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Background: Deep infections of the extremities are a challenge that threaten limb salvage. Objectives: To investigate whether the results of bone and deep tissue cultures from patients with trophic limb ulcers coincide. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with data from 54 patients with deep trophic limb ulcers admitted to the Complexo Hospitalar Universitário Professor Edgard Santos, Salvador (BA), Brazil. The study analyzed all patients for whom cultures of material from foot wounds in patients with tissue loss had been performed using two specimen types: bone and fragments of deep tendon. The study analyzed concordance between the two sample types and total number of microorganisms and numbers of microorganisms by Gram staining in both samples. Results: The mean age of the 54 patients in the sample was 63.6 years, 80% had PAOD, 70% were diabetic, and 72% were hypertensive. Analysis of the cultures showed that 28 (52%) pairs of samples from the 54 patients exhibited complete concordance, with the same microorganisms grown from fragments of deep tendon and bone. There was partial disagreement in 13 samples (24%) and total disagreement in 13 (24%). On average, 1.62 microorganisms were isolated from deep tendon fragments and 1.72 were isolated from bone samples. Analyzing Gram-positive microorganisms separately, the mean number of species grown was 0.48 for tendon cultures and 0.44 for bone cultures. In contrast, the mean number of Gram-negative microorganisms isolated was 1.14 for tendon samples and 1.27 for bone samples. Conclusions: Around half of the patients with foot tissue loss had bone and tendon cultures that coincided exactly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calcification of the arterial tunica media can falsely elevate the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) in diabetics, making it difficult to assess arterial disease. Objective: To compare ABI values in diabetics and non-diabetics with critical ischemia. Methods: A total of 140 patients (60% diabetics) with critical ischemia due to infrainguinal peripheral arterial obstructive disease were recruited from the vascular surgery service at the Complexo Hospitalar Universitário Professor Edgard Santos. Mean ABI values for the two groups of patients were compared and correlated with severity of ischemia, according to the Rutherford Classification. Statistical analysis was conducted using EPI-INFO. Results: A majority of the 140 patients (77%) were classified as Rutherford Category 5,6% as Category 4 and 17% as Category 6. Nine diabetics (11%) and one non-diabetic (2%) exhibited ABI > 1.15 (p = 0.02) and were excluded from the comparative analysis of mean ABIs. For the 130-patient sample, the 75 diabetic patients had a mean ABI for the posterior tibial artery of 0.26, vs. 0.28 for the 55 non-diabetic patients (p = 0.6); while mean ABIs for the dorsalis pedis artery were 0.32 vs. 0.23 respectively (p = 0.06). When the patients were stratified by Rutherford categories, there were no differences in mean ABIs in categories 4 or 5. Only mean ABI for the dorsalis pedis artery in Category 6 patients was significantly higher among diabetics (0.44 vs. 0.16; p = 0.03). Conclusions: The diabetic patients had a higher prevalence of falsely elevated ABI, but when these cases were excluded, mean ABI values were similar to those of non-diabetic patients, with the exception of ABI measured at the dorsalis pedis artery in patients with category 6 ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mortality from cardiovascular disease has declined among men and increased among North American women. Recent studies have revealed differences between genders in the epidemiology of atherosclerotic disease. Objective: To study possible differences between male and female patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) according to risk factors of atherosclerosis and clinical characteristics of lower limbs with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Methods: The study included 171 male and female patients treated for CLI due to infrainguinal PAOD and compared clinical characteristics (Rutherford category and PAOD territory), risk factors for atherosclerosis (diabetes, age, smoking and hypertension) and number of opacified arteries on digital angiograms of the leg. The EPI-INFO software was used for statistical analysis, and the level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Mean age was 70 years, and 88 patients were men (52%). For most patients (both genders), Rutherford category was 5 (82 % of men and 70% of women; p=0.16). The group of women had higher mean age (73 vs. 67 years; p=0.0002) and greater prevalence of diabetes (66% vs. 45%; p=0.003) and hypertension (90% vs. 56%; p=0.0000001). Among men, the prevalence of smoking was higher (76% vs. 53%; p=0.0008). The analysis of digital angiograms revealed that opacification of only one artery in the leg was found for 74% of women (vs. 50% of men). Conclusion: The prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerosis and the characteristics of PAOD are different between male and female patients with CLI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atherosclerosis risk factors can have different impacts on cardiovascular diseases and on the anatomical distribution of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). Objectives: To study the influence of atherosclerosis risk factors on the anatomical distribution of PAD in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). Methods: We performed an observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study that included 476 hospitalized patients with CLTI due to PAD. We compared the presence of atherosclerosis risk factors (age, gender, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and hypertension) in patients with PAD involving three different anatomic areas (aortoiliac, femoropopliteal, and infrapopliteal). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify associations between atherosclerosis risk factors and PAD distribution. Results: The mean age of the 476 patients was 69 years, 249 (52%) were men, and 273 (57%) had diabetes. Seventy-four percent (353) had minor tissue loss. Multivariate analysis identified three risk factors associated with PAD anatomical distribution (gender, smoking, and DM). Women had a 2.7 (CI: 1.75-4.26) times greater chance of having femoropopliteal disease. Smokers had a 3.6-fold (CI: 1.54-8.30) greater risk of aortoiliac disease. Diabetic patients were 1.8 (CI: 1.04-3.19) times more likely to have isolated infrapopliteal occlusive disease. Conclusions: The study showed that gender, DM, and smoking impact on the anatomical distribution of PAD in patients with CLTI. Diabetic patients were more likely to have only infrapopliteal disease, women had a greater risk of femoropopliteal PAD, and smokers had a greater risk of aortoiliac occlusive disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A persistent sciatic artery is a rare congenital vascular anomaly. The most common complication is aneurysm. Clinical presentation may include symptoms resulting from arterial dilatation and ischemia caused by thrombosis or embolization. There are diverse options for treatment of this rare condition, ranging from ligature of the aneurism to endovascular repair. This report describes the case of a female patient complaining of a pulsating mass in the left buttock. She was referred to a Vascular Service where an angiotomography showed complete bilateral persistence of the sciatic artery, with an aneurysm of the left sciatic artery. The aneurysm was treated with endovascular techniques, via a contralateral approach, with placement of two stent grafts and preservation of distal patency. Patency is particularly important in cases of this anatomical variation in which the persistent sciatic artery is complete. This patient recovered well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]