Editor's Choice - Carotid Stenosis Treatment : Variation in International Practice Patterns

Objectives: The aim was to determine current practice for the treatment of carotid stenosis among 12 countries participating in the International Consortium of Vascular Registries (ICVR). Methods: Data from the United States Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) and the Vascunet registry collaboration (including 10 registries in Europe and Australasia) were used. Variation in treatment modality of asymptomatic versus symptomatic patients was analysed between countries and among centres within each country. Results: Among 58,607 procedures, octogenarians represented 18% of all patients, ranging from 8% (Hungary) to 22% (New Zealand and Australia). Women represented 36%, ranging from 29% (Switzerland) to 40% (USA). The proportion of carotid artery stenting (CAS) among asymptomatic patients ranged from 0% (Finland) to 26% (Sweden) and among symptomatic patients from 0% (Denmark) to 19% (USA). Variation among centres within countries for CAS was highest in the United States and Australia (from 0% to 80%). The overall proportion of asymptomatic patients was 48%, but varied from 0% (Denmark) to 73% (Italy). There was also substantial centre level variation within each country in the proportion of asymptomatic patients, most pronounced in Australia (0-72%), Hungary (5-55%), and the United States (0-100%). Countries with fee for service reimbursement had higher rates of treatment in asymptomatic patients than countries with population based reimbursement (OR 5.8, 95% CI 4.4-7.7). Conclusions: Despite evidence about treatment options for carotid artery disease, the proportion of asymptomatic patients, treatment modality, and the proportion of women and octogenarians vary considerably among and within countries. There was a significant association of treating more asymptomatic patients in countries with fee for service reimbursement. The findings reflect the inconsistency of the existing guidelines and a need for cooperation among guideline committees all over the world. (C) 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Efficacy of a topically administered combination of emodepside and praziquantel against mature and immature Ancylostoma tubaeforme in domestic cats

This paper reports the efficacy of emodepside/praziquantel spot¿on (Profender®, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany), a novel broadspectrum anthelmintic for dermal application, against L4 larvae and immature adult and adult stages of Ancylostoma tubaeforme in cats. The formulation contains 2.14% (w/w) emodepside and 8.58% (w/v) praziquantel, with emodepside being active against gastrointestinal nematodes and praziquantel against cestodes. Five randomized, blinded and controlled laboratory studies demonstrated 100% efficacy of emodepside/praziquantel spot¿on against mature A. tubaeforme and an efficacy of >95% and >97%, respectively, against L4 larvae and immature adults (based on worm counts after necropsy) at approximately the minimum proposed dose rate in cats of 3.0 mg emodepside and 12.0 mg praziquantel/kg body weight. No adverse reactions to the treatment were observed. It is concluded that emodepside/praziquantel spot¿on is an effective and safe treatment against infections with mature and immature A. tubaeforme. Emodepside/praziquantel spot¿on will considerably facilitate the treatment of cats against nematodes and cestodes compared with orally administered preparation

Editor's Choice - Assessment of International Outcomes of Intact Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair over 9 Years

Background: Case mix and outcomes of complex surgical procedures vary over time and between regions. This study analyses peri-operative mortality after intact abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair in 11 countries over 9 years. Methods: Data on primary AAA repair from vascular surgery registries in 11 countries for the years 2005-2009 and 2010-2013 were analysed. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression analyses were carried out to adjust for variations in case mix. Results: A total of 83,253 patients were included. Over the two periods, the proportion of patients >= 80 years old increased (18.5% vs. 23.1%; p <.0001) as did the proportion of endovascular repair (EVAR) (44.3% vs. 60.6; p <.0001). In the latter period, 25.8% of AAAs were less than 5.5 cm. The mean annual volume of open repairs per centre decreased from 12.9 to 10.6 between the two periods (p <.0001), and it increased for EVAR from 10.0 to 17.1 (p <.0001). Overall, peri-operative mortality fell from 3.0% to 2.4% (p <.0001). Mortality for EVAR decreased from 1.5% to 1.1% (p <.0001), but the outcome worsened for open repair from 3.9% to 4.4% (p = .008). The peri-operative risk was greater for octogenarians (overall, 3.6% vs. 2.1%, p <.0001; open, 9.5% vs. 3.6%, p <.0001; EVAR, 1.8% vs. 0.7%, p <.0001), and women (overall, 3.8% vs. 2.2%, p <.0001; open, 6.0% vs. 4.0%, p <.0001; EVAR, 1.9% vs. 0.9%, p <.0001). Peri-operative mortality after repair of AAAs Conclusions: In this large international cohort, total peri-operative mortality continues to fall for the treatment of intact AAAs. The number of EVAR procedures now exceeds open procedures. Mortality after EVAR has decreased, but mortality for open operations has increased. The peri-operative mortality for small AM treatment, particularly open surgical repair, is still considerable and should be weighed against the risk of rupture. (C) 2017 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Five-year results of endovascular aortic repair used according to instructions for use give a good general outcome for abdominal aortic aneurysm

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the rate of sac enlargement and secondary procedures after 5 years when instructions for use are strictly applied with endovascular aortic repair. The secondary aim was to investigate if strict indications with endovascular aortic repair, rendering more open operations, would change the general outcome of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm. Materials and methods: Patients having their abdominal aortic aneurysm procedure in a single institution between 01 January 2002 and 31 December 2006 were included. Indications for endovascular aortic repair were as follows: aortic neck: length 15 mm or more, diameter 32 mm or less and straight configuration; iliac arteries: length > 10 mm, 7.5–20 mm in diameter. Sac enlargement was defined as an increase in diameter of 5 mm or more. Results: A total of 123 patients were intended to be treated electively with endovascular aortic repair from 2002 to 2007 using Cook Zenith stent grafts. In the same period, 147 patients were treated with elective open repair. At 5 years, 7.3% (N = 9) of the elective intended-to-treat patients with endovascular aortic repair had a sac enlargement. Thirty-five percent of the patients were registered with endoleaks, 13% of the patients had secondary procedures, 12.2% of the patients had early and 6.5% late complications during the follow-up period. Aneurysm rupture was seen in 1.6% of the patients. During the 5-year follow-up period, 34 (27.6%) of the endovascular aortic repair patients died. Five-year mortality for open repair was 23.8%, and 12.2% of the open repair patients had secondary procedures. Conclusion: Endovascular aortic repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm in accordance with instructions for use gives a low long-term risk for increased diameter and low rate of secondary procedures. There was similar mortality after elective endovascular aortic repair and open repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Applying endovascular aortic repair according to instructions for use does not seem to change the general outcome of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm but improves the outcome with the method

Efficacy of emodepside plus praziquantel tablets (Profender tablets for dogs) against mature and immature cestode infections in dogs

The efficacy of a novel flavoured tablet formulation of emodepside plus praziquantel (Profender tablets for dogs) against intestinal cestodes was investigated in four randomised, blinded placebo-controlled dose confirmation studies in dogs experimentally infected with Echinococcus granulosus or E. multilocularis and in dogs naturally infected with Dipylidium caninum or Taenia spp. The tablets were used at the minimum recommended dose of 1 mg emodepside and 5 mg praziquantel per kg body weight. The studies demonstrated 100% efficacy against mature and immature E. granulosus and E. multilocularis and mature Taenia spp. and D. caninum. Additionally, one of the studies demonstrated non-interference of emodepside with the efficacy of praziquantel against D. caninum. No side effects of the treatment were observed. It is concluded that emodepside plus praziquantel tablets are safe and effective against mature and immature stages of E. granulosus and E. multilocularis and mature stages of Taenia spp. and D. caninum

A single mutation is driving resistance to pyrethroids in European populations of the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor

Varroa destructor is one of the major contributors to the significant losses of Western honey bee colonies worldwide. The synthetic pyrethroids tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin were very popular among beekeepers to control levels of parasitism until reports of therapeutic failures increased during the early 1990s. Three different mutations at position 925 of the V. destructor voltage-gated sodium channel have been associated with the resistance to these compounds. Resistant mites collected in the UK and in the Czech Republic showed only a substitution of leucine to valine (L925V), while those collected in the USA carried alternative mutations to isoleucine (L925I) or methionine (L925M). Here, we have used high-throughput genotyping assays to investigate the distribution of resistance mutations across Europe. Our data show that the mutation L925V is present in most of the European countries tested, albeit with an uneven distribution. We also show new evidence for the significant correlation of the mutation with resistance and conclude that it is likely that resistant mites have a reduced fitness. The implications for integrated management of the parasite are discussed