The impact of peripheral and coronary artery disease on health-related quality of life

Impact of Clinical and Sociodemographic Factors on Quality of Life Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Mixed-Methods Study

INTRODUCTION

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is an essential surgical management modality for patients with coronary artery disease. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become important because of the significant decrease in the mortality rate associated with CABG. We aimed to explore the factors that affect the quality of life after CABG.

METHODS

This study used a descriptive correlational design to assess the determinants of HRQoL using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36). Patients who underwent CABG at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between March 2015 and December 2021 were enrolled in this study. Overall, 275 participants were eligible for our study, of which 84 were found to be valid for analysis. Phone contacts were made directly with the patient after briefly explaining the study. Scores and clinical data were investigated using multivariable linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Subscales of role limitations due to physical issues had the lowest mean scores, followed by vitality and general health (57.4 ± 44.7; 60.4 ± 25.6; 64.1 ± 22.6), respectively. However, social functioning (78.9 ± 29.0) and pain (75.1 ± 29.9) had the highest scores of all subscales. A history of congestive heart failure (CHF) was independently associated with lower scores for physical role limitations (p = 0.021), vitality (p = 0.001), general health (p< 0.001), and mental health (p = 0.011). Lower mental health scores were also predicted by being a widow (p = 0.030), whereas lower general health scores were predicted by being unemployed (p = 0.001) and having a peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (p = 0.043). Additionally, the development of postoperative complications was an independent predictor of lower physical functioning (p = 0.028) and vitality (p = 0.043). Regarding the number of grafts, cardiopulmonary bypass, and cross-clamp time, no significant impact was found on any of the SF-36 subscales (p> 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The postoperative decline in HRQoL was attributed to comorbidities such as CHF and PVD, postoperative complications including bleeding and wound infection, as well as unemployment and widowed status. Therefore, choosing the appropriate patients for surgery and post-discharge follow-up may enhance HRQoL.

Treatment decisions for patients with peripheral artery disease and symptoms of claudication: Development process and alpha testing of the SHOW-ME PAD decision aid

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) face a range of treatment options to improve survival and quality of life. An evidence-based shared decision-making tool (brochure, website, and recorded patient vignettes) for patients with new or worsening claudication symptoms was created using mixed methods and following the International Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDAS) criteria. We reviewed literature and collected qualitative input from patients (n = 28) and clinicians (n = 34) to identify decisional needs, barriers, outcomes, knowledge, and preferences related to claudication treatment, along with input on implementation logistics from 59 patients and 27 clinicians. A prototype decision aid was developed and tested through a survey administered to 20 patients with PAD and 23 clinicians. Patients identified invasive treatment options (endovascular or surgical revascularization), non-invasive treatments (supervised exercise therapy, claudication medications), and combinations of these as key decisions. A total of 65% of clinicians thought the brochure would be useful for medical decision-making, an additional 30% with suggested improvements. For patients, those percentages were 75% and 25%, respectively. For the website, 76.5% of clinicians and 85.7% of patients thought it would be useful; an additional 17.6% of clinicians and 14.3% of patients thought it would be useful, with improvements. Suggestions were incorporated in the final version. The first prototype was well-received among patients and clinicians. The next step is to implement the tool in a PAD specialty care setting to evaluate its impact on patient knowledge, engagement, and decisional quality. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03190382.

Are Russian Men with Intermittent Claudication and/or Angina Pectoris Have the Same Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Risks? The Data of the Prospective Population-Based Study

Aim. To investigate the distribution of the intermittent claudication(IC) and/or angina pectoris (AP) and to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular and allcause mortality in Russian male population with pain syndrome of varying severity during more than 30-year observation period.

Material and methods. The data were obtained from representative samples observed in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg (former Leningrad) from 1975 to 1986 with 75% response. Men (n=10953) aged 35-71 years (mean age 48.8±6.6 years) were examined by the same protocol which includes standard questionnaire, blood biochemistry, blood pressure (BP) and heart rate measurements, anthropometry and electrocardiography (ECG) in 12 leads. The original Rose questionnaire to determine the IC and AP was used. There were defined five risk groups with different pain features. The first group – no pain; the second group – mixed pain in legs and/or in chest including the pain connected with the effort, but without typical IC and AP features; the third group – only IC without AP; the fourth group – only AP without IC; finally, the fifth group – both IC and AP. The median follow-up period was 21.9 years with interquartile range of 13.4-33.5 years. During the follow-up 7893 all-cause deaths including 4220 cardiovascular deaths were found. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to find out the associations between risk groups and survival. Mortality risk, including cardiovascular mortality, was evaluated by the Cox proportional hazard model.

