Risk Of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease Research Articles

Exploring the incidence of peripheral arterial occlusive disease following COVID-19 infection: A retrospective cohort study.

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is a clinical manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and is always associated with cerebrovascular disease and various complications. The aim of our study is to evaluate the relationship between the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and the subsequent PAOD development. A retrospective cohort study was conducted and individuals with COVID-19 infection were identified from the TriNetX analytics platform. A total of 2 206 065 patients with COVID-19 infection and 2 206 065 patients without COVID-19 infection were recruited after exclusion and matching. The primary outcome was the development of PAOD after the COVID-19 infection. The Cox proportional hazard regression was adopted to yield the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PAOD between groups. After the whole follow-up period, the incidence of PAOD was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group at both the 3-month follow-up (HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.24-1.30) and the 12-month follow-up (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.31-1.35) The Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test demonstrated a higher cumulative probability of PAOD in the COVID-19 group compared to the non-COVID-19 group (p < 0.001). In stratified analysis using 65 years as the threshold, both age groups in the COVID-19 group exhibited a higher risk of PAOD. Similarly, in the sex and race stratified analysis, the COVID-19 group performed a higher risk of PAOD in both subgroups. In conclusion, the COVID-19 infections are strongly associated with an increment of PAOD incidence.

Risk of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease with Periodontitis and Dental Scaling: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Periodontitis (PD) is a common oral disease associated with various other diseases, particularly those affecting the cardiovascular system. This study explored whether peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) is associated with PD and dental scaling. This study was a retrospective cohort study design from 2000 to 2018. The study population was newly diagnosed with periodontitis. The comparison group was defined as never diagnosed with periodontitis. The outcome variable was defined with the diagnosis of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). The propensity score matching was performed by age, sex, comorbidities, and dental scaling between the two groups. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to calculate the cumulative incidence of PAOD among the two groups. To perform the independent risk of the PAOD group, the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratios. First, 792,681 patients with PD and 458,521 patients with no history of PD were selected from Taiwan’s Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, which comprises the data of two million beneficiaries. After propensity score matching between the PD and non-PD groups for age, sex, comorbidities, and dental scaling, 357,106 patients in each group were analyzed for PAOD risk. The incidence density, relative risk, and cumulative incidence of PAOD were higher in the PD group than in the non-PD group. After adjusting for all variables, the risk of PAOD for the PD group was greater than for the non-PD group (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.06). Undergoing at least one dental scaling procedure reduced the risk of PAOD. Age over 65 years was also a risk factor. In conclusion, patients with PD have an increased risk of PAOD. In addition, our results can lead to increased attention to oral hygiene, as dental scaling has a trend towards a lower risk of PAOD.

Risk of peripheral artery occlusive disease in patients with lower leg fracture who received fixation and non-fixation treatments: A population cohort study.

The risk of peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) in patients with lower leg fracture who underwent fixation procedures is not yet completely understood. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the risk of subsequent PAOD in patients with lower leg fracture who received fixation and non-fixation treatments. We included 6538 patients with lower leg fracture who received non-fixation treatment and a matched cohort comprising 26152 patients who received fixation treatment from the National Health Insurance Database. Patients were frequency matched according to age, sex, and index year. The incidence and risk of PAOD in patients with lower leg fracture who received fixation and non-fixation treatments were evaluated via the stratification of different characteristics and comorbidities. Non-fixation treatment, male sex, older age (≥ 50 years old), diabetes mellitus, and gout were associated with a significantly higher risk of lower extremity PAOD compare to each comparison group, respectively. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between fixation treatment and a lower risk of lower extremity PAOD in women (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38-0.90), women aged > 50 years (aHR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38-0.96), and patients with coronary artery disease (aHR = 0.43, 95% CI = (0.23-0.81). Further, patients with fixation treatment had a significantly lower risk of lower extremity PAOD within 2 years after trauma (aHR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.34-0.97). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of PAOD was significantly higher in the non-fixation treatment group than in the fixation treatment group at the end of the 10-year follow-up period (log-rank test: P = 0.022). Patients with lower leg fracture who received non-fixation treatment had a significantly higher risk of PAOD than those who received fixation treatment. Moreover, the risk of PAOD was higher in women aged > 50 years, as well as in coronary artery disease patients who received non-fixation treatment than in those who received fixation treatment. Therefore, regular assessment of vessel patency are recommended for these patients. Nevertheless, further studies must be conducted to validate the results of our study.

