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Query: UMLS:C0042373 (vascular disease)
17,070 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The possibility that modest elevations in the level of blood homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinaemia) could contribute to cardiovascular disease arose from investigation of patients with rare, severe homocysteine elevations caused by cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency. Such patients often had thromboembolic events before the age of 30 years. Since the established cardiovascular risk factors could only partly account for the occurrence and severity of vascular disease in the general population, other risk factors had to exist, and homocysteine elevation seemed to be a possible candidate. Australian case-control studies identified an association between mild homocysteine elevation and early-onset coronary disease, and also with chronic renal failure. Patients in the latter group have a high prevalence of unexplained vascular disease and particularly high homocysteine levels. Such elevations in levels of homocysteine in vascular patients could usually be normalised by daily supplementation with folic acid (1-5 mg) while in patients with chronic renal failure 5 mg of folic acid daily markedly reduced the increased concentrations of homocysteine. These initial observations have been confirmed by many investigators and biologically plausible mechanisms for homocysteine-induced vascular dysfunction, and particularly endothelial dysfunction, have been identified. However, associations between hyperhomocysteinaemia and other risk factors, such as smoking and hypertension, have also been documented and need to be controlled for when assessing any increase in risk that homocysteine may independently confer. Although it has been established that lowering the greatly elevated blood homocysteine levels in homocystinuria, due to cystathione beta-synthase deficiency, unquestionably reduces cardiovascular risk, it remains to be determined whether normalising mild homocysteine elevation could reduce cardiovascular risk. Trials to test this possibility have been initiated and others are planned.
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PMID:Novel risk factors for vascular disease: the homocysteine hypothesis of cardiovascular disease. 991 68

Ischemic renal disease (IRD) is defined as a significant reduction in glomerular filtration rate and/or loss of renal parenchyma caused by hemodynamically significant renal artery stenosis. IRD is a common and often overlooked clinical entity that presents in the setting of extrarenal arteriosclerotic vascular disease in older individuals with azotemia. IRD is an important cause of chronic renal failure and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and many patients with a presumed diagnosis of hypertensive nephrosclerosis may actually have undiagnosed ischemic nephropathy as the cause of their ESRD. The primary reason for establishing the diagnosis of IRD is the hope that correction of a renal artery stenosis will lead to improvement of renal function or a delay in progression to ESRD. There are six typical clinical settings in which the clinician could suspect IRD: acute renal failure caused by the treatment of hypertension, especially with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; progressive azotemia in a patient with known renovascular hypertension; acute pulmonary edema superimposed on poorly controlled hypertension and renal failure; progressive azotemia in an elderly patient with refractory or severe hypertension; progressive azotemia in an elderly patient with evidence of atherosclerotic disease; and unexplained progressive azotemia in an elderly patient. It is important for the clinician to identify IRD, because IRD represents a potentially reversible cause of chronic renal failure in a hypertensive patient.
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PMID:University of Miami Division of Clinical Pharmacology Therapeutic Rounds: ischemic renal disease. 1009 60

Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia is now recognized as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients with normal renal function. Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia is common in patients with chronic renal failure. This study is designed to look for an association between hyperhomocyst(e)inemia and atherosclerotic vascular disease in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Two hundred eighteen patients undergoing hemodialysis were enrolled onto the study and had predialysis bloodwork performed for total homocyst(e)ine, red blood cell folate, and vitamin B(12) levels. A history of clinically significant atherosclerotic vascular disease (ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, or peripheral vascular disease) was elicited by patient questionnaire and verified by careful inpatient and outpatient chart review. Atherosclerotic vascular disease was present in 45.9% of patients. Mean homocyst(e)ine concentration was 26.7 micromol/L (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.0 to 28.4) overall. Mean homocyst(e)ine concentration was 28.6 micromol/L (95% CI, 25.6 to 31.7) and 25.0 micromol/L (95% CI, 23.2 to 26.8) in patients with and without atherosclerotic disease, respectively (P = 0.036). The adjusted odds ratio for atherosclerotic disease was 2.12 (95% CI, 1.03 to 4.39) for those subjects with a homocyst(e)ine level in the highest quartile compared with the lowest 3 quartiles. In the 126 men, the adjusted odds ratio for atherosclerotic disease was 3.4 (95% CI, 1. 24 to 9.42) for those with homocyst(e)ine levels in the highest quartile compared with the lowest 3 quartiles. No association was found between homocyst(e)ine level and atherosclerotic disease in women. In conclusion, there is an association between hyperhomocyst(e)inemia and atherosclerotic vascular disease in patients undergoing dialysis. Prospective studies need to further examine the relationship between homocyst(e)ine level and atherosclerosis in women with ESRD.
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PMID:Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia and the prevalence of atherosclerotic vascular disease in patients with end-stage renal disease. 1051 48