Results. There were 38.7% men with any pain. The prevalence of IC without AP was 0.7% and the prevalence of AP without IC was 5.8%. Only 0.3% of the population had both IC and AP. The prevalence of both parameters increased with age. As expected, men with no pain live longer than others. Median of the survival time in this group, which means the point when half of the population dies, was 24.9 years. Only in this group the value when 75% of population dies was not reached. Compared to no pain group, loss of the life expectancy of only IC group was 10.9 years, only AP group – 9.2 years, IC and AP group – 17.9 years. Both IC and AP had statistically significant contribution to mortality adjusted for high blood pressure, smoking, presence of ECG disturbances, history of myocardial infarction. Survival curves of isolated IC and AP groups did not have statistically significant difference which means that both diseases have the same contribution to mortality. Similar results were obtained for cardiovascular mortality.

Conclusion. The prevalence of IC without AP was 0.7% and the prevalence of AP without IC was 5.8%. IC and AP are independent factors of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among the Russian male population aged 35-71 years. However, no statistically significant difference was found between groups only with IC and only with AP for cardiovascular and all-cause deaths. The presence of both conditions in combination reduces the median survival time by 17.9 years compared to the group with no pain.

Comorbidities and characteristics of coronary heart disease patients: their impact on health-related quality of life

BACKGROUND

Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) commonly present with more than one comorbid condition, contributing to poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of our study was to identify the associations between HRQoL and patient characteristics, vascular comorbidities and anxiety/depression disorders.

METHODS

This observational study was conducted in 36 family medicine practices selected by random stratified sampling from all regions of Slovenia. HRQoL was assessed using the European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire and EQ Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). The associations between HRQoL and patient characteristics stratified by demographics, vascular comorbidities, health services used, their assessment of chronic illness care, and anxiety/depression disorders were identified by ordinal logistic regression and linear regression models.

RESULTS

The final sample included 423 CHD patients with a mean age of 68.0 ± SD 10.8 years; 35.2% were female. Mean EQ-VAS score was 58.6 ± SD 19.9 (median: 60 with interquartile range of 45-75), and mean EQ-5D index was 0.60 ± SD 0.19 (median: 0.56 with interquartile range of 0.41-0.76). The statistically significant predictors of a lower EQ-VAS score were higher family physician visit frequency, heart failure (HF) and anxiety/depression disorders (R² 0.240; F = 17.368; p < 0.001). The statistically significant predictor of better HRQoL, according to EQ-5D was higher patient education, whereas higher family physician visit frequency, HF and peripheral artery disease (PAD) were predictors of poorer HRQoL (Nagelkerke R 2 = 0.298; χ 2 = 148.151; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Results of our study reveal that comorbid conditions (HF and PAD), family physician visit frequency and years in education are significant predictors of HRQoL in Slovenian CHD patients.

Gender differences in perception of PAD: a pilot study

Patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) report profound limitations in all domains of quality of life that are worse than those for patients with chronic pulmonary disease and moderate to severe heart failure. While claudication has detrimental effects on quality of life, little is understood about the factors that influence quality of life and whether these determinants are similar for men and women with PAD and claudication. The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of claudication on quality of life in 71 men and 26 women (mean age 72 and 73 years respectively) with PAD. Disease severity as assessed by ankle brachial index (ABI) and community-based walking was similar for men and women, although men reported greater comorbid conditions than women. Despite the similarity in disease severity, women reported decreased physical functioning (p = 0.01), more bodily pain (p = 0.04) and greater mood disturbance (p = 0.012) than men. Claudication and PAD had a greater impact on women than on men and may result from the higher prevalence of mood disturbance and bodily pain reported by women.

Health-Related and Condition-Specific Quality of Life in Episodic Cluster Headache

Health-related quality of life was studied in 35 episodic cluster headache (CH) patients during and after the cluster period, using a generic (SF-36) and a headache-specific (MSQ2.1) instrument. The results were compared with those of age-and sex-matched migraineurs ( n = 53) and healthy persons ( n = 62). During the cluster period patients had lower scores than controls in all SF-36 and MSQ2.1 domains. The difference was significant for most SF-36 and all MSQ2.1 domains. Although CH patients had lower scores than migraineurs on most scales, the difference was significant only on SF-36 scores measuring bodily pain and social functioning. There was a good correlation between the two instruments. After the termination of the cluster period the quality of life of patients was similar to that of headache-free controls. Generic and headache-specific QoL are severely impaired in CH and this impairment is at least as severe as in migraine.

