Summary: Background: The aim of this study was to compare demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics, including inflammatory markers, according to the nutritional status of patients with verified atherosclerotic disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 1045 consecutive patients with verified carotid disease or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Anthropometric parameters and data on cardiovascular risk factors and therapy for hypertension and hyperlipidemia were collected for all participants. Results: Carotid disease was positively and PAD was negatively associated with body mass index (BMI). Negative association between obesity and PAD was significant only in former smokers, not in current smokers or in patients who never smoked. Overweight and general obesity were significantly related to metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), lower values of high – density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), increased triglycerides (p < 0.001), hyperglycemia (p < 0.001), self-reported diabetes (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001), high serum uric acid (p < 0.001), increased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.020) and former smoking (p = 0.005) after adjustment for age, gender and type of disease. Antihypertensive therapy seems to be less effective in patients who are overweight and obese. Conclusions: In conclusion, overweight and general obesity were significantly related to several cardiovascular risk factors.

Cardiovascular disease remains the major cause of mortality in the Western World. We aimed to assess the prevalence of polyvascular disease in patients with carotid artery disease and peripheral artery disease (PAD), and to determine the risk profile of patients with polyvascular disease. The study included 1045 consecutive patients presenting to our department with carotid disease or PAD. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric parameters, and data on cardiovascular risk factors were collected in all patients. On the basis of medical history, patients were classified into those who had only symptomatic carotid disease or symptomatic PAD and those who had symptomatic polyvascular disease. Carotid disease alone was reported in 366 participants (35%), PAD alone, in 199 (19%), and polyvascular disease, in 480 (46%). Compared with carotid disease, PAD was more often a component of polyvascular disease (P = 0.002) and was combined with a higher number of other atherosclerotic diseases (P = 0.02). Compared with patients with symptomatic atherosclerotic disease in only 1 territory, patients with various types of polyvascular disease more often had hypertension (P from 0.03 to <0.001), dyslipidemia (P <0.001), high‑sensitivity C‑reactive protein levels of 3 mg/l or higher (P = 0.005), and more often were current smokers (P <0.001) or former smokers (P from 0.03 to 0.001). We showed a high prevalence of symptomatic polyvascular disease in patients with carotid disease or PAD. The risk profile was worse in patients with polyvascular disease than in those with a disease in a single vascular territory.

The aim of this paper is to define the population indicators of the nutritional status among the working population of the Republic of Serbia based on the value of Body Mass Index (BMI). The sample consisted of a total of 7.125 working subjects, among which 4.525 males (63.51%) and 2.600 females (36.49%). The subjects were from the following regions: Northern Serbia-Vojvodina, Capital city - Belgrade, Central Serbia, Western Serbia, Southern Serbia and Eastern Serbia. The average BMI values based on test groups of men and women were 26.53±4.07 and 24.07±5.09 kg
m-2, respectively. On the basis of the obtained results, it was determined that statistically significant BMI differences exist among subjects in general, i.e. in relation to gender (F=58.412, p<0.000), the age category (F=268.885, p<0.001) as well as the interaction of the given factors (F=18.203. p<0.000). In relation to the prevalence, for the female subsample, it was determined that 65.3% of the subjects are in the optimal weight category, 18.7% are overweight, 12.5% are obese and 3.6% of are in the underweight category. When it comes to the male test group, the underweight prevalence of 0.2% was established. Percentage of subjects in the categories of optimal weight, overweight and obesity was 37.9, 48.0 and 13.9%, respectively. The highest prevalence of overweight and obesity was found at the age of 60-65 years. In the male test group, it was determined that 45.2% of the subjects were pre-obese and 26.0% were obese. In relation to the female subsample, the prevalence of overweight was found to be at the level of 36.8%, while the prevalence of obesity was as high as 41.4%. On the basis of the defined models of nutrition status in relation to age, it was found that the established BMI growth constant is 0.0904 kg·m-2, that is 90.4 g
m-2 per year of life for the male subsample, while for the female subsample growth constant is at the level of 0.1767 kg
m-2, that is 176.7 g
m-2 per year of life.

As the existing data on the correlation of adiposity with adverse outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) are inconsistent, the aim of the present study is to examine the correlation of an increased body mass index with 30-day complications after carotid endarterectomy. The cohort study comprises 1586 CEAs, performed at the Clinic for Vascular Surgery in Belgrade, from 2012–2017. Out of them, 550 CEAs were performed in patients with normal body mass index (18.5–24.9), 750 in overweight (25.0–29.9), and 286 in obese (≥30) patients. The association of overweight and obesity with early outcomes of carotid endarterectomy was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Overweight patients, in whom CEAs were performed, were significantly more frequently males, compared to normal weight patients–Odds Ratio (OR) 1.51 (95% confidence interval– 1.19–1.89). Moreover, overweight patients significantly more frequently had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus—OR 1.44 (1.09–1.90), and more frequently used ACEI in hospital discharge therapy—OR 1.41 (1.07–1.84) than normal weight patients. Additionally, the CEAs in them were less frequently followed by bleedings—OR 0.37 (0.16–0.83). Compared to normal weight patients, obese patients were significantly younger—OR 0.98 (0.96–0.99), and with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus—OR 1.83 (1.09–3.06) and OR 2.13 (1.50–3.01) respectively. They also more frequently had increased triglyceride levels–OR 1.36 (1.01–1.83), and more frequently used oral anticoagulants in therapy before the surgery–OR 2.16 (1.11–4.19). According to the results obtained, overweight and obesity were not associated with an increased death rate, transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, myocardial infarction, or with minor complications, and the need for reoperation after carotid endarterectomy. The only exception was bleeding, which was significantly less frequent after CEA in overweight compared to normal weight patients.

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Background and Objectives: Although carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is the gold standard in the treatment of carotid disease, a higher frequency of adverse outcomes can reduce its benefit. The aim of the present study is to identify factors related to myocardial infarction, stroke, death and restenosis as the late adverse outcomes of CEA. Materials and Methods: The retrospective cohort study included 1597 CEAs that were performed in 1533 consecutive patients at the Vascular Surgery Clinic in Belgrade from 2012 to 2017. Late adverse outcomes within 4 years after CEA were available for the majority of them. Data for myocardial infarction and stroke were available for 1223 CEAs, data for death for 1305 CEAs, and data for restenosis for 1162 CEAs. The association between possible risk factors and late adverse outcomes of CEA was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox and logistic regression analyses. Results: During follow-up, myocardial infarction occurred after 55, stroke after 68, death after 103 and restenosis after 121 CEAs. Two factors were the most frequent predictors of late adverse outcomes, i.e., the patient’s age and diabetes mellitus (DM). Age predicted all late adverse outcomes except restenosis, and DM predicted all of them. A predictor of myocardial infarction, besides age (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05–1.11) and DM (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.11–2.29), was peripheral arterial disease (HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.17–2.78) in personal history. Predictors were only age (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.08) and DM (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.03–2.72) for stroke, as well as for death (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.12–1.21 and HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.17–3.21, respectively). For restenosis, in addition to DM (HR 1.78, 95% CI 2.62), predictors were hyperlipidemia (HR 3.52, 95% CI 1.27–9.76) and urgent surgery (HR 3.51, 95% CI 1.06–11.65). Conclusions: CEA should be performed with special caution in the elderly and diabetic patients. Modification of other risk factors and precise medical therapy are necessary to reduce possible adverse outcomes.