S-Adenosylhomocysteine, a potent intracellular methylation inhibitor, is suggested as a potential mediator for hyperhomocysteinemia-related vascular changes. We investigated the effect of acute and chronic hyperhomocysteinemia on intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine and S-adenosylmethionine in rats and humans. Elevated plasma homocysteine in rats infused with homocysteine produced an increase in S-adenosylhomocysteine (P < 0.001) but not S-adenosylmethionine levels (P > 0.05) in various rat tissues. However intraerythrocyte S-adenosylhomocysteine and S-adenosylmethionine levels were not changed in homocysteine-infused rats and human subjects with experimentally acute hyperhomocysteinemia by methionine loading test. In contrast, erythrocyte S-adenosylhomocysteine levels were significantly higher in chronic renal failure patients, who had chronically elevated plasma homocysteine levels, than in either vascular disease patients or healthy controls (P < 0.05). In conclusion, acute hyperhomocysteinemia can increase intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels in tissues actively involved in homocysteine metabolism. The findings are relevant to homocysteine-related endothelial dysfunction since S-adenosylhomocysteine modulates endothelial cell apoptosis.
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PMID:Interrelations between plasma homocysteine and intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine. 1077 79

Hyperphosphatemia is a predictable consequence of chronic renal failure and is present in most patients on dialysis. Traditionally, the risk associated with elevated serum phosphorus has focused on its impact on renal osteodystrophy. A growing body of evidence, however, suggests that abnormalities in serum phosphorus, calcium-phosphorus product (CaxP), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels are resulting in vascular and visceral calcification, thereby contributing to the substantially increased risk of cardiovascular death in this population. In this analysis, we review in detail the literature that describes these associations. We show that the current treatment paradigm for serum phosphorus and secondary hyperparathyroidism is ineffective for a large segment of dialysis patients. Currently, 60% of hemodialysis patients have phosphorus greater than 5.5 mg/dL, and 40% have CaxP greater than 60 mg(2)/dL(2). It is our belief that prevention of uremic calcification, cardiac death, and vascular disease should assume primary importance when evaluating the risks associated with elevated levels of phosphorus, CaxP, and PTH. We recommend that target levels should become 9.2 to 9.6 mg/dL for calcium, 2.5 to 5.5 mg/dL for phosphorus, less than 55 mg(2)/dL(2) for CaxP product, and 100 to 200 pg/mL for intact PTH.
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PMID:Re-evaluation of risks associated with hyperphosphatemia and hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients: recommendations for a change in management. 1138 11

Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is a risk factor for occlusive cardiovascular disease (CVD). This concept is based on the observations of premature vascular disease in patients with homocystinuria, the relation between tHcy and both clinical CVD as well as preclinical atherosclerotic disease, the relation between tHcy in children and CVD in their parents or relatives, and reduction in CVD or surrogate endpoints after tHcy-lowering intervention with B vitamins. Plausible mechanisms include the in vivo interference with nitric oxide-dependent reactive vasodilatation. Some observations have raised questions about tHcy as a risk factor. 1) Some prospective studies showed a weak relation or no relation between tHcy and CVD. 2) Several traditional risk factors are associated with tHcy and may confound the relation between tHcy and CVD. 3) tHcy is related to renal function, and hyperhomocysteinemia may reflect early nephrosclerosis. 4) The C677T transition of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene causes a moderate increase in tHcy but no or only minor increased CVD risk. However, the strength of some of these arguments can be questioned because there is increasing evidence that tHcy is a proximate risk factor provoking the acute event, it strongly interacts with traditional risk factors, and it may predict CVD or death in patients with chronic renal failure. Furthermore, the studies of the C677T polymorphism lack statistical power, and the TT genotype may even modulate CVD risk independently of homocysteine. Thus, only placebo-controlled intervention studies with tHcy-lowering B vitamins and clinical endpoints can provide additional valid arguments for the debate over whether tHcy is a causal CVD risk factor.
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PMID:The controversy over homocysteine and cardiovascular risk. 1147 Jul 33

Atherosclerotic vascular disease is a major cause of death for uremic patients who are on hemodialysis (HD). Recent evidence suggests that lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] may aggravate atherosclerosis by inhibiting activation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). Plasma Lp(a) and plasma TGF-beta 1 activation in HD patients (n = 51), chronic renal failure patients not subjected to hemodialysis (non-HD-CRF; n = 12), and healthy volunteers (control; n = 13) were investigated. Plasma Lp(a) was significantly higher in HD (18.75 +/- 1.62 mg/ml) and non-HD-CRF patients (25.0 +/- 8.4 mg/ml) than in control subjects (10.9 +/- 5.8 mg/ml). The degree of atherosclerosis in HD patients was assessed by measuring the intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque score with the use of an ultrasound scanner. IMT and plaque score were higher in HD and non-HD-CRF patients than in controls. A significant positive correlation was found in HD patients between Lp(a) and IMT (r = 0. 377, P < 0.01) as well as between Lp(a) and plaque score (r = 0.43, P < 0.01). Plasma total TGF-beta 1 significantly increased in HD (119.8 +/- 53.5 ng/ml) and non-HD-CRF patients (93.2 +/- 25.0 ng/ml) compared with control subjects (17.7 +/- 6.4 ng/ml), whereas the plasma level of mature (active) TGF-beta1 did not differ among the groups. When plasma TGF-beta 1 and supernatant TGF-beta 1 from cultured peripheral mononuclear cells were compared before and after an HD session, neither total nor mature TGF-beta 1 showed a significant difference between the values before and after an HD session. There were no significant relationships between plasma total TGF-beta 1 and IMT or plaque score, between mature TGF-beta 1 and IMT or plaque score, or between mature TGF-beta 1 and Lp(a). In conclusion, Lp(a) may be an important atherogenic factor in CRF patients. However, it was not clarified whether Lp(a) exerts its effect by inhibiting TGF-beta 1 activation in CRF patients.
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PMID:Role of lipoprotein (a) and TGF-beta 1 in atherosclerosis of hemodialysis patients. 1100 20

The incidence and prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), particularly in the elderly population, have continued to increase in the United States. It is estimated that 10% to 20% of the elderly patients with ESRD have potentially remediable renal vascular disease. The purpose of the present study is to examine the results of renal artery revascularization in 20 patients aged older than 55 years with chronic renal failure (serum creatinine level >2 mg/dL) with proximal renal artery stenosis (RAS) diagnosed by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) who underwent surgical or percutaneous revascularization. Patients were followed up closely in the postrevascularization period; renal function was monitored and potential complications of the procedure were carefully noted. Four of the 20 patients developed serious complications, including 3 patients with clinically significant atheroembolic disease and 1 patient with renal artery dissection. Seven patients developed greater than 5% eosinophilia. Five of the 20 patients had a deterioration in renal function 3 to 6 months after the procedure, and only 5 patients had a reduction in serum creatinine concentration 3 to 6 months after the procedure. The present study suggests that in elderly patients with chronic renal failure and proximal RAS, revascularization of renal vessels is associated with a high complication rate, and improvement in renal function occurs in only 25% of the patients. Whether revascularization can slow the rate of progression of renal failure remains uncertain and can only be answered by a large prospective trial.
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PMID:Revascularization of renal artery stenosis in patients with renal insufficiency. 1100 93