Quality of life after peripheral bypass surgery: a 1 year follow-up

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to assess quality of life (QoL) in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) after aortobifemoral bypass.

METHODS

QoL assessments were completed by 78 patients, 61 (78.2 %) men and 17 (21.8 %) women. QoL was measured, using Medical Outcome Survey Short Form 36 (SF-36), before surgery and 1 year later.

RESULTS

QoL significantly improved after revascularization in about two-third of patients with PAD. Improvement was present in all the SF-36 subscales with the exception of the score for mental health which significantly decreased after operation. Mean SF-36 scores, which were for almost all subscales significantly decreased in patients with PAD in comparison with reference populations, after operation reached or exceeded values of the populations with which they were compared.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study 1 year after revascularization QoL in patients with PAD was significantly improved in comparison with QoL before operation. Long-term follow-up is needed in order to assess duration of this beneficial effect of bypass surgery.

Diabetes effect on Quality of Life in the long-term after Limb salvage with Infrageniculate Bypasses accompanied with minor amputations

Objective : To evaluate the quality of life in patients, who had their limbs salvaged with an infrageniculate bypass and minor amputation in the long term and to see if diabetics are prone to worse results.

METHODS

The patients with limb salvage following an infrageniculate bypass and minor amputation were asked to complete Short Form 36 at the last follow-up visit. The mean scores in diabetic and non-diabetic population were compared to each other .The mean follow-up period was 58±8 months. Results : Of 142 patients, 40 patients were eligible to be included in the study. 33 (82.5%) patients were male and 7 (17.5%) patients were female. The mean age at the time of intervention was 57±14 (33-83) years. The mean scores for eight domains of SF-36 evaluation ranged from 44 to 67 out of 100. There were no significant differences concerning the mean scores of any dimension between the diabetic and non-diabetic group. Conclusion : Despite a minor amputation, the functional outcome of limb salvage with an infrageniculate bypass is favorable and diabetes does not seem to have negative effect on the functional outcome and Quality of Life.

Influence of explanatory and confounding variables on HRQoL after controlling for measurement bias and response shift in measurement

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of explanatory and confounding variables on health-related quality of life after accounting for response shift, measurement bias and response shift in measurement using structural equation modeling. Hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease randomized to anti-hypertensive treatment, completed the ShortForm-36 questionnaire at both baseline and 1 year (n = 788). Three measurement biases were found and all three were considered as response shift in measurement. Older patients reported worse scores for both physical functioning (PF) and role-physical at baseline and 1 year later compared to younger patients; and males reported better PF than females after conditioning on the latent trait of general physical health. Before controlling for response shift, patients' PF scores were not statistically different over time; however, PF scores significantly improved (p < 0.01) after controlling for recalibration response shift. Assessment of how patients perceive their change in health-related quality of life over time is warranted.

Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease

We evaluated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and compared the results with those of the general population. We also evaluated the possible association between some demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with PAD and HRQoL. A cross-sectional study involved 102 consecutive patients with verified PAD referred to the Dedinje Vascular Surgery Clinic in Belgrade. The HRQoL was measured using Medical Outcome Survey Short Form 36 (SF-36). Patients with PAD had significantly lower mean SF-36 scores for physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health in comparison with the general population. The HRQoL was significantly more impaired in patients with severe PAD. Patients with PAD had a reduced HRQoL compared with the general population. The impact of PAD on HRQoL was independent of other factors related to both the disease and the HRQoL.

Assessment of response shift using two structural equation modeling techniques

OBJECTIVE

To identify response shift using two structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Hypertensive patients (n = 909) with coronary artery disease (CAD) completed SF-36 surveys at both baseline and 1-year follow-up. Response shift was identified using Oort and Schmitt SEM techniques. The type of response shift linked to changes in various parameters of the SEM measurement model is defined differently for both SEM approaches. Effect sizes were calculated for the impact of response shift on the change of SF-36 domain scores when using the Oort approach.

