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Objective: To evaluate the impact of diabetic status on outcome of patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS)., Background: Diabetes has been demonstrated to be a strong predictor of adverse outcome in patients undergoing coronary revascularization. Its significance in predicting outcome of patients undergoing carotid interventions has not been ascertained., Methods: We evaluated the short-term outcomes of 833 patients who underwent CAS at our institution. The primary outcome of this analysis was 30 day incidence of stroke, myocardial infarction, and death., Results: Diabetes was present in 311 patients. Baseline characteristics were comparable between diabetics and nondiabetics except for the diabetics having a lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lower hemoglobin, and a higher body mass index at baseline. Further, they were more likely to have congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease. There was no difference in the incidence of stroke (1.9% versus 2.7%,), myocardial infarction (MI) (2.6% versus 1.9%), death (3.9% versus 2.5%), or the composite of death stroke or MI (6.8% versus 5.9%) at 30 days between diabetics and nondiabetics. Similar results were seen when the analysis was restricted to patients treated with an emboli protection device. Diabetes was not a risk factor for adverse outcome after CAS after multivariate adjustment., Conclusion: Diabetics undergoing CAS are more likely to have associated co-morbidities. However despite this handicap, their short term outcome after CAS is similar to that of nondiabetics., ((c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

This study investigated the correlation between an elevated white blood cell (WBC) count as a marker of inflammation and the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery. WBC counts were prospectively followed in 181 consecutive patients who underwent coronary bypass or cardiac valve surgery to determine if a baseline or postoperative WBC count elevation is an independent predictor of postoperative AF.