Atheromatous ischaemic renal vascular disease (AIRVD) comprises ischaemic renal disease, atheromatous disease of the large arteries and intra-renal atheromatosis. Cholesterol emboli and lesions of nephroangiosclerosis are often associated, affecting the two kidneys. It is an increasingly common cause of chronic renal failure in an aging population, affecting 12 to 14% of new patients requiring dialysis in the United States. Atheromatous stenoses are very progressive with a risk of renal atrophy; they are a marker of polyvascular disease, often detected during other angiographic investigation. Hypertension secondary to the stenosis, still incorrectly called renovascular hypertension, is, however rare, affecting less than 0.5% of hypertensives. For economic reasons, it is important to select patients who need complementary investigation. In view of the absence of specific signs of the pathology, the "presumptive" diagnosis is based on a range of clinical and biological results, especially in a high risk context. The method of investigation varies from team to team, depending on the availability of equipment, the experience of the operators and the patient himself. Duplex Doppler, spiral angioscan and magnetic resonance angiography are the most pertinent investigations for the management of AIRVD. When the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis has been made, the problem of revascularisation, the objective of which is to preserve or restore the functional nephronic mass, has to be treated to prevent progression to end stage renal failure. Although epidemiological and physiopathological evidence is in favour of revascularisation, only renal salvage procedures are imperative. Apart from these indications, the clinical benefits of revascularisation have not yet been demonstrated. In all cases, the control of associated risk factors is essential to maintain the success of revascularisation and slow down the progression of atheromatous disease.
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PMID:[Better understanding of atheromatous ischemic renal vascular disease]. 1119 Feb 95

Atheromatous renovascular disease (ARVD) is a common cause of hypertension and chronic renal failure (CRF). In this unit, intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) (or intraarterial DSA if indicated) is used as a screening angiographic study when ARVD is suspected. However, increased use of these investigations has resulted in a longer waiting time for angiography. As the majority of studies are negative for ARVD, clinical features and results of investigations of patients undergoing angiography were reviewed to identify those having the greatest likelihood of ARVD. The clinical notes were reviewed for all 249 patients undergoing angiography over an 18-month period. Primary indications for investigation were: hypertension 71 (28.5%), CRF 156 (62.7%) and CRF with severe hypertension 22 (8.8%). 12 of the CRF patients had end-stage renal failure. 166 (66.7%) patients had no evidence of ARVD, while only 83 (33.3%) patients showed some degree of ARVD, 29 (35%) of which had bilateral renal artery disease. There was no significant difference between the ARVD group and the non-ARVD group for mean age (69.0 years vs 63.3 years), male to female ratio, history of smoking (68.7% vs 55.4%), severe hypertension (10.8% vs 9.0%), hypercholesterolaemia (61.4% vs 47.0%), diabetes mellitus (28.6% vs 25.3%) or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor-related renal dysfunction (9.6% vs 6.1%). More patients in the ARVD group were investigated for CRF than in the non-ARVD group, as reflected by the higher serum creatinine level and the lower creatinine clearance in the ARVD group. 55 (33.1%) of the non-ARVD patients had no comorbid vascular disease, vascular bruits or ultrasound discrepancy in the size of the two kidneys, whereas all ARVD patients had at least one of these features (negative predictive value 100%). All three features were present in 19.3% of ARVD patients but in only 3.0% of the non-ARVD patients (positive predictive value 76.2%, specificity 97%). We plan to rationalize the criteria for angiography in the light of these findings, anticipating an increase in the diagnostic yield of renal angiography from its current 33.3% to above 42%.
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PMID:Increasing the diagnostic yield of renal angiography for the diagnosis of atheromatous renovascular disease. 1133 95


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