Life Expectancy and Outcome of Different Treatment Strategies for Critical Limb Ischemia in the Elderly Patients

Endovascular Management of Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI) in the Elderly: A Focus on Frailty, Wound Healing, and Outcomes

BACKGROUND

In India, a significant scarcity of published data exists regarding chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and its management, especially among the elderly population. CLTI, often accompanied by frailty poses a significant healthcare challenge. While endovascular interventions offer hope, there remains a dearth of outcome data for this age group. This study seeks to address this critical gap by investigating the impact of frailty on outcomes, emphasizing amputation-free survival (AFS), wound healing, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

METHODS

Our study included 131 elderly CLTI patients aged ≥70 years who underwent infrainguinal endovascular interventions between April 2018 and August 2021, with a follow-up period of 2 years. Among the patients, 93.9% had diabetes mellitus and 82.4% had hypertension. Clinical frailty was assessed using the clinical frailty scale (CFS). Patients were categorized into group 1 (CFS 1-5) and group 2 (CFS 6-9). Primary outcomes were AFS, wound healing, HRQoL, and their association with frailty. Secondary outcomes included technical success, procedure-related complications, major adverse limb events, major adverse cardiac events, vessel patency, re-intervention rates, and mortality rates including periprocedural and overall mortality.

RESULTS

Technical success was achieved in 86.3% of patients, with frailty significantly influencing this outcome. Group 2 exhibited reduced technical success (80.8%) compared to group 1 (93.1%). The major amputation rate was 9.2%, with higher rates in group 2 [univariate hazard ratio: 5.20; P = 0.033]. Similarly, group 2 showed elevated overall mortality [univariate hazard ratio: 5.18; P < 0.001]. AFS at 1 and 2 years were 67.9% and 55%, respectively, with higher rates in group 1. Wound healing was achieved in 76.1% of patients (83/109), with frailty significantly associated with delayed wound healing (P < 0.001). Vessel patency at 1 year was observed in 88.8% of patients. HRQoL significantly improved postintervention, with vascular quality of life questionnaire-6 (VascuQol-6) scores increasing from an average of 9 of 24 at baseline to 20 of 24 at 2 years. Frailty score significantly correlated with VascuQol-6 scores at 1 and 2 years (P < 0.0012). Group 1 exhibited higher VascuQol-6 scores than group 2, indicating improved HRQoL during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Successful endovascular treatments in high-risk CLTI patients promote improved wound healing and post-treatment quality of life. Frailty should be assessed before endovascular interventions as it correlates with adverse outcomes, including amputations and mortality. While revascularization holds promise, caution is advised for frailer patients, emphasizing the importance of personalized care and tailored treatments for elderly CLTI patients.

Treatment Outcomes in Octogenarians with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia after Infrainguinal Bypass Surgery or Endovascular Therapy

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to analyze the clinical outcomes after revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) in patients aged ≥ 80 years and < 80 years.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed multicenter data of 789 patients who underwent infrainguinal revascularization for CLTI between 2015 and 2021. The end points were 2-year overall survival (OS), amputation-free survival (AFS), limb salvage (LS), and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

A total of 90 patients aged ≥ 80 years and 200 patients aged < 80 years underwent bypass surgery (BSX), and 205 patients aged ≥ 80 years and 294 patients aged < 80 years underwent endovascular therapy (EVT). Before the propensity score matching, multivariate analyses showed that age ≥ 80 years, lower body mass index and serum albumin levels, nonambulatory status, and end-stage renal disease were independent risk factors for 2-year mortality in the BSX and EVT groups. After propensity score matching, the 2-year OS was better in the < 80 years cohort than in the ≥ 80 years cohort in both the BSX and EVT groups (P = 0.018 and P = 0.035, respectively). There was no difference in the 2-year LS rates between the < 80 years and the ≥ 80 years cohorts in both the BSX and EVT groups (P = 0.621 and P = 0.287, respectively). According to the number of risk factors, except for age ≥ 80 years, there was no difference in the 2-year AFS rates between the < 80 years and ≥ 80 years cohorts for the BSX and EVT groups with 0-1 risk factor (P = 0.957 and P = 0.655, respectively). However, the 2-year AFS rate was poor, especially in the ≥ 80 years cohort in the BSX with 2-4 risk factors (P = 0.015). The Clavien-Dindo ≥ IV complication rates tended to be higher in the ≥ 80 years cohort than in the < 80 years cohort only in the BSX with 2-4 risk factors (P = 0.056).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with CLTI aged ≥ 80 years had poorer OS than those aged < 80 years. However, there was no difference in LS between the ≥ 80 years and < 80 years cohorts in both the BSX and EVT groups. Although age ≥ 80 years was associated with poorer OS, patients with 0-1 risk factor may benefit from revascularization, including BSX, because no difference was observed in AFS or Clavien-Dindo ≥ IV complications.

Critical Limb Ischaemia in Octogenarians: Treatment Outcomes Compared With Younger Patients

Objective

A growing proportion of patients with chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI) are elderly, the most challenging for management decisions. The aim was to study the patient profile and outcome of CLTI in octogenarian patients, comparing them with younger patients.

Methods

Retrospective cohort of consecutive patients hospitalised for CLTI with infrainguinal disease in a Spanish centre (2013-2020). Data on age, comorbidity, anatomical characteristics, and treatment were gathered. Patients were stratified according to age (<80 and ≥80 years). The primary outcomes were overall survival and limb salvage (LS), analysed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression.

Results

: A total of 512 patients were enrolled: 305 were <80 years old with mean age 69.7 ± standard deviation (SD) 8.2 years, and 207 were ≥80 years old with mean age 85.3 ± SD 3.6 years. Smoking and diabetes mellitus were more frequent in younger patients (78.0% vs. 45.4%, p < .001; 68.5% vs. 59.5%, p = .037 respectively). Older patients had a higher prevalence of heart and kidney disease (70.5% vs. 57.0%, p = .002; 39.6% vs. 24.3%, p < .001, respectively). The arterial disease was femoropopliteal or tibial in 68.9% and 31.1% in patients <80 years and 58.9% and 41.1% in patients ≥80 years (p = .021). In younger patients, conservative treatment was indicated in 18.0%, endovascular treatment (ET) in 41.6%, and open or hybrid surgery (OS) in 40.3%; in patients ≥80 years these were 36.9%, 37.4%, and 25.7%, respectively (p <. 001). Mean follow up was 23.3 ± SD 17.4 months. One and two year overall survival was 85.4% and 73.0% in younger patients and 64.1% and 51.3% in patients ≥80 years (p < .001). LS was 83.7% and 79% at the same times in younger patients and 75.3% and 72.1% in older ones (p = .045). In younger patients ET led to worse LS than OS (p = .005) but not in older patients (p = .29).

Conclusion

Patients ≥80 years with CLTI have higher comorbidity and lower life expectancy and receive conservative treatment more frequently than younger patients. ET and OS are associated with similar survival and LS in these older patients.

Cost-utility analysis of early versus delayed endovascular intervention in critical limb-threatening ischemia patients with rest pain

OBJECTIVE

The prevalence of chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and poor health outcomes are high in Germany. Serious consequences of CLTI such as amputation and mortality can be effectively prevented by the early use of evidence-based therapeutic measures such as endovascular intervention. We have developed a cost-utility analysis to compare endovascular intervention with bare metal stents (BMSs) and endovascular intervention after conservative treatment from the German payer perspective.

METHODS

A Markov model, with a 5-year time horizon and seven states, was developed: (1) intervention, (2) stable 1, (3) major amputation, (4) reintervention, (5) stable 2, (6) care, and (7) all-cause death. Transition probabilities were obtained by pooling the outcomes from multiple clinical studies. The costs were estimated using data from the German diagnosis-related group system, the German rehabilitation fund, and related literature. Health-state utilities were obtained from the reported data. The primary outcomes were the quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs.

RESULTS

Early BMS intervention after 5 years resulted in a cost of €23,913 and an increase of 2.5 QALYs per patient, and endovascular intervention with BMS after conservative treatment after 5 years resulted in a cost of €18,323 and an increase of 2 QALYs per patient. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was €12,438. The number of major amputations was reduced by 6%. The results of the structural, deterministic, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were robust.

CONCLUSIONS

Early endovascular intervention with BMS resulted in more QALYs and a reduced risk of major amputation for early-stage CLTI patients. Our results showed that early endovascular intervention is very cost-effective according to World Health Organization recommended cost-effectiveness thresholds. However, the clinical decision regarding the use of early endovascular intervention should be determined by individual patient-level eligibility and the physician's judgment.