RESULTS

Both Oort and Schmitt SEM approaches identified response shift only in the SF-36 physical functioning (PF) scale. The effect size of recalibration on the change of PF domain scores when using the Oort approach was -0.12.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that hypertensive patients with CAD experienced a response shift over a 1-year period. Both the SEM approaches identified response shift (uniform recalibration using the Oort approach and recalibration using the Schmitt approach); however, both approaches use different parameters to define and test response shift. We found that either the variation in analytic methods or the sample used may influence the identification and type of response shift.

Angina and intermittent claudication in 7403 participants of the 2003 Scottish Health Survey: impact on general and mental health, quality of life and five-year mortality

BACKGROUND

Angina and intermittent claudication impair function and mobility and reduce health-related quality of life. Both symptoms have similar etiology, yet the physical and psychological impacts of these symptoms are rarely studied in community-based cohorts or in individuals with isolated symptoms.

METHODS

The 2003 Scottish Health Survey was a cross-sectional survey which enrolled a random sample of individuals aged 16-95 years living in Scotland. The Rose Angina Questionnaire, the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire, the Short Form-12 (SF-12) and the General Health Questionnaire were completed. Self-assessed general health was reported. Survey results were linked to national death records and mortality at five years was calculated. Subjects with isolated angina or intermittent claudication and neither symptom were compared (22 participants with both symptoms were excluded); 7403 participants (aged ≥ 16 years) were included.

RESULTS

Participants with angina (n=205; 60 ± 15 years; 45% male) rated their general health worse and were more likely to have a potential mental-health problem than those with intermittent claudication (n=173; 61 ± 15 years; 41% male). Mean (standard deviation) physical and mental component scores on the SF-12 were higher for participants with intermittent claudication relative to those with angina (physical component score: 42.3 (10.6) vs. 35.0 (11.7), p<0.001; mental component score: 52.3 (8.5) vs. 46.5 (11.7), p=0.001). There was an observed absolute difference in five-year mortality of 4.8% (angina 12.3%, 95% CI 8.5-17.6; intermittent claudication 7.5%, 95% CI 4.4-12.6) although not statistically significant (p=0.16).

CONCLUSIONS

Both intermittent claudication and angina adversely impact general and mental health and survival, even in a relatively young, community-based cohort.

Assessment of functional status and quality of life in claudication

BACKGROUND

Treadmill walking is commonly used to evaluate walking impairment and efficacy of treatment for intermittent claudication (IC) in clinical and research settings. Although this is an important measure, it does not provide information about how patients perceive the effects of their treatments on more global measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

METHODS

PubMed/Medline was searched to find publications about the most commonly used questionnaires to assess functional status and/or general and disease-specific HRQOL in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who experience IC. Inclusion criteria for questionnaires were based on existence of a body of literature in symptomatic PAD.

RESULTS

Six general questionnaires and seven disease-specific questionnaires are included, with details about the number of domains covered and how each tool is scored. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item questionnaire and Walking Impairment Questionnaire are currently the most used general and disease-specific questionnaires at baseline and after treatment for IC, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of tools that assess functional status and HRQOL has importance in both the clinical and research areas to assess treatment efficacy from the patient's perspective. Therefore, assessing HRQOL in addition to treadmill-measured walking ability provides insight as to the effects of treatments on patient outcomes and may help guide therapy.

Cardiac risk factors and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease

AIMS

The study aimed to determine the quality of life and the relationship between cardiac risk factors and the quality of life in subjects diagnosed with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of adult deaths. The main goal of the therapy is to stop the progression of atherosclerotic coronary disease, ensure its regression and protect individuals from possible complications, increase quality of life and survival period by providing optimal physical, psychological and social conditions.

DESIGN AND METHOD

The sample population was 270 outpatients who were diagnosed Coronary artery disease at the Cardiology Policlinics of State Hospital during 21 May-20 July 2007. Socio-demographic information and risk factors were inquired during the period of data collection with two forms as the 'Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire' and 'Mac New Quality of Life Scale'.

RESULTS

According to the results of the study, it was found that 22.2% of the patients were under the age of risk group, 27.8% had diabetes, 47.5% had hypertension, 36.7% were smokers, and 40.7% had hyperlipidemia. It was established that 31.1% had four risk factors, no patients were risk-free, and the mean number of risk factors was 3.7 (SD 1.28). For the scores of the quality of life scale domains of the patients, the physical field, emotional field, social field and total quality were estimated to be 60.85, 69.34, 68.31 and 130.42, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that there was a negatively statistically significant relation between the quality of life and hypertension and early familial Coronary artery disease history and that quality of life declined as the risk factors increased.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Risk-factor modification and organisation of training programmes with ensured participation of patients and their relatives are of critical importance in improving their quality of life.

Improving risk assessment with cardiac testing in peripheral arterial disease

PURPOSE

The study's objective was to evaluate the prognostic value of left ventricular ejection fraction and stress-induced ischemia during dobutamine stress echocardiography, in addition to ankle-brachial index measurements and clinical risk factors in patients with suspected or known peripheral arterial disease.

METHODS

In 852 patients with suspected or known peripheral arterial disease (mean age 63 years, 70% male), the ankle-brachial index was measured, left ventricular ejection fraction was assessed, and all patients underwent additional stress testing. Endpoints were all-cause mortality and hard cardiac events (cardiac death or nonfatal myocardial infarction).

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up of 7.6+/-4.4 years, death occurred in 288 patients (34%), and hard cardiac events occurred in 216 patients (25%). Mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 50%+/-17%, and stress-induced ischemia was observed in 352 patients (41%). In multivariate analysis with adjustment for clinical risk factors and ankle-brachial index, each 5% decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction was associated with increased all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.09) and hard events (HR 1.14, 95% CI, 1.08-1.21). Stress-induced ischemia also independently predicted all-cause mortality (HR 2.01, 95% CI, 1.38-2.79) and hard events (HR 2.06, 95% CI, 1.39-3.08). Left ventricular ejection fraction and stress-induced ischemia provided incremental prognostic information over clinical data and ankle-brachial index values (P <.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Left ventricular ejection fraction and stress-induced ischemia independently predict long-term outcome and improve prognostic risk assessment, in addition to ankle-brachial index and clinical risk factors in patients with suspected or known peripheral arterial disease.

Lower limb atherosclerotic disease causes various deteriorations of patients’ health-related quality of life

BACKGROUND

Lower limb atherosclerotic disease (LLAD) is a worldwide health problem. Approximately 100,000 Finns have LLAD. Currently, a large number of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) studies are available, but we still have scant comprehensive information of HRQoL of patients with LLAD.

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to describe the HRQoL of women and men with LLAD in relation to the age- and sex-matched general population. In addition, the purpose was to study which demographic and relevant clinical and psychologic factors are connected with HRQoL of patients with LLAD.

METHODS

Patients with LLAD (N = 180, 62 women and 118 men) were recruited to participate in this study in the Clinic of Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, from 2001 to 2004. The control sample consisted of an age- and sex-matched general population (N = 2126; 1081 women and 1045 men). The HRQoL of the women and men with LLAD was evaluated using the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) instrument, in relation to an age- and sex-matched general population (N = 2126) as well as demographic and relevant clinical and psychologic factors.

RESULTS

The HRQoL of men was significantly (P < .05) poorer on all dimensions of the NHP instrument in the age groups 55 to 74 years. HRQoL was also clearly affected in the youngest age group of men on the dimensions of pain (P < .05) and mobility (P < .05) and further in the oldest age group on the dimension of energy (P < .05). The HRQoL of women with LLAD was only significantly poorer (P < .05) on the dimension of pain in the age group of 65 to 74 years than the HRQoL of age-matched Finnish women. The most emphasized relationships between poor HRQoL and the demographic, relevant clinical and psychologic factors were male sex, lack of exercise, retirement, a short painless walking distance, other atherosclerotic disease, poor subjective health status, problems with ability to cope at home, problems with the treatment of illness, and sex life. Male patients with LLAD had poorer HRQoL than the corresponding female patients on the dimensions of energy (P = .023), emotional reaction (P = .050), social isolation (P = .028), and NHP total score (P = .023). Those who did not exercise regularly had poorer HRQoL on the dimensions of energy (P = .005), pain (P = .049), emotional reaction (P = .007), social isolation (P = .001), and physical mobility (P = .028) than those who did exercise regularly.

CONCLUSIONS

The HRQoL of middle-aged men was significantly poorer than that of controls. Male sex, retirement, asymptomatic walking distance, other atherosclerotic disease, lack of exercise, and feeling incapable of performing daily activities are important causes of impaired HRQoL. Health care professionals should pay extra attention to the development of rehabilitation programs aimed at preventing patients with LLAD from experiencing a myriad of problems.

Occurrence of coronary artery disease has an adverse impact on health-related quality of life: A longitudinal controlled study

BACKGROUND

Longitudinal administration of health-related quality of life instruments to a general, initially healthy population allows for changes to be assessed as they occur, rather than afterwards. The aim here was to investigate the impact of coronary artery disease occurrence on health-related quality of life.

RESULTS

The 36-item Short-Form questionnaire was applied to the French SU.VI.MAX cohort in 1996 and 2001. Findings in 62 patients who developed coronary artery disease between the two measures were compared with those in 310 age- and sex-matched cardiovascular-free controls. The mean interval between the initial health-related quality of life assessment and coronary artery disease diagnosis was 34.5 (+/-19.6) months. Between the two health-related quality of life assessments, some dimensions decreased in the coronary artery disease group but not among controls. After adjustment (for body mass index, tobacco habits, diabetes and levels of circulating apolipoprotein A1 and B), the degree of change in health-related quality of life between the two groups differed by: -10.0 points (p=0.02) for the role-physical dimension, -10.6 points (p=0.02) for role-emotional, -4.7 points (p=0.03) for vitality and -8.8 points (p<0.0001) for general health.

CONCLUSION

At an average of 2.5 years post-coronary artery disease diagnosis, aspects most likely to be affected were those with a component related to emotional and physical functioning, and vitality and general health. Close examination of the scores for each domain of the SF-36 reveals the most impaired aspects of health-related quality of life in subjects with coronary problems, thereby enabling practitioners to tailor their interventions.

Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease

Background— Patients with end-stage renal disease are at high risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aims of the present study were to describe the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and its effects on prognosis and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in an international cohort of patients on hemodialysis.

Methods and Results— Data from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), a prospective, international, observational study of hemodialysis patients (n=29 873), were analyzed. Associations between baseline clinical variables and PAD were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. Cox regression models were used to test the association between PAD and risk for all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and hospitalization. PAD was diagnosed in 7411 patients (25.3%) with significant geographic variation. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors including age, male sex, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking were identified, together with the duration of hemodialysis, as significant correlates of PAD. Diagnosis of PAD was associated with increased all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]=1.36; P <0.0001), cardiac mortality (HR=1.43; P <0.0001), all-cause hospitalization (HR=1.19; P <0.0001), and hospitalization for a major adverse cardiovascular event (HR=2.05; P <0.0001). HRQOL questionnaires revealed physical health scores that were significantly lower in PAD compared with non-PAD patients ( P <0.0001).

Conclusions— PAD is common in hemodialysis patients and is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, morbidity, and hospitalization and reduced HRQOL.

Improvement of Quality of Life Six Months After Infrageniculate Bypass Surgery: Diabetic Patients Benefit Less than Non-Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to assess the change in health related quality of life (HRQoL) after infrageniculate bypass grafting in patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI).

DESIGN

Observational, prospective clinical study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In total, 86 patients (72% male; age 71 (IQR, 64-78) years) undergoing infrageniculate bypass grafting for limb salvage were assessed by the short form (SF)-36 questionnaire before and 6 months after surgery. In subgroup analysis, the influence of diabetes mellitus, age, gender, and stage of peripheral arterial occlusive disease on HRQoL-outcome were assessed.

RESULTS

Following revascularization HRQoL significantly improved in all eight dimensions of the SF-36. While baseline HRQoL-values of diabetic and non-diabetic patients did not differ significantly, postoperative improvement was significantly less in the diabetes group.

CONCLUSIONS

An aggressive approach towards infrageniculate bypass surgery for limb salvage is justified by quality of life improvement. However, this improvement tends to be less in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Dutch Iliac Stent Trial: Long-term Results in Patients Randomized for Primary or Selective Stent Placement

PURPOSE

To determine long-term results of the prospective Dutch Iliac Stent Trial.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study protocol was approved by local institutional review boards. All patients gave written informed consent. Two hundred seventy-nine patients (201 men, 78 women; mean age, 58 years) with iliac artery disease were randomly assigned to undergo primary stent placement (143 patients) or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with selective stent placement in cases in which the residual mean pressure gradient was greater than 10 mm Hg across the treated site (136 patients). Before and at 3, 12, and 24 months and 5-8 years after treatment, all patients underwent assessment, which included duplex ultrasonography (US), ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement, Fontaine classification of symptoms, and completion of the Rand 36-Item Health survey for quality-of-life assessment. Treatment was considered successful for symptoms if symptoms increased at least one Fontaine grade, for ABI if ABI increased more than 0.10, for patency if peak systolic velocity ratio at duplex US was less than 2.5, and for quality of life if the RAND 36-Item Health Survey score increased more than 15 points. Effects of both treatments on symptoms, quality of life, patency, and ABI were compared by using survival analyses.

RESULTS

Patients who underwent PTA and selective stent placement had better improvement of symptoms (hazard ratio [HR], 0.8; 95% confidence limits [CLs]: 0.6, 1.0) than did patients treated with primary stent placement, whereas ABI (HR, 0.9; 95% CLs: 0.7, 1.3), iliac patency (HR, 1.3; 95% CLs: 0.8, 2.1), and score for quality of life for nine survey dimensions did not support a difference between treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

Patients treated with PTA and selective stent placement in the iliac artery had a better outcome for symptomatic success compared with patients treated with primary stent placement, whereas data about iliac patency, ABI, and quality of life did not support a difference between groups.

Predictors of poor mid-term health related quality of life after primary isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

OBJECTIVE

To assess the determinants of poor mid-term health related quality of life (HRQoL) at one year after primary isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

463 patients who underwent primary isolated CABG for multivessel disease and came for their annual follow up at the outpatient clinic during one year at Harefield Hospital, Middlesex, were approached to participate in the present study. Prospective clinical data were collected as part of the clinical care of the patients and were retrospectively analysed when the patients consented to participate in the study at their outpatient visit. After their consent they were given three HRQoL assessment questionnaires. Scores, together with clinical data, were analysed by both univariate and multivariate analyses with regard to poor HRQoL outcome.

RESULTS

437 (94.4%) patients consented to participate in the study and filled in the HRQoL questionnaires. Ten variables were identified in the univariate analysis as potential predictors of poor scores of the physical element of HRQoL; however, only three variables-gastrointestinal problems, congestive heart failure, and type D personality trait-predicted poor physical scores independently. Eleven variables were identified in the univariate analysis as potential predictors of poor scores of the mental element of HRQoL; however, only three variables-peripheral vascular disease, infective complications, and type D personality trait-predicted poor physical scores independently.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative gastrointestinal problems, preoperative congestive heart failure, and type D personality trait were independent predictors of the poor physical component of HRQoL. Peripheral vascular disease, infective complications, and type D personality trait were independent predictors of the poor mental component of HRQoL. Interestingly, patients with type D personality were more than twice as likely to have poor physical HRQoL and more than five times as likely to have poor mental HRQoL.

Comparison of 15 different stents in superficial femoral arteries by high resolution MRI ex vivo and in vivo

PURPOSE

To evaluate the MRI compatibility of 15 different commercially available, new generation, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved stents suitable for deployment in superficial femoral arteries (SFAs), and to identify the ones that permit MRI to visualize the wall and lumen of stented arteries with sufficient spatial and contrast resolution to quantify restenosis after stent placement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 13 nitinol stents and two stainless-steel stents were placed in excised cadaveric SFAs and imaged by MRI at 1.5 T ex vivo. The images were evaluated qualitatively for the presence of artifacts and for the effects of the stent on image contrast, and quantitatively for the effect on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the lumen of the artery inside the stent compared to the SNR of the fluid outside the artery. A nitinol stent was placed in the SFA of a 60-year-old man and imaged at 1.5 T in vivo.

RESULTS

Both the vessel wall and the lumen could be visualized in cadaveric SFAs containing either the Absolute nitinol stent, the Dynalink nitinol stent, or the aSpire nitinol-covered stent. Their inside stent/outside stent SNR was 0.7, 0.8, and 0.8, respectively. The other 10 nitinol stents tested obscured the lumen but did not cause major image shape artifacts. Both stainless-steel stents tested, the WallGraft and WallStent, completely obscured the lumen and caused significant distortion of the image shapes. When the Dynalink stent was inserted into a highly stenosed SFA in vivo, the image showed a dark expanded eccentric lumen, circumscribed by a medium intensity band containing the stent.

