European journal of vascular and endovascular surgery : the official journal of the European Society for Vascular Surgery
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Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg · Apr 2007
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyCharacteristics and treatments of patients with peripheral arterial disease referred to UK vascular clinics: results of a prospective registry.
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is often associated with risk factors including cigarette smoking, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia, and patients have a high risk of future vascular events. Good medical management results in improved outcomes and quality of life, but previous studies have documented sub-optimal treatment of risk factors. We assessed the management of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with PAD referred to specialist vascular clinics. ⋯ In spite of attempts to raise awareness about PAD as an important marker of cardiovascular risk, patients are still poorly treated prior to referral to a vascular clinic. In particular, the use of evidence-based treatments is sub-optimal, while hypertension and cigarette smoking are poorly managed. More work needs to be done to educate health professionals about the detection and optimal medical management of PAD.
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Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg · Apr 2007
Comparative StudyDescriptive study comparing routine hospital administrative data with the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland's National Vascular Database.
To compare patient volume and outcomes in vascular surgery between an administrative data set (Hospital Episode Statistics) and a clinical database (National Vascular Database). ⋯ There are significant differences in total numbers between HES and the NVD. If the National Vascular Database is to become a credible source of information on activity and outcomes for vascular surgery, there is a clear need to increase the number of contributing surgeons and to increase the completeness of data submitted. Further analysis at individual record level is needed to identify other reasons for discrepancies which could help to enhance data quality, both within Hospital Episode Statistics and within the National Vascular Database.
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Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg · Apr 2007
Texture analysis of ultrasonic images of symptomatic carotid plaques can identify those plaques associated with ipsilateral embolic brain infarction.
The aim of our study was to determine the association between objective, computerised texture analysis of carotid plaque ultrasonic images and embolic CT-brain infarction in patients presenting with hemispheric neurological symptoms. ⋯ Computerised texture analysis of ultrasonic images of symptomatic carotid plaques can identify those that are associated with brain infarction, improving the results achieved by GSM alone. This methodology could be applied to prospective natural history studies of symptomatic patients not operated on or randomised trials of patients undergoing carotid angioplasty and stenting in order to identify high-risk subgroups for cerebral infarction.