Long-Term Exposures to Air Pollutants and Risk of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Air pollution is one of the most alarming environmental issues which causes multiple health hazards. An association between air pollution and cardiovascular diseases has been established through many prior studies. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the risk of long-term exposure to air pollution (PM2.5, CO, and NO2) and its association with the risk of developing peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). PAOD is a condition involving impairment of perfusion of blood in the distal parts of the aorta due to narrowing of the arteries (arterial stenosis) and has been reported as a risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, the risk of PAOD increases with age, and hence is a serious public health issue and a cause for concern, especially for an aging society such as Taiwan. Two national-scale databases from Taiwan, the national health insurance database (NHIRD) and the Taiwan air quality-monitoring database (TAQMD), were linked to conduct this cohort study between 2003 and 2013. Cox proportional hazards regression with time-dependent modeling was used to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) for PAOD with respect to daily exposure to air pollutants. The concentrations of each of the pollutants of interest (PM2.5, NO2, and CO) were categorized into four categories according to the daily average concentration of air pollutants for every quarter of the year, Q1 to Q4 (Q4 = highest). The cumulative incidence of PAOD was examined by Kaplan–Meier analysis with two-tailed log-rank test. A total of 1,598 PAOD cases were identified during the 10-year follow-up period, along with 98,540 non-PAOD controls. In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age, gender, urbanization level, residential area, baseline comorbidities, and medications, the adjusted HRs were PM2.5 = 1.14 (95% CI 1.13–1.16), NO2 = 1.03 (95% CI 1.02–1.04), and CO = 2.35 (95% CI 1.95–2.84). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that CO (P < 0.0001) and PM2.5 (P < 0.0001) concentrations were strongly and positively associated with the cumulative incidence of PAOD during the follow-up period. Findings from this study established that prolonged exposure to air pollutants CO and PM2.5 are significant factors that, among other well-known causes, may also play a potential role in PAOD pathogenesis.

Post-exercise pulsatility index indicates treatment effects in peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD).

BackgroundHypothesis: Post-exercise measurements better discriminate PAOD-patients from healthy persons and they more sensitively detect hemodynamic improvements after treatment procedures than resting measurements.MethodsA total of 19 healthy volunteers and 23 consecutive PAOD-patients underwent measurements of peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), minimal diastolic velocity (MDV), time-averaged maximum velocities (TAMAX), resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) before and after a standard exercise test (at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 min) before and after treatment (incl. epidemiological data, PAOD risk factors and comorbidities).ResultsIn resting values, healthy persons and PAOD-patients did not differ significantly in any of the hemodynamic parameters. PSV increased after treatment in PAOD-patients by 5 cm/s (paired t‑test, p: 0.025); however, when the amplitude of autoregulatory changes related to the resting values were calculated, PAOD-patients showed clearly less hemodynamic changes after exercise than healthy persons (p: 0.04; 0.002; <0.001 for PSV, TAMAX and PI, resp.). The time course after exercise was compared by repeated measures of ANOVA. Healthy persons differed significantly in PI, RI and PSV from PAOD patients before and after treatment (p<0.001 each). The PAOD-patients revealed a significantly improved PI after treatment (p: 0.042). The only factor contributing significantly to PI independently from grouping was direct arterial vascularization as compared to discontinuous effects by an obstructed arterial tree.ConclusionHealthy persons cannot be well differentiated from PAOD-patients solely by hemodynamics at rest but by characteristic changes after standard exercise. Treatment effects are reflected by higher PI-values after exercise.

Multidimensional Vascular Evaluation in Patients Treated with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs): From Plaque Formation to Evolution and Follow up on 150 Patients

Background Among the unresolved issues concerning management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, the most feared are long-term adverse events due to TKI treatment. Although TKIs have revolutionized CML outcomes, their use has also been associated with severe side effects including cardiovascular events, of which peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is the most frequently reported. In 2010 we began a long-term collaboration with local angiologists and vascular surgeons to investigate, screen and follow patients on TKI therapy. Placque formation, evolution and follow up of 150 patients were studied and are presented here. Methods We analyzed 143 CML and 7 Ph+ Acute Lymphoid leukemia (ALL) patients, all of whom were treated with TKIs. Careful assessment of cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., age, smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high LDL or low HDL cholesterol levels, family history of heart disease or other cardiovascular disease) were done according to the European Society of Cardiology Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) risk charts. A complete vascular screening, including physical examination, and a series of instrumental tests were performed for all patients. Tests included doppler echocardiography (US) of supra-aortic arteries with measurement of pre-bulbar IMT, abdominal arteries and inferior limbs arteries and veins (IL), ABI of the posterior tibial artery and digital photoplethysmography (FPG). Patients needing surgical intervention were referred to a surgeon. The team of hematologists, angiologists and surgeons met periodically to discuss results and intervention approaches. Results Patients included 76 males and 74 females with a median age of 53.7 yo (range 18-85). All patients were treated with a TKI at diagnosis, 87 (58%) with imatinib, 63 (42%) with other TKIs, including ponatinib (2 LLA), and all received TKI therapy for a minimum of 12 months since 2010. For analyses purposes, patients were divided in 7 different age groups at diagnosis (18-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80 and 81-85 years; patients incidence per group was 6%, 18%, 18.6%, 27.4%, 13.3%, 12.7% and 4%, respectively). Each patient in the study received yearly screening, and this increased to every 3-6 mo if abnormalities occurred. Of the 150 patients in the study, 10 (7%) developed severe PAOD (grade 3-4) requiring revascularization. Districts involved were: carotid (5), renal (2) and extremities (14 IL, 1 subclavian). Three patients were polyvascular requiring intervention in multiple regions. 18 patients with no malignancies requiring surgery were used as a control group and matched for sex, age, diabetes, smoking, district and intervention to compare patency rates, morbidity and mortality. At event, these 10 patients were taking imatinib (1), bosutinib (1), nilotinib (5) and ponatinib (3). None of them had a previous PAOD, but all had cardiovascular risk factors (100% were hypertensive). Median age was 66.8 yo (range 46-82) and the median number of PAOD risk factors (age &amp;gt;60, hypertension, diabetes, male gender, nicotine abuse and coronary heart disease) was 2 (range 1-5). Plaque was deemed significant when stenosis was &amp;gt;30%; at this point it developed very rapidly, with signs of arterial thrombosis within a year, requiring intervention. IMT scores (measuring thickness of carotid artery wall) and ABI followed by FPG and their variation over time proved predictive for plaque evolution. No patient died due to complications relating directly to surgical intervention or within 30 days post-surgery. One patient required a major limb amputation at 12 months. Patency rates were similar in the TKI and control group at 12 months (88.2% vs 80%), however the frequency of reintervention (endo or open) was 50% in TKI patients (n=5) and 11% in the control group (n=2; P&amp;lt;0.01). Discussion Multidisciplinary evaluation, comorbidity analysis and cardiovascular risk assessment in CML patients are highly recommended, at diagnosis if possible, to implement a tailored treatment strategy and to identify patients who require strict monitoring of risk factors during treatment. Extensive and detailed information on the 150 patients in this study will be presented with a focus on the onset and characteristics of thrombotic arterial events, medical/surgical interventions, analysis of instrumental parameters (ABI, IMT, FPG) and correlation with clinical data. Disclosures Abruzzese: Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Incyte: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bms: Honoraria.

Increased risk of peripheral arterial occlusive diseases in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a nationwide study in Taiwan.

ObjectiveChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with atherosclerosis. Previous studies including limited sample sizes have shown the prevalence of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) among COPD patients. We sought to investigate the incidence of PAOD among COPD patients in Taiwan using a national database.MethodsCOPD patients were collected from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan from 1996 to 2010. The COPD cohort was propensity score matched according to age, sex, and comorbidities of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular accidents, and chronic liver disease to patients without COPD (the control cohort). We evaluated the incidence of PAOD in COPD patients and the risk of PAOD associated with atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular accidents, and chronic liver disease.ResultsThe study included 51,869 COPD patients and 51,869 control patients without COPD. The incidence of PAOD was 1.23-fold higher (95% confidence interval [CI] =1.17–1.29) in the COPD group than in the non-COPD group. Moreover, COPD and atrial fibrillation alone (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 2.99; P=0.001), hypertension alone (aHR, 2.05; P<0.001), diabetes alone (aHR, 2.62; P<0.001) and cerebrovascular accidents alone (aHR 2.05; P<0.001), increased the risk of developing PAOD. The significant aHRs increased (from 3.7 to 4.9) when the number of comorbidities increased (from ≥1 to ≥3 comorbidities).ConclusionCOPD patients have a higher incidence and an independently higher risk of PAOD than patients without COPD. The risk of PAOD is markedly elevated in COPD patients with more comorbidities.

MON-056 Leucine-Rich a-2-Glycoprotein 1 increased Peripheral arterial occlusive disease risk in end-stage renal disease

Plasma Leucine-Rich a-2-Glycoprotein 1(LRG1) as a novel serum biomarker for inflammation and angiogenetic diseases. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are associated with several health-related adverse outcomes including inflammation, atherosclerosis and premature mortality in individuals. Whether level of Plasma Leucine-Rich a-2-Glycoprotein 1 may associate with the clinical status of hemodialysis patients is unknown. The immunity in ESRD study (iESRD) recruited 169 hemodialysis patients from southern Taiwan. By history taking and detailed chart reviews, baseline co-morbidities were recorded. Peripheral blood was sampled before hemodialysis session and processed immediately. Plasma levels of LRG1 and high-sensitivity C reactive protein were determined by ELISA. Peripheral blood monocyte and T cell differentiation subsets 1 may by multicolor flow cytometry. Among these patients, 100% were LRG-1-seropositive. In a multivariate-adjusted logistic regression model, higher LRG1 tertile was significantly associated with Peripheral arterial occlusive disease(PAOD) (odds ratio = 3.49)after adjusting for gender, hemoglobin, DM, hypertension, and the level hs-CRP. LRG1 exhibit lower TCM percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells but also lower TNAIVE percentages of CD8+ T cells. Similar trends were observed when the absolute cell number of each T cell subsets was analyzed. Level of LRG-1 positively correlated with both IL-6, CRP and WBC, indicating the accumulation of these cytokines participate in the progression of atherosclerosis. LRG-1positively correlates with the existence of the Peripheral arterial occlusive disease in ESRD patients. Role of LRG-1 and the associated inflammation response should the in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in this patient population.

Association between albumin and C-reactive protein and ankle-brachial index in haemodialysis.

Peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) is associated with increased rates of cardiovascular mortality, morbidity and hospitalization in patients undergoing dialysis. An ankle-brachial index (ABI) less than 0.9 has been used to diagnose PAOD. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations among inflammation, malnutrition and their interactions on the risk of PAOD. Two hundred and twenty-two haemodialysis patients (mean age 61.0 ± 11.7 years, 56.8% men) were enrolled and stratified into four groups according to median values of albumin (3.87 g/dL) and logarithm of C-reactive protein (CRP) (0.48 mg/L). Associations between the study groups and an ABI less than 0.9 were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to predict an ABI less than 0.9. A lower level of albumin and higher level of CRP were significantly associated with an ABI less than 0.9 in multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 5.688; 95% confidence interval, 1.369-23.626; P = 0.017) after adjusting for demographic, clinical, biochemical and medication data. The interaction between albumin and CRP in relation to an ABI less than 0.9 was significant in multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 1.797; 95% confidence interval, 1.258-2.568; P = 0.001). The areas under the curve for albumin, CRP and albumin + CRP for the prediction of ABI less than 0.9 were 0.311, 0.654 and 0.733, respectively. Patients undergoing haemodialysis with a lower albumin level and higher CRP level have an increased risk of PAOD. A combination of malnutrition and inflammation may be associated with PAOD in haemodialysis patients.

MP52-16 ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY INCREASED THE RISK OF PULMOMARY EMBOLISM IN PATIENT WITH PROSTATE CANCER - FROM 24,464 PATIENTS, TAIWAN NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE RESEARCH DATABASE

You have accessJournal of UrologyProstate Cancer: Advanced (including Drug Therapy) III1 Apr 2018MP52-16 ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY INCREASED THE RISK OF PULMOMARY EMBOLISM IN PATIENT WITH PROSTATE CANCER - FROM 24,464 PATIENTS, TAIWAN NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE RESEARCH DATABASE Jian-Hua Hong, Yu-Chuan Lu, Chao-Yuan Huang, and Yeong-Shiau Pu Jian-Hua HongJian-Hua Hong More articles by this author , Yu-Chuan LuYu-Chuan Lu More articles by this author , Chao-Yuan HuangChao-Yuan Huang More articles by this author , and Yeong-Shiau PuYeong-Shiau Pu More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2018.02.1667AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been one kind of treatments for prostate cancer (PCa) but subsequent risks of some complications should be considered. Therefore, we aim to investigate the risks of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in PCa patients with ADT treatment. METHODS We constructed a retrospective cohort study of total 24,464 men with newly diagnosed PCa from a longitudinal health insurance database of catastrophic illness patients in Taiwan. All patients were further divided into one treatment group and two matched control groups: 1) patients undergoing ADT treatment (ADT group), 2) PCa patients without ADT and are individual-matched with age (comparison 1 group), and 3) PCa patients without ADT and are propensity score-matched with continuous age and comorbidity etc. (comparison 2 group). Individual comorbidity history as well as outcome ascertainments of PAOD and PE were obtained from clinical diagnosis and medical records. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression and Kaplan–Meier analysis were performed in the present analyze. RESULTS During the 11 year follow-up, the incidence rates of PE were 1.41, 0.93, and 0.63 as well as those of PAOD were 3.60, 4.04 and 3.21per 1000 person-years in the ADT, comparison 1, and comparison 2 groups, respectively. PCa patients with ADT treatment significantly increased nearly twofold risk of PE, especially for those receiving combined androgen blockade or surgical castration. However, no association between ADT therapy and PAOD risk were observed. ADT patients with specific comorbidities, such as other cancers, heart failure or stroke had a much higher risk of subsequent PE. In addition, ADT patients with stroke had a twofold increase in the risk of PAOD. CONCLUSIONS CAB or surgical castration increased subsequent risk of PE, neither for PAOD risk. This treatment should be considered for patients with certain clinical comorbidities. © 2018FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 199Issue 4SApril 2018Page: e701-e702 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2018MetricsAuthor Information Jian-Hua Hong More articles by this author Yu-Chuan Lu More articles by this author Chao-Yuan Huang More articles by this author Yeong-Shiau Pu More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Association between modified CHA2DS2-VASc Score with Ankle-Brachial index\u2009

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a reliable diagnostic examination for peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). We previously reported CHADS2 score was significantly correlated with PAOD. However, the association between CHA2DS2-VASc score and ABI < 0.9 is not evaluated in the literature. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether CHA2DS2-VASc score has a strong association with PAOD. We enrolled 1482 patients in this study. PAOD was defined as ABI < 0.9 in either leg. Vascular disease in CHA2DS2-VASc score was modified as vascular disease except PAOD. Of the 1482 subjects, the prevalence of ABI < 0.9 was 5.6%. Multivariate analysis showed that the increased age, decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate and increased modified CHA2DS2-VASc score (OR, 1.764; p < 0.001) were independent associated with ABI < 0.9. In addition, the percentage of ABI < 0.9 in patients with modified CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0, 1, and <2 were 0%, 0.9%, and 0.7%, respectively (All < 1%). Our study demonstrated modified CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly associated with ABI < 0.9. Calculation of modified CHA2DS2-VASc score might be useful in identifying patients with PAOD and in stratifying the risk of PAOD in non-AF patients.

Increased risk of peripheral arterial occlusive disease in patients with Bell's palsy using population data.

ObjectiveThis population-based cohort study investigated the risk of developing peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) in patients with Bell’s palsy.MethodsWe used longitudinal claims data of health insurance of Taiwan to identify 5,152 patients with Bell’s palsy newly diagnosed in 2000–2010 and a control cohort of 20,608 patients without Bell’s palsy matched by propensity score. Incidence and hazard ratio (HR) of PAOD were assessed by the end of 2013.ResultsThe incidence of PAOD was approximately 1.5 times greater in the Bell’s palsy group than in the non-Bell’s palsy controls (7.75 vs. 4.99 per 1000 person-years). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis measured adjusted HR was 1.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.35–1.76) for the Bell’s palsy group compared to the non-Bell’s palsy group, after adjusting for sex, age, occupation, income and comorbidities. Men were at higher risk of PAOD than women in the Bell’s palsy group, but not in the controls. The incidence of PAOD increased with age in both groups, but the Bell’s palsy group to control group HR of PAOD decreased as age increased. The systemic steroid treatment reduced 13% of PAOD hazard for Bell’s palsy patients, compared to those without the treatment, but not significant.ConclusionsBell’s palsy appears to be associated with an increased risk of developing PAOD. Further pathophysiologic, histopathology and immunologic research is required to explore the underlying biologic mechanism.

Association of lower urinary tract syndrome with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

PurposeTo describe atherosclerosis may lead to chronic bladder ischemia, eventually resulting in lower urinary tract syndrome (LUTS), and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). We investigated the association of LUTS with PAOD.MethodsThis nationwide population-based cohort study was based on data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database from 2000 to 2010; follow-up lasted until the end of 2011. We identified patients with newly diagnosed LUTS by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes.ResultsIn total, 36,042 and 36,042 patients were enrolled in LUTS and non-LUTS cohorts, respectively. After adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidities, the risk of subsequent PAOD was 1.36-fold higher [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.26–1.46] in the LUTS cohort than in the non-LUTS cohort. The adjusted risk of PAOD was the highest in patients with LUTS without any comorbidity [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.54–2.41]. The age-specific relative risk of PAOD was significantly higher in all age groups, particularly in those aged <49 years (aHR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.39–2.34], in the LUTS cohort than in the non-LUTS cohort.ConclusionLUTS is a risk factor for PAOD. Physicians should consider the possibility of underlying PAOD in patients with LUTS aged <49 years and without cardiovascular comorbidities. Additional studies developing strategies for decreasing the risk of PAOD are warranted.

Risk of Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease in Patients with Vertigo, Tinnitus, or Sudden Deafness: A Secondary Case-Control Analysis of a Nationwide, Population-Based Health Claims Database.