CONCLUSION

MRI can be used to visualize both the lumen and wall of SFAs containing selected nitinol stents ex vivo and in vivo. These results suggest that MRI can be used to monitor restenosis in stents placed in the femoral arterial bed.

The diagnostic randomized clinical trial is the best solution for management issues in critical limb ischemia

OBJECTIVE

The value of a new diagnostic test is usually established by analyzing its accuracy in relation to a reference standard. Here we describe a potentially better model of diagnostic research, namely, a diagnostic randomized clinical trial (D-RCT), and discuss its pros and cons using management of critical limb ischemia as an example.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Patients clinically suspected of critical limb ischemia are randomized either for the conventional management strategy (treating physician determines the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy on clinical judgment and ankle pressure) or new strategy (transcutaneous oxygen and toe pressure determine the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy). The effect of the diagnostic work-up on the diagnostic and therapeutic process and clinical outcome will be evaluated.

RESULTS

A D-RCT is suited when a true reference standard is lacking. It is the best available research method to control for confounding and bias, and it also incorporates the total effect (interpretation and side effects) on clinical outcome. The D-RCT has some disadvantages, however, as to the power and size of the trial and the influence of treatment on the outcome parameter.

CONCLUSIONS

A D-RCT can provide valuable information as to the evaluation of diagnostic tests.

Health-related quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease--the effect of upper gastrointestinal symptom treatment

BACKGROUND

Upper gastrointestinal discomfort decreases the already impaired health status of patients with cardiovascular disease.

AIM

To evaluate whether acid suppressive therapy improves health-related quality of life in patients who developed upper gastrointestinal symptoms after starting low-dose acetylsalicylic acid.

METHODS

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trail, cardiac patients using low-dose (80 mg) acetylsalicylic acid with (n = 142) and without (n = 90) upper gastrointestinal symptoms were included. Patients with symptoms were treated with rabeprazole or placebo for 4 weeks. At baseline and 4 weeks information about gastrointestinal symptoms and health-related quality of life was assessed.

RESULTS

The 73 patients assigned to rabeprazole when compared with 69 patients given placebo reported the same quality of life scores 4 weeks after randomization. The differences in quality of life scores between patients with and without symptoms at baseline remained after 4 weeks. Patients in whom treatment led to complete symptom relief or those who remained symptom-free reported significantly higher scores for Physical Component Summary (P < 0.01) and Mental Component Summary (P < 0.01), when compared to those with persistent symptoms or new onset symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Proton-pump inhibitor therapy did not improve quality of life. Upper gastrointestinal symptom relief in itself considerably increased quality of life.

Evaluation of toe pressure and transcutaneous oxygen measurements in management of chronic critical leg ischemia: a diagnostic randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

The definition of critical limb ischemia (CLI) requiring vascular intervention is still under debate. The clinical eye of the physician and ankle blood pressure measurements used so far may fall short in appreciation of the severity of disease, which makes decision-making for a vascular intervention subjective. In previous studies two simple functional tests, ie, transcutaneous oxygen pressure (tcPo(2)) and toe blood pressure (TP) measurements, provided reliable information about the need for vascular intervention. Therefore we evaluated the diagnostic value of tcPo(2) and TP in management of clinically suspected critical leg ischemia. Study design This was a diagnostic randomized controlled clinical trial. Subjects were ambulatory and hospitalized patients in a referral university hospital.

METHODS

Ninety-six patients (128 legs) with clinically suspected critical limb ischemia were referred to the vascular laboratory for routine investigation. Two diagnostic management strategies were compared: conventional strategy, ie, clinical judgment and ankle pressure determined the diagnostic and therapeutic approach, and a new strategy in which tcPo(2) and TP determined the diagnostic and therapeutic approach. Main outcome measures included clinical outcome, defined as pain relief, wound healing, and limb survival.

RESULTS

At 18-month follow-up, 26 of 62 legs treated with the conventional approach and 28 of 66 legs treated with the new approach were treated conservatively. The new method did not score significantly different from the conventional method insofar as clinical outcome: pain score, 50 versus 48; number of amputations, 8 versus 10; and number of deaths, 11 versus 8 deaths, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Two simple objective diagnostic tests, TP and tcPo(2), did not improve clinical outcome when incorporated into routine management of suspected critical limb ischemia. Nevertheless, these techniques might still be helpful for physicians less experienced with treating critical limb ischemia and who are in doubt regarding the need for vascular intervention.