We aimed to investigate the impact of diabetes duration and carotid artery stenosis (CAS) on the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without clinical cardiovascular disease. A total of 2006 patients with T2DM, without clinical cardiovascular disease, aged >50 years, and who underwent baseline carotid Doppler ultrasound screening with regular follow-ups at the outpatient clinic of our diabetes center, were stratified into four subgroups according to diabetes duration and CAS degree. The primary outcomes included the occurrence of MACE, defined as fatal or nonfatal stroke and myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality. The difference in the MACE incidence was significantly greater in patients with a longer diabetes duration (≥10 years) and significant CAS (50–69% luminal narrowing) (p < 0.001). Analysis of individual MACE components indicated a trend towards an increased incidence of stroke (p < 0.001), parallel to a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS. In contrast, the risk of myocardial infarction was significantly higher in patients with a diabetes duration <10 years and significant CAS (p = 0.039). Multivariate regression analysis showed that patients with both a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS demonstrated additive and very high risks of MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17–3.66; p = 0.012) and stroke (HR, 3.38; 95% CI 1.54–7.44; p = 0.002). The risk of MACE is significantly greater in patients with T2DM, without clinical cardiovascular disease, who have both a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS, compared with those who have a shorter duration and/or nonsignificant CAS.

Background: Bedside insertion of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) has higher rates of malposition than fluoroscopic-guided PICC placement. This study evaluated the success rate of bedside PICC placement, variations in tip location, and risk factors for malposition. Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent bedside PICC placement from January 2013 to September 2014 in a single institution. The procedure was conducted under ultrasound guidance or by a blind method. After PICC placement, tip location was determined by chest X-ray. Results: The overall venous access success rate with bedside PICC placement was 98.1% (1,302/1,327). There was no significant difference in the venous access success rate between ultrasound-guided placement (868/880, 98.6%) and a blind approach placement (434/447, 97.1%). Optimal tip position was achieved on the first attempt in 1,192 cases (91.6%). Repositioning was attempted in 65 patients; 60 PICCs were repositioned at the bedside, two PICCs were repositioned under fluoroscopic guidance, and three PICCs moved to the desired position without intervention. Final optimal tip position after repositioning was achieved in 1,229 (94.4%). In logistic regression analysis, five factors associated with tip malposition included female sex (Exp(B), 1.687; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.180 to 2.412; P = 0.004), older age (Exp(B), 1.026; 95% CI, 1.012 to 1.039; P < 0.001), cancer (Exp(B), 0.650; 95% CI, 0.455 to 0.929; P = 0.018), lung disease (Exp(B), 2.416; 95% CI, 1.592 to 3.666; P < 0.001), and previous catheter insertions (Exp(B), 1.262; 95% CI, 1.126 to 1.414; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Bedside PICC placement without fluoroscopy is effective and safe in central venous catheters. Potential risk factors associated with catheter tip malposition include older age, female sex, cancer, pulmonary disease, and previous central vein catheterizations.

The objective was to investigate the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and the diameters of the aorta and common iliac arteries (CIAs) in a Korean cohort and secondly to analyze the differences in aortic diameter by comparison with a European cohort. The Korean cohort included participants ≥ 50 years who consented to AAA screening and data were analysed retrospectively. Aortic and common iliac diameters were measured using the outer-to-outer diameter method and prevalence rates were calculated. Common risk factors such as smoking, body mass index, pulmonary disease, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, ischaemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease were reported in association with AAA occurrence and AAA development. The aortic diameters were then compared with those in a Belgian cohort of 2487 participants identified in the Liège AAA Screening Program. An aortic size index (ASI) was also calculated to account for the potential size differences in the Belgian and Korean populations. A total of 3124 Korean participants were examined using ultrasound. The prevalence of AAAs in this cohort was 0.7%. The combined prevalence of subaneurysmal dilatation and AAA was 1.5%. The prevalence in male smokers older than 65 years was 2.7% (19/715). The mean infrarenal aortic diameter was 17.3 ± 3.1 mm in men and 15.7 ± 2.7 mm in women; the corresponding values in Belgian participants were 19.4 ± 3.0 mm in men and 17.9 ± 2.4 mm in women. The median aortic size index was 0.99 (interquartile range 0.88–1.12). The mean infrarenal aortic diameter was significantly smaller in the Korean cohort than in the Belgian cohort. Considering the observed prevalence of AAAs in different age groups, the age groups which would contribute to most cases was male persons above 66 years in both cohorts.