BackgroundCochleovestibular symptoms, such as vertigo, tinnitus, and sudden deafness, are common manifestations of microvascular diseases. However, it is unclear whether these symptoms occurred preceding the diagnosis of peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD). Therefore, the aim of this case-control study was to investigate the risk of PAOD among patients with vertigo, tinnitus, and sudden deafness using a nationwide, population-based health claim database in Taiwan.MethodsWe identified 5,340 adult patients with PAOD diagnosed between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2010 and 16,020 controls, frequency matched on age interval, sex, and year of index date, from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Risks of PAOD in patients with vertigo, tinnitus, or sudden deafness were separately evaluated with multivariate logistic regression analyses.ResultsOf the 5,340 patients with PAOD, 12.7%, 6.7%, and 0.3% were diagnosed with vertigo, tinnitus, and sudden deafness, respectively. In the controls, 10.6%, 6.1%, and 0.3% were diagnosed with vertigo (P < 0.001), tinnitus (P = 0.161), and sudden deafness (P = 0.774), respectively. Results from the multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the risk of PAOD was significantly increased in patients with vertigo (adjusted odds ratio = 1.12, P = 0.027) but not in those with tinnitus or sudden deafness.ConclusionsA modest increase in the risk of PAOD was observed among Taiwanese patients with vertigo, after adjustment for comorbidities.

Cataract increases the risk of peripheral artery occlusive disease: A nationwide population-based cohort study with propensity score

PurposeWe conducted this study to evaluate the risk of peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) among patients with cataracts. MethodsWe analyzed the data from Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Study participants were classified into the cataract group and the non-cataract group between 2000 and 2010. All patients were observed from the index year until PAOD diagnosis, loss to follow up, or the end of 2011. Both study groups were 1:1 matching based upon a propensity score. We used a cox proportional hazards regression model to assess the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PAOD for the cataract cohort compared with the non-cataract cohort. ResultsAfter adjustment for age, sex and comorbidities, the risk of PAOD was significantly higher in the cataract cohort [adjusted HR (aHR)=1.48, 95% CI=1.38-1.58] than the non-cataract cohort. ConclusionsWe found that patients with cataracts had a 1.48-fold increased risk of developing PAOD compared to the non-cataract patients.

Risk of peripheral arterial occlusive disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between RA and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) remains unclear. We used a national health insurance database to identify a cohort of 30,812 patients diagnosed with RA between 2000 and 2011. Each RA patient was frequency-matched according to age and sex with a patient without RA from a control cohort. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyse the adjusted risk of PAOD. The incidence of PAOD was 1.73-fold higher (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57-1.91) in the RA cohort than in the non-RA cohort. The adjusted risk of PAOD was the highest in the patients with RA aged ≤ 49 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.39, 95% CI = 2.66-4.32). Patients with RA and various comorbidities showed a significantly higher risk of PAOD (HR = 9.62, 95% CI = 4.86-19.1) compared with control patients without comorbidity. The risk of PAOD increased during the first year of follow-up. In conclusion, patients with RA have an independently higher risk of PAOD compared with the general population. Patients with RA and various comorbidities and those at a young age and early stage of the disease have an increased risk of PAOD.

Leptospirosis and Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease: A Nationwide Cohort Analysis.

Data on the association between peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) and leptospirosis are limited. We conducted a retrospective cohort study for determining whether leptospirosis is one of the possible risk factors for PAOD.Patients diagnosed with leptospirosis by using 2000 to 2010 data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients with leptospirosis without a history of PAOD were selected. For each leptospirosis patient, 4 controls without a history of leptospirosis and PAOD were randomly selected and frequency-matched for sex, age, the year of the index date, and comorbidity diseases. The follow-up period was from the time of the initial diagnosis of leptospirosis to the diagnosis date of PAOD, or December 31, 2011. The Cox proportional hazard regression models were used for analyzing the risk of PAOD.During the follow-up period, the cumulative incidence of PAOD was higher among the patients from the leptospirosis cohort than among the nonleptospirosis cohort (log-rank test, P < 0.001). In total, 29 patients with PAOD from the leptospirosis cohort and 81 from the nonleptospirosis cohort were observed with the incidence rates of 2.1 and 1.3 per 1000 person-years, respectively, yielding a crude hazards ratio (HR) of 1.62 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.44–1.81) and adjusted HR (aHR) of 1.75 (95% CI = 1.58–1.95).The risk of PAOD was 1.75-fold higher in the patients with leptospirosis than in the general population.

Risk of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with atherosclerosis, but the relationship between SLE and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) remains unclear. We sought to investigate this relationship by comparing cardiovascular complications in patients with and without SLE.Data on patients from 2000 to 2011 were collected from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. The SLE cohort was frequency-matched according to age, sex, and history of diabetes mellitus (DM) with patients without SLE (control cohort). We evaluated the risk of cardiovascular complications, including hypertension, DM, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hyperlipidemia.The study included 10,144 patients with SLE and 10,144 control patients. The incidence of PAOD was 9.39-fold higher (95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.70–11.15) in the SLE cohort than in the non-SLE cohort. Moreover, SLE was an independent risk factor for PAOD. The adjusted risk of PAOD was highest in patients with SLE who were aged ≤34 years (hazard ratio = 47.6, 95% CI = 26.8–84.4). The risk of PAOD was highest during the first year of follow-up and decreased over time.Patients with SLE exhibit a higher incidence and an independently higher risk of PAOD compared with the general population. The PAOD risk is markedly elevated in patients with SLE who are young and in whom the disease is at an early stage.

Hemodialysis Is Associated With Increased Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease Risk Among Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

To investigate the effect of different dialysis modalities on the incidence of peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in a large population-based cohort study.The cohort study included 26,927 ESRD patients who underwent hemodialysis (17,737 patients, hemodialysis [HD] cohort) or peritoneal dialysis (PD, 9190 patients, PD cohort), and 107,588 matched controls between 2000 and 2010. A Cox proportional hazards model was to evaluate the risk of PAOD in the ESRD underwent HD or PD.Based on a mean follow-up period of 2.92, 3.64, and 4.91 years in the PD, HD, and control cohorts, respectively, the incidences of PAOD were 18.1% and 8.10% higher in the HD and PD cohorts, respectively, compared with the control cohort (log-rank test P < 0.001). The patients who underwent HD or PD exhibited a higher risk of PAOD compared with the control cohort regardless of age, sex, and presence or absence of comorbidities. In addition, the incidence of PAOD in the PD cohort and the propensity score-matched HD cohort were 12.4 and 20.7 per 1000 person-years, respectively, with a hazard ratio of 1.92 (95% confidence interval = 1.62–2.28) in HD patients, compared with the PD cohort.This nationwide population-based cohort study suggested a significantly increased risk of PAOD among ESRD patients. Moreover, the PD patients have a lower risk of developing PAOD compared with the HD cohort, indicating the beneficial roles of PD in reducing PAOD risk in ESRD patients.

TNFRSF11B gene polymorphisms increased risk of peripheral arterial occlusive disease and critical limb ischemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a secretory glycoprotein that belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor family and plays a role in atherosclerosis. OPG has been hypothesized to modulate vascular functions; however, its role in mediating atherosclerosis is controversial. Epidemiological data in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) indicate that OPG serum levels are associated with several inflammatory markers, myocardial infarction events, and calcium scores, suggesting that OPG may be causative for CVD. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the OPG gene (TNFRSF11B) polymorphisms are involved in the development of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) in patients with type 2 diabetes. This genetic association study included 402 diabetic patients (139 males and 263 females) with peripheral arterial occlusive disease and 567 diabetic subjects without peripheral arterial occlusive disease (208 males and 359 females). The T245G, T950C, and G1181C polymorphisms of the OPG gene were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. We found that the T245G, T950C, and G1181C gene polymorphisms of the OPG gene were significantly (27.9 vs. 12.2%, P<0.01; 33.6 vs. 10.4%, P<0.01 and 24.4 vs. 12.7%, P<0.01, respectively) and independently (adjusted OR 4.97 (3.12-6.91), OR 7.02 (4.96-11.67), and OR 2.85 (1.95-4.02), respectively) associated with PAOD. We also found that these three polymorphisms act synergistically in patients with PAOD and are associated with different levels of risk for PAOD and CLI, depending on the number of high-risk genotypes carried concomitantly by a given individual. The TNFRSF11B gene polymorphisms under study are associated with PAOD, and synergistic effects between these genotypes might be potential markers for the presence and severity of atherosclerotic disorders.