Background: The white blood cell count to mean platelet volume ratio (WMR) is increasingly gaining importance as a promising prognostic marker in atherosclerotic disease, but data on lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) are not yet available. The principle aim of this study was to assess the association of the WMR with the occurrence of CLTI (chronic limb-threatening ischemia) as the most advanced stage of disease. Methods: This study was performed as a retrospective analysis on 2121 patients with a diagnosis of LEAD. Patients were admitted to the hospital for the reason of LEAD and received conservative or endovascular treatment. Blood sampling, in order to obtain the required values for this analysis, was implemented at admission. Statistical analysis was conducted by univariate regression in a first step and, in case of significance, by multivariate regression additionally. Results: Multivariate regression revealed an increased WMR (p < 0.001, OR (95%CI) 2.258 (1.460–3.492)), but also advanced age (p < 0.001, OR (95%CI) 1.050 (1.040–1.061)), increased CRP (p < 0.001, OR (95%CI) 1.010 (1.007–1.014)), and diabetes (p < 0.001, OR (95%CI) 2.386 (1.933–2.946)) as independent predictors for CLTI. Conclusions: The WMR presents an easily obtainable and cost-effective parameter to identify LEAD patients at high risk for CLTI.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines were developed a few months after the emergence of the pandemic. The first cases of vaccine-induced thrombotic complications after the use of adenoviral vector vaccines ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 by AstraZeneca, and Ad26.COV2.S by Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, were announced shortly after the initiation of a global vaccination program. In these cases, the occurrence of thrombotic events at unusual sites—predominantly located in the venous vascular system—in association with concomitant thrombocytopenia were observed. Since this new entity termed vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) shows similar pathophysiologic mechanisms as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), including the presence of antibodies against heparin/platelet factor 4 (PF4), standard routine treatment for thrombotic events—arterial or venous—are not appropriate and may also cause severe harm in affected patients. Thrombotic complications were also rarely documented after vaccination with mRNA vaccines, but a typical VITT phenomenon has, to date, not been established for these vaccines. The aim of this review is to give a concise and feasible overview of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in COVID-19 vaccine-induced thrombotic complications.

Background: Arterial stiffness is independently associated with lower extremity artery disease (LEAD). Although obesity is already known as an independent cardiovascular risk factor, it was found that, paradoxically, in patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, an increase in body mass index (BMI) was associated with a decrease in mortality. However, the underlying mechanism of this paradoxical association remain uncertain. In this study, we firstly hypothesize that arterial stiffness correlates with body mass; secondly, the underlying mechanism of the association for patients with LEAD is individual body composition, in particular, lean mass. Methods: The present study was performed as a single-center, prospective, observational analysis. A total of 412 patients with current or previously diagnosed LEAD (Rutherford Classification 2–4) were included, the cfPWV and AIx were measured as indices of arterial stiffness, and a body composition assessment was performed. Results: In male patients, there was a significantly negative correlation between the AIx and lean mass coefficient (p = 0.004, 95% CI: −0.28 (−0.48–0.09)). Conclusion: For patients with peripheral arterial disease, our data show that lower lean mass in male patients is associated with increased arterial stiffness as measured by the AIx. Therefore, progressive resistance training may be beneficial for the reduction in arterial stiffness in PAD patients in secondary prevention.

The aim of the TRANSCEND study was to compare the safety and efficacy of the next generation SurVeil PCB with the IN.PACT Admiral PCB in patients with femoropopliteal arterial disease. SurVeil is a lower dose PCB (2.0 μg/mm²vs. 3.5 μg/mm² for IN.PACT Admiral) with a uniform microcrystalline coating intending to enhance durability and maximise drug delivery. TRANSCEND is a prospective, single blind, randomised controlled, multicentre, non-inferiority clinical study. Patients with femoropopliteal artery disease in Rutherford stages 2 - 4 were randomised 1:1 to the SurVeil or the IN.PACT Admiral PCB. A sample size of 446 patients was calculated to prove non-inferiority of the SurVeil compared to the IN.PACT Admiral PCB for primary safety and efficacy endpoints at twelve months. Primary safety was defined as a composite of freedom from device and procedure related death through 30 days, and freedom from major target limb amputation and clinically driven (CD) target vessel revascularisation at twelve months. Primary efficacy was defined primary patency at twelve months as a composite of freedom from binary restenosis and freedom from CD target lesion revascularisation. Secondary outcomes were reported up to twenty four months. A total of 446 subjects were randomised, 222 to treatment with the SurVeil and 224 to the IN.PACT Admiral PCB. Primary safety was 91.8% for the SurVeil vs. 89.8% for the IN.PACT Admiral group (p_{non-inferiority} < .001), and primary efficacy was 82.2% vs. 85.9% (p_{non-inferiority} = .003). Primary patency through 24 months was 65.4% with the SurVeil and 66.9% with the IN.PACT Admiral PCB (p_{non-inferiority} = .005). The next generation low dose SurVeil PCB demonstrated excellent safety and efficacy up to twenty four months and was non-inferior to the IN.PACT Admiral PCB. (ClinicalTrials registration ID: NCT03241459).

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an intractable autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy and organ fibrosis. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) should be considered for the treatment of selected patients with rapid progressive SSc at high risk of organ failure. It, however, remains elusive whether immunosuppressive therapies such as rituximab (RTX) are still necessary for such patients after AHSCT, especially in those with bad outcomes. In the present report, a 43-year-old man with diffuse cutaneous SSc received AHSCT. Despite AHSCT, SSc further progressed with progressive symptomatic heart failure with newly developed concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve insufficiency, thus the patient started on RTX 8 months after AHSCT. Shortly after initiation of RTX, clinical symptoms and organ functions ameliorated subsequently. Heart valve regurgitations were reversible after initiation of RTX treatment. Currently, the patient remains in a stable condition with significant improvement of clinical symptoms and organ functions. Reporting about therapies after AHSCT in SSc is a very important issue, as randomized controlled trials are lacking, and therefore this report adds to evidence that RTX can be considered as a treatment option in patients with SSc that do not respond to AHSCT.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of retrievable scaffold therapy combined with sirolimus-coated balloon angioplasty for treating infrapopliteal artery lesions. Methods: The DEEPER LIMUS study enrolled Rutherford class 3 to 5 patients with infrapopliteal artery disease. Patients underwent vessel preparation with retrievable scaffold therapy followed by sirolimus-coated balloon angioplasty. The primary safety outcome measure was a composite of all-cause mortality, major amputation, or clinically driven target lesion revascularization at 6 months. Secondary outcome measures included acute vessel recoil, perioperative death, angiographic late lumen loss between post-procedure and 6 months, as well as primary patency, major amputation, change in Rutherford class, and wound healing through 12 months. Results: The study included 26 patients (mean age 71 years, 62% male, 88% Rutherford 5) with 28 treated infrapopliteal lesions (36% occluded, 54% TASC B/C). Acute vessel recoil, measured in seven patients, was negligible (2.4 mm after treatment vs. 2.3 mm 15 minutes after deployment). A 6-month primary safety event occurred in 11.5% of patients (1 all-cause mortality, 1 major amputation, 1 clinically driven target lesion revascularization). Late lumen loss at 6 months was 0.7±0.7 mm. At 12 months, primary patency was 89.5%, improvement in Rutherford class was observed in 68.2% of patients, 90% of patients were deemed very low/low major limb amputation risk based on Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) scores, and no additional major amputations or clinically driven target lesion revascularizations were reported. Conclusions: Retrievable scaffold therapy combined with sirolimus-coated balloon angioplasty demonstrated promising safety and efficacy through 12 months in patients with infrapopliteal artery disease. Level of Evidence IV: Case Series. Graphical