Multicomponent Prehabilitation as a Novel Strategy for Preventing Delirium in Older Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia Patients: A Study Protocol

Objective

Chronic limb threatening ischemia is the final stage of peripheral arterial disease. Current treatment is based on revascularization to preserve the leg. In the older, hospitalized chronic limb threatening ischemia patient, delirium is a frequent and severe complication after revascularization. Delirium leads to an increased length of hospital stay, a higher mortality rate and a decrease in quality of life. Currently, no specific guidelines to prevent delirium in chronic limb threatening ischemia patients exist. We aim to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent, multidisciplinary prehabilitation program on the incidence of delirium in chronic limb threatening ischemia patients ≥65 years.

Design

A prospective observational cohort study to investigate the effects of the program on the incidence of delirium will be performed in a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands. This manuscript describes the design of the study and the content of this specific prehabilitation program.

Methods

Chronic limb threatening ischemia patients ≥65 years that require revascularization will participate in the program. This program focuses on optimizing the patient's overall health and includes delirium risk assessment, nutritional optimization, home-based physical therapy, iron infusion in case of anaemia and a comprehensive geriatric assessment in case of frailty. The primary outcome is the incidence of delirium. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, amputation-free survival, length of hospital stay and mortality. Exclusion criteria are the requirement of acute treatment or patients who are mentally incompetent to understand the procedures of the study or to complete questionnaires. A historical cohort from the same hospital is used as a control group.

Discussion

This study will clarify the effect of a prehabilitation program on delirium incidence in chronic limb threatening ischemia patients. New insights will be obtained on optimizing a patient's preoperative mental and physical condition to prevent postoperative complications, including delirium.

Trial

This protocol is registered at the Netherlands National Trial Register (NTR) number: NL9380.

Critical Limb Ischemia in Nonagenarians: A Challenge of Our Times

BACKGROUND

As a result of the increasing life expectancy of the western population, the number of older patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) seeking medical care is growing. Our objective was to describe the characteristics of a consecutive series of nonagenarian patients with CLTI and evaluate the outcomes of their management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of nonagenarian patients with CLTI attended at our institution between 2005 and 2019. Primary endpoints were 1-year limb salvage and survival rates.

RESULTS

A total of 171 patients were included (mean age 92.7, 51.5% women), of which in 59 (34.5%) primary major amputation (n = 10) or palliative care (n = 49) was indicated at presentation because of severe dementia (n = 30, 50.8%), knee retraction (n = 17, 28.8%), terminal condition (n = 13, 22%) or a non-salvageable foot (n = 28, 47.4%). In the remaining 112 (65.5%), the need for a revascularization was further assessed finally performing A) conservative treatment/minor amputation (n = 57, 50.9%), B) revascularization (n = 50, 44.6%) or C) direct major amputation (n = 5, 4.4%), with 1-year limb salvage and survival rates of 93.1 and 57.4%, respectively. Predictive factors for lower survival included age >92 years (HR = 1,59, p = 0.041), hemoglobin <10.5 mg/dL (HR 2,34, p < 0.001), congestive heart failure (HR = 1.65, p = 0.036), non-severe dementia (HR 3,11, p < 0.001) and current mobility with wheelchair (HR 1,74, p = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

Nearly one-third of nonagenarian patients with CLTI have a direct indication for amputation or palliative care at presentation. In the remaining, a judicious approach with conservative treatment, minor amputation or revascularization procedures yields excellent limb salvage rates. Survival is, however, the cornerstone of these patients. It can be predicted with certain clinical factors which may help decision-making.

A systematic review of strategies for preventing delirium in patients undergoing vascular surgery

OBJECTIVES

Elderly patients undergoing vascular surgery are at risk of developing postoperative delirium, which is associated with a high mortality. Delirium prevention is difficult and is investigated in surgical patients from various specialisms, but little is known about delirium prevention in vascular surgery. For this reason we performed a systematic review on strategies for delirium prevention in patients undergoing elective surgery for peripheral arterial disease or for an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.

METHODS

This systematic review included studies describing strategies for preventing delirium in patients undergoing elective surgery for peripheral arterial disease or for an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta. The search was conducted using the keywords 'vascular surgery', 'prevention' and 'delirium', and was last run on October 21st, 2021 in the electronic databases Pubmed, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane library and Emcare. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized controlled trials and the ROBINS-1 tool for observational studies.

RESULTS

Four studies including 565 patients were included in the systematic review. A significant decrease in the incidence of delirium was reported by a study investigating the effect of comprehensive geriatric assessments within patients undergoing surgery for an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta or lