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Purpose: To compare OCT identified white thrombus decline, neointimal hyperplasia and clinical outcomes of patients treated with ticagrelor plus aspirin with those patients treated with clopidogrel plus aspirin after peripheral interventions.Background: Ticagrelor is a potent platelet inhibitor. In patients with coronary artery disease, ticagrelor and aspirin demonstrated reduced rates of stent thrombosis, compared to aspirin and clopidogrel. The clinical importance of potent antiplatelet inhibition after peripheral endovascular interventions is unknown.Methods: We enrolled 18 patients with superficial femoral artery disease and the presence of OCT-detected clot post-stent placement. Patients were randomized to 75 mg clopidogrel once daily for 1 month vs. 90 mg ticagrelor twice daily for 6 months, both in addition to 81 mg aspirin for 6 months. Clot volumes, ankle-brachial index (ABI), 6-minute walk test, and Rutherford classification were measured at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Neointimal hyperplasia and neovascularization were calculated at 6-month follow-up.Results: N = 11 patients were enrolled in the clopidogrel group and N = 7 in the ticagrelor group. There was a significantly greater decrease in white thrombus in the ticagrelor group (median volume/stent length (0.067 vs 0.014 mm3/mm, p = 0.05)). No differences were found in % neointima (0.412 vs 0.536 mm3/mm, p = 0.44) and neovascularization (28 vs 44, p = 0.16). ABI and Rutherford classification were improved significantly after 6 months in the clopidogrel group, with no difference between groups at 6 months in ABI or Rutherford.Conclusion: In symptomatic patients with PAD, ticagrelor showed significant improvement relative to clopidogrel with respect to white thrombus burden decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim in this study was to examine the association between breastfeeding duration and cardiorespiratory fitness, isometric strength, and explosive strength during adolescence. A total of 2567 adolescents (1426 girls) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) cross-sectional study aged 12.5-17.5 y were included. Information about duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding was obtained retrospectively by means of a parental questionnaire. The 20-m shuttle run, handgrip strength, and standing long jump tests were used to assess physical fitness. Significant differences among the categories of breastfeeding duration were tested using ANCOVA after adjusting for a set of potential confounders: gestational and current age, birth weight, sexual maturation, fat mass, fat-free mass, maternal education, parental weight status, country, smoking behavior, and days of vigorous physical activity. Longer breastfeeding (either any or exclusive) was associated with a higher performance in the standing long jump test in both boys and girls (P < 0.001), regardless of fat mass, fat-free mass, and the rest of potential confounders. In adolescents who were breastfed for 3-5 mo or ≥6 mo, the risk of having a standing long jump performance below the 5th percentile was reduced by half compared with those who were never breastfed [odds ratio (OR) = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.30-0.96, P < 0.05; and OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.22-0.74, P < 0.01, respectively). These findings suggest a role of breastfeeding in determining lower body explosive strength during adolescence.