Genome-wide association study of intracranial aneurysm identifies three new risk loci

Saccular intracranial aneurysms are balloon-like dilations of the intracranial arterial wall; their hemorrhage commonly results in severe neurologic impairment and death. We report a second genome-wide association study with discovery and replication cohorts from Europe and Japan comprising 5,891 cases and 14,181 controls with approximately 832,000 genotyped and imputed SNPs across discovery cohorts. We identified three new loci showing strong evidence for association with intracranial aneurysms in the combined dataset, including intervals near RBBP8 on 18q11.2 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.22, P = 1.1 x 10(-12)), STARD13-KL on 13q13.1 (OR = 1.20, P = 2.5 x 10(-9)) and a gene-rich region on 10q24.32 (OR = 1.29, P = 1.2 x 10(-9)). We also confirmed prior associations near SOX17 (8q11.23-q12.1; OR = 1.28, P = 1.3 x 10(-12)) and CDKN2A-CDKN2B (9p21.3; OR = 1.31, P = 1.5 x 10(-22)). It is noteworthy that several putative risk genes play a role in cell-cycle progression, potentially affecting the proliferation and senescence of progenitor-cell populations that are responsible for vascular formation and repair.

Giant aneurysm after aortic coarctation: repair without circulatory arrest

We describe the case of a 23-year-old patient presenting for redo aortic arch surgery because of recoarctation and poststenotic aneurysm formation after patch aortoplasty in infancy. Using the hemi-clamshell approach, the entire aortic arch was replaced and the supraaortic branches were reimplanted. The applied surgical technique using hypothermic extracorporeal circulation without cardiac arrest allowed an uninterrupted cerebral and spinal cord perfusion due to stepwise clamping of the aortic arch during reconstruction and resulted in an excellent neurologic outcome at six-month follow-up.?

Patient preference for surgical method of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: postal survey

To determine whether men with small abdominal aortic aneurysm have a preference between either endovascular or open aneurysm repair for future treatment.

Repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in octogenarians

To determine whether advanced age was independently associated with prohibitive surgical risks or impaired long-term prognosis after ruptured aortic aneurysm repair.

Dissecting Carotenoid from Structural Components of Carotenoid-Based Coloration: A Field Experiment with Great Tits (Parus major)

Carotenoid-based yellowish to red plumage colors are widespread visual signals used in sexual and social communication. To understand their ultimate signaling functions, it is important to identify the proximate mechanism promoting variation in coloration. Carotenoid-based colors combine structural and pigmentary components, but the importance of the contribution of structural components to variation in pigment-based colors (i.e., carotenoid-based colors) has been undervalued. In a field experiment with great tits (Parus major), we combined a brood size manipulation with a simultaneous carotenoid supplementation in order to disentangle the effects of carotenoid availability and early growth condition on different components of the yellow breast feathers. By defining independent measures of feather carotenoid content (absolute carotenoid chroma) and background structure (background reflectance), we demonstrate that environmental factors experienced during the nestling period, namely, early growth conditions and carotenoid availability, contribute independently to variation in yellow plumage coloration. While early growth conditions affected the background reflectance of the plumage, the availability of carotenoids affected the absolute carotenoid chroma, the peak of maximum ultraviolet reflectance, and the overall shape, that is, chromatic information of the reflectance curves. These findings demonstrate that environment-induced variation in background structure contributes significantly to intraspecific variation in yellow carotenoid-based plumage coloration.

The influence of thrombus, calcification, angulation, and tortuosity of attachment sites on the time to the first graft-related complication after endovascular aneurysm repair

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is associated with high graft-related complication rates during follow-up. Anatomical fit between patient and endograft could be an important factor for successful treatment. Aim was to assess whether extent of thrombus, calcification, angulation, and tortuosity are associated with occurrence of complications after EVAR.

Endovascular suitability and outcome after open surgery for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm

Endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) has rapidly gained popularity, but superior results may be biased by patient selection. The aim was to investigate whether suitability for endovascular repair predicted survival, irrespective of technique of repair.

Do statins reduce the risk of aneurysm development? A case-control study

Recent studies in rats have demonstrated that statins may have an inhibitory effect on intracranial aneurysm (IA) development. The purpose of this study was to assess whether long-term statin use is associated with a reduced risk of IA formation in humans.

Huge aneurysm of the ascending aorta in a patient with adult-type Pompe's disease: histological findings mimicking fibrillinopathy

Adult-type Pompe's disease (glycogen storage disease type II) has rarely been shown to present with dilatative arteriopathy, suggesting potential smooth muscle involvement in addition to lysosomal glycogen deposits usually restricted to skeletal muscle tissue. We report the case of a middle-aged man under enzyme replacement therapy presenting with an exceedingly large thoracic aortic aneurysm. Surprisingly, the histological work-up of resected aortic tissue revealed changes mimicking those observed in patients with classic connective tissue diseases. Enzyme replacement therapy, in addition to musculoskeletal and pulmonary treatment for patients with Pompe's disease, may prolong survival and lead to patients presenting with vascular alterations that may pose surgical and potential diagnostic challenges in the future.

Delayed volume resuscitation during initial management of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm

In acute traumatic bleeding, permissive arterial hypotension with delayed volume resuscitation is an established lifesaving concept as abridge to surgical control. This study investigated whether preoperatively administered volume also correlated inversely with survival after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA).