prognosis ; Stents ; Hemodynamics ; Plaque, Amyloid

Objective: To establish reference values for carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) of adult dwellers in Shenzhen City. Methods: The study was conducted based on the Shenzhen heart failure epidemiological survey from 2021 to 2022. In this survey, residents aged 18 years and above in Shenzhen were selected by using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. General information, cardiovascular disease (CVD) related behavior and carotid ultrasound examination and etc. were collected from the participants. People with CVD factors, a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, carotid plaque or having no carotid ultrasound examination results were excluded. The parameter regression model based on fractional polynomial was used to establish the reference values of CIMT by age and sex. Results: A total of 2 163 healthy individuals were enrolled in the final analysis, including 576 males (26.6%) and 1 587 females (73.4%). The fractional polynomial regression of the CIMT mean and standard deviation was obtained. For men, the regression was mean_CIMT=0.324 7+0.006 9×age and SD_CIMT=0.076 9+0.001 2×age. For women, the regression was mean_CIMT=0.354 9+0.005 4×age and SD_CIMT=0.041 6+0.002 0×age. Conclusion: The age and sex reference values for CIMT of adult people in Shenzhen established in this study could provide the latest reference standards for early screening of subclinical CVD.
Male ; Humans ; Adult ; Female ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Reference Values ; Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging* ; Ultrasonography, Carotid Arteries ; Risk Factors ; Carotid Artery Diseases

Objective: To explore the effects of pregnancy complicated with moyamoya disease on maternal and fetal outcomes. Methods: The general clinical data and maternal and fetal outcomes of 20 pregnancies of 15 patients with moyamoya disease admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2012 to October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: (1) General information: among the 20 pregnancies of 15 clearly diagnosed pregnant women complicated with moyamoya disease, 12 were diagnosed before pregnancy (60%, 12/20), 3 were diagnosed during pregnancy (15%, 3/20), and 5 were diagnosed during puerperal period (25%, 5/20). There were 7 cases of primipara (35%, 7/20) and 13 cases of multipara (65%, 13/20). (2) Pregnancy complications and maternal and infant outcomes: among the 20 pregnancies of 15 pregnant women with moyamoya disease, there were 9 pregnancy complications (45%, 9/20), including 5 gestational hypertension (25%, 5/20), 2 severe pre-eclampsia (10%, 2/20), 1 hyperlipidemia and 1 gestational diabetes mellitus (5%, 1/20). There were 2 case of drug abortion in the first trimester, 3 cases of labor induction in the second trimester, and 15 cases of delivery during the third trimester. All the 15 deliveries were cesarean section, of which 11 (11/15) were cesarean sections with medical indications, and 4 (4/15) were cesarean sections caused by personal factors. General anesthesia was used in 5 cases (5/15), epidural block anesthesia in 7 cases (7/15), and combined spinal and epidural anesthesia in 3 cases (3/15). The median gestational age of 15 neonates was 37.2 weeks (34.0 to 40.8 weeks), with 10 cases (10/15) were full-term infants, and 5 (5/15) were preterm infants (3 of which were associated with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy). The birth weight of 15 neonates was (2 853±454) g. Four neonates were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), of which 3 cases were admitted to NICU due to premature delivery and 1 case was admitted to NICU due to neonatal jaundice. There was no neonatal asphyxia or death. All neonates were followed up from 4 months to 6 years after birth, and all grew well. (3) Neurological symptoms during pregnancy: 8 cases (40%, 8/20) had neurological symptoms during pregnancy, and 6 cases (30%, 6/20) had hemorrhagic symptoms, of which 3 cases occurred during the puerperal period (3/6). There were 2 cases of ischemic symptoms (10%, 2/20), all of which occurred during the puerperal period (2/2). (4) Analysis of factors related to the occurrence of cerebral hemorrhage: the incidence of cerebral hemorrhage in patients with moyamoya disease diagnosed before pregnancy was significantly lower than that in those without a clear diagnosis, and the incidence of cerebral hemorrhage in women with moyamoya disease was lower than that in primipara (all P<0.01). The incidence of cerebral hemorrhage in moyamoya patients without hypertensive disorder complicating pregrancy was lower than that in patients with hypertensive disorder complicating pregrancy, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions: Pregnancy combined with moyamoya disease has adverse effects on maternal and infant outcomes, and the incidence of pregnancy complications increases. Cerebral hemorrhage occurres in prenatal and puperium, while cerebral ischemia occurres mainly in puperium.
Infant ; Pregnancy ; Infant, Newborn ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Cesarean Section ; Pregnant Women ; Infant, Premature ; Moyamoya Disease/complications* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy Complications/epidemiology* ; Cerebral Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: There is still uncertainty regarding whether diabetes mellitus (DM) can adversely affect patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for carotid stenosis. The aim of the study was to assess the adverse impact of DM on patients with carotid stenosis treated by CEA. METHODS: Eligible studies published between 1 January 2000 and 30 March 2023 were selected from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials databases. The short-term and long-term outcomes of major adverse events (MAEs), death, stroke, the composite outcomes of death/stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI) were collected to calculate the pooled effect sizes (ESs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and prevalence of adverse outcomes. Subgroup analysis by asymptomatic/symptomatic carotid stenosis and insulin/noninsulin-dependent DM was performed. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies (n = 122,003) were included. Regarding the short-term outcomes, DM was associated with increased risks of MAEs (ES = 1.52, 95% CI: [1.15-2.01], prevalence = 5.1%), death/stroke (ES = 1.61, 95% CI: [1.13-2.28], prevalence = 2.3%), stroke (ES = 1.55, 95% CI: [1.16-1.55], prevalence = 3.5%), death (ES = 1.70, 95% CI: [1.25-2.31], prevalence =1.2%), and MI (ES = 1.52, 95% CI: [1.15-2.01], prevalence = 1.4%). DM was associated with increased risks of long-term MAEs (ES = 1.24, 95% CI: [1.04-1.49], prevalence = 12.2%). In the subgroup analysis, DM was associated with an increased risk of short-term MAEs, death/stroke, stroke, and MI in asymptomatic patients undergoing CEA and with only short-term MAEs in the symptomatic patients. Both insulin- and noninsulin-dependent DM patients had an increased risk of short-term and long-term MAEs, and insulin-dependent DM was also associated with the short-term risk of death/stroke, death, and MI. CONCLUSIONS In patients with carotid stenosis treated by CEA, DM is associated with short-term and long-term MAEs. DM may have a greater impact on adverse outcomes in asymptomatic patients after CEA. Insulin-dependent DM may have a more significant impact on post-CEA adverse outcomes than noninsulin-dependent DM. Whether DM management could reduce the risk of adverse outcomes after CEA requires further investigation.
Humans ; Endarterectomy, Carotid/adverse effects* ; Carotid Stenosis/surgery* ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Time Factors ; Stents/adverse effects* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Stroke/complications* ; Insulin/therapeutic use* ; Myocardial Infarction/complications* ; Risk Assessment

Objective: To observe the effect of lipid regulating therapy on carotid atherosclerotic plaque in diabetic patients. Methods: The REACH study, conducted between March 2009 and February 2012, enrolled asymptomatic patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed carotid atherosclerotic plaque, who had never taken lipid-lowering drugs. Patients were treated with a moderate dose of rosuvastatin for 24 months. Blood lipid levels were measured and carotid MRI was performed at baseline, 3 and 24 months after treatment. The volume of carotid wall and lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) were measured by image analysis software. This study retrospectively analyzed patients in the REACH study. Patients were divided into diabetes group and non-diabetic group. The changes of blood lipid level and MRI parameters of carotid atherosclerotic plaque were compared between the two groups and their correlation was analyzed. Results: A total of 38 patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaque were included in this study, including 13 patients (34.2%) in the diabetic group and 25 patients (65.8%) in the non-diabetic group. Baseline parameters were comparable between the two groups, except higher HbA1c level in diabetes group (P<0.05). Compared with baseline, the total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) levels were significantly decreased at 3 and 24 months in both two groups (P<0.05). The change of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in diabetes group was not obvious, while it was significantly increased in non-diabetic group at 24 months ((1.38±0.33) mmol/l vs. (1.26±0.26) mmol/l, P<0.05). MRI results showed that the volume and percentage of LRNC remained unchanged at 3 months, slightly decreased at 24 months (64.86 (45.37, 134.56) mm³ vs. 75.76 (48.20, 115.64) mm³, P>0.05) and (15.84% (11.47%, 24.85%) vs. 16.95% (11.64%, 22.91%), P>0.05) in diabetic group. In non-diabetic group, the volume and percentage of LRNC were significantly decreased at 3 months (63.01 (44.25, 188.64) mm³ vs. 72.49 (51.91, 199.59) mm³, P<0.05) and (13.76% (8.81%, 27.64%) vs. 16.04% (11.18%, 27.05%), P<0.05) respectively. Both parameters further decreased to (55.63 (27.18, 179.40) mm³) and (12.71% (8.39%, 24.41%)) at 24 months (both P<0.05). Wall volume, lumen volume and percent wall volume (PWV) were not affected post therapy in both two groups(P>0.05). There were no correlations between the changes of plaque parameters including volume and percentage of LRNC, wall volume, lumen volume, PWV and the changes of blood lipid parameters (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG) in 3 and 24 months (P>0.05). Conclusion: Lipid-lowering therapy possesses different effects on carotid atherosclerotic plaque in diabetic and non-diabetic patients, and the LRNC improvement is more significant in non-diabetic patients as compared to diabetic patients.
Carotid Arteries/pathology* ; Carotid Artery Diseases/drug therapy* ; Cholesterol, HDL/therapeutic use* ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Necrosis/pathology* ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Rosuvastatin Calcium/therapeutic use*