Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jonathan Golledge, Shivshankar Thanigaimani, Janet T. Powell, Phil S. Tsao
Summary: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) causes a high number of deaths worldwide every year, but no drug therapy has been proven to effectively limit AAA growth in randomized controlled trials. Genome-wide association studies have identified potential drug targets, and treatments to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and smoking cessation are also being considered. However, previous placebo-controlled randomized trials have not shown convincing evidence of drug efficacy, mainly due to limitations such as small sample sizes and poor participant retention. Further large prospective studies on other targets are needed to address this issue.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Kofi B. Quaye, Neena Pack, Timothy Wilson-Byrne, Chandler A. Long
Summary: Advancements in endovascular technologies have allowed us to treat more patients. Further research is warranted on non-operative medical therapies.
CURRENT CARDIOLOGY REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Natalia Niklas, Piotr Gutowski, Arkadiusz Kazimierczak, Pawel Rynio
Summary: The current stratification model of aneurysm rupture is inadequate in certain clinical cases. Our study reveals differences in wall structure between ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, with the AFL/ILT surface ratio potentially serving as a predictive factor for aneurysm rupture and symptom occurrence in AAA.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maciej Jusko, Piotr Kasprzak, Alicja Majos, Waclaw Kuczmik
Summary: Individual anatomical differences may play a crucial role in assessing the risk of rupture for abdominal aortic aneurysms, as shown by the study's findings on diameter ratios and their predictive value for small aneurysms with a high risk of rupture. Further validation of these ratios in larger patient groups is needed.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Josip Zivic, Lana Virag, Nino Horvat, Marija Smoljkic, Igor Karsaj
Summary: The study found that AAA morphology significantly influences its stability, and models established through numerical analysis have higher reliability. Newly proposed parameters like GRPI and NAL may better predict aneurysm rupture, and these parameters can be quickly computed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Stanislav Polzer, Jan Kracik, Tomas Novotny, Lubos Kubicek, Robert Staffa, Madhavan L. Raghavan
Summary: The study proposed a methodology for estimating the annual risk of rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms using Bayesian statistics, mechanics, and patient-specific data. Considering past survival significantly improved predictions of future risk, and both patient-specific blood pressure variability and growth had important impacts on the estimates.
COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Zhen Yuan, Zhijian Heng, Yi Lu, Jia Wei, Zhejun Cai
Summary: The study found that metformin can reduce the growth rate and rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm in type 2 diabetes patients, providing research evidence for related treatment strategies.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Surgery
Jenske J. M. Vermeulen, Maartje Meijer, Frederique B. G. de Vries, Michel M. P. J. Reijnen, Suzanne Holewijn, Dick H. J. Thijssen
Summary: Currently, the prediction of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture risk and clinical decision making for surgery is primarily based on AAA diameter and growth rate, which provide limited predictive information. This study summarizes measures of local vascular characteristics of the aneurysm wall that can predict AAA progression and rupture independently of AAA size. The results show that metabolism and calcification of the AAA wall are significantly related to AAA growth, while intraluminal thrombus and compliance are not correlated with AAA growth and rupture. There is also limited evidence regarding the association of aortic wall characteristics with AAA rupture, but metabolism measured by ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide uptake shows a potential trend of relationship with AAA rupture.
JOURNAL OF VASCULAR SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Adam Wittek, Farah Alkhatib, Radek Vitasek, Stanislav Polzer, Karol Miller
Summary: In this study, two simulation and modelling methods for predicting stress within arterial walls of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) were compared. The non-linear iterative method showed higher peak maximum principal stress and lower stress magnitude in low stress areas compared to the linear method, especially in areas with large AAA curvature. However, both methods performed similarly in distinguishing between AAAs that would rupture and remain intact.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Surgery
Shivshankar Thanigaimani, Vikram Iyer, John Bingley, Daniel Browne, James Phie, Denise Doolan, Jonathan Golledge
Summary: This study examined the association between serum microRNAs (miRNAs) and diagnosis and growth of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and tested their diagnostic and prognostic value. The expression levels of 800 miRNA tags were assessed in AAA patients, healthy controls, and patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The miRNAs let-7b-5p and miR-548n improved the ability to diagnose AAA, but none of the miRNAs had independent prognostic value in predicting AAA growth.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Sara E. Hensley, Gilbert R. Upchurch
Summary: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are defined as aortic dilation greater than 3 cm and affect over 1 million people in the United States. Risk factors for AAA include male sex, family history, smoking, Caucasian ethnicity, and age. Regular ultrasound surveillance is recommended for patients with known AAA. Medical management, including smoking cessation and blood pressure control, is recommended for asymptomatic patients who do not meet the intervention threshold. Repair options include endovascular and open surgical repair with good long-term outcomes. Elective repair is generally recommended for men with AAA greater than 5.5 cm and women with AAA greater than 5.0 cm.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Li Yin, Eric William Kent, Bowen Wang
Summary: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common focal dilation of the aorta in the elderly population, which can lead to aneurysmal rupture with a mortality rate of around 80%. Despite increased screening efforts, there is currently no cure to halt the expansion of AAA, partly due to incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis. Animal models provide valuable insights into AAA pathophysiology, but no single experimental model fully captures the complexity of the disease.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Surgery
Madeleine de Boer, Timothy Shiraev, Jacob Waller, Raffi Qasabian
Summary: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) and evaluated the perioperative outcomes and outpatient mortality over the past decade. The results showed that the outcomes of patients treated with endovascular repair and open repair for rAAA were comparable. Further research is needed to determine the benefits of open repair and endovascular repair for ruptured and symptomatic AAAs.
ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Amelie L. Behrens, Susanne Dihlmann, Caspar Grond-Ginsbach, Andreas S. Peters, Bernhard Dorweiler, Dittmar Boeckler, Philipp Erhart
Summary: Gene expression profiling reveals the involvement of chronic inflammatory responses, active matrix metalloproteinases, and degradation of the extracellular matrix components in the development and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The study shows heterogeneous gene expression patterns within the AAA vascular wall. Single biopsy investigations do not provide a comprehensive characterization of the activated molecular processes in AAA disease.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Onur Mutlu, Huseyin Enes Salman, Hassan Al-Thani, Ayman El-Menyar, Uvais Ahmed Qidwai, Huseyin Cagatay Yalcin
Summary: An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dangerous condition where the diameter of the aorta enlarges and has a risk of rupture. The incidence rate of AAA is increasing globally, and understanding the hemodynamics is crucial for predicting rupture risk. Wall shear stress-related parameters provide important information about the shear environment on the AAA wall and can be calculated practically for AAA investigations.
COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Stefan N. Sanders, Richard G. P. Lopata, Lambert C. A. van Breemen, Frans N. van de Vosse, Marcel C. M. Rutten
BIOMECHANICS AND MODELING IN MECHANOBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Louis S. Fixsen, Niels J. Petterson, Patrick Houthuizen, Marcel C. M. Rutten, Frans N. van de Vosse, Richard G. P. Lopata
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Marloes Sjoerdsma, Louis S. Fixsen, Thijs Schoots, Frans N. van de Vosse, Richard G. P. Lopata
CARDIOVASCULAR ULTRASOUND
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Raoul R. F. Stevens, Wouter P. Donders, Sjeng Quicken, Frans N. van de Vosse, Werner H. Mess, Tammo Delhaas, Wouter Huberts
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hamed Keramati, Lex van Houts, Ching Kit Chen, Frans van de Vosse, Masakazu Nakao, Sangho Kim, Hwa Liang Leo
Summary: By studying the effects of different parameters on flow rates and pressures, we found that the maximum pressure in the pulmonary bed was most sensitive to the diameter of the MBT shunt. By calculating flow velocity and pressure fields, and optimizing the LP model, we were able to simulate numerous 0D simulations more accurately and in a significantly shorter time, potentially benefiting medical decision-making.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Acoustics
Niels J. Petterson, Marc. R. H. M. van Sambeek, Frans N. van de Vosse, Richard G. P. Lopata
Summary: Vascular ultrasound imaging faces challenges of low lateral resolution and contrast, but can be improved through steering of ultrasound beams, as demonstrated in this study. Utilizing automatic feature detection for image registration, compounded multi-perspective ultrasound images showed enhanced contrast-to-noise ratios throughout the heart cycle in volunteers.
ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marloes Sjoerdsma, Cristina Caresio, Benjamin Tchang, Amber Meeder, Frans van de Vosse, Richard Lopata
Summary: This study demonstrated the feasibility of long-term dynamic musculoskeletal functional analysis using hands-free ultrasound, obtaining successful long-term muscle imaging results in ten healthy endurance runners. The research found that probe-skin contact loss was the main limiting factor, but dynamic, hands-free ultrasound may enable research for a more profound insight in the prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Acoustics
Marloes Sjoerdsma, Sjoerd Bouwmeester, Patrick Houthuizen, Frans N. van de Vosse, Richard G. P. Lopata
Summary: The study introduced a new near-field clutter reduction method in echocardiography, which effectively reduced clutter while preserving myocardial features, resulting in improved image quality and myocardial boundary distinction. The new filter also maintained speckles required for strain imaging, leading to enhanced global longitudinal strain measurements.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS FERROELECTRICS AND FREQUENCY CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
R. Meiburg, Jo M. Zelis, J. Marcel van 't Veer, Sjors J. A. van Velthoven, Frans N. van de Vosse, Pim A. L. Tonino, Marcel C. M. Rutten
Summary: Current grading of aortic stenosis severity focuses on local valve properties like pressure gradient or jet velocity, but alternative methods are needed due to suboptimal success rates of valve replacement therapy. This study suggests evaluating power transfer efficiency from the left ventricle to the aorta, which considers heart, valve, and circulatory system. The research demonstrates heterogeneous aortic valve efficiency among patients and highlights the importance of further investigation into power transfer efficiency in aortic stenosis.
MEDICAL ENGINEERING & PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Niels Petterson, Marloes Sjoerdsma, Marc van Sambeek, Frans van de Vosse, Richard Lopata
Summary: The study utilized multi-perspective ultrasound and finite element models to characterize the mechanical properties of abdominal aortas, demonstrating higher robustness and accuracy. By automatically registering and merging ultrasound images from multiple angles, the wall motion and shear moduli of the aorta were effectively measured.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Acoustics
Joerik de Ruijter, Judith J. M. Muijsers, Frans N. van de Vosse, Marc R. H. M. van Sambeek, Richard G. P. Lopata
Summary: This study aimed to develop a robust method for vessel segmentation using convolutional neural networks, achieving successful segmentation in both carotid and peripheral arteries. The Multires U-net architecture performed best when trained on the total dataset. Future studies will focus on including vascular pathologies.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS FERROELECTRICS AND FREQUENCY CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Mohammad Rezaeimoghaddam, Frans N. van de Vosse
Summary: Thrombosis is a major cause of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and other diseases. By using mathematical models and computational simulations, researchers predict and study the formation and development of thrombi, providing a basis for designing better blood-contacting medical devices.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Liling Hao, Qi Zhang, Jun Liu, Zhuo Wang, Lisheng Xu, Frans N. van de Vosse
Summary: The estimation of central aortic pressure (CAP) is crucial for predicting, preventing, diagnosing, and treating cardiovascular disease. However, it cannot be directly measured non-invasively. In this paper, a novel noninvasive CAP estimation method based on an individualized pulse wave propagation model is proposed, which showed better performance compared to existing methods.
COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sabine Verstraeten, Martijn Hoeijmakers, Pim Tonino, Jan Bruening, Claudio Capelli, Frans van de Vosse, Wouter Huberts
Summary: In this study, a virtual cohort generator was developed that can generate anatomically plausible synthetic aortic valve stenosis geometries for in silico transcatheter aortic valve implantation trials. Specific anatomical features that influence the occurrence of complications can be selected with a high sensitivity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anouk G. W. de Lepper, Carlijn M. A. Buck, Marcel van't Veer, Wouter Huberts, Frans N. van de Vosse, Lukas R. C. Dekker
Summary: This paper highlights the importance of preventing life-threatening ventricular tachycardias (VTs) in survivors of myocardial infarction. It proposes the use of digital twins, combining clinical expertise, data-driven models, and mechanistic models, to improve VT prediction and support clinical decision-making. The paper also discusses open challenges and potential gains for digital twin solutions, emphasizing the potential of hybrid modeling.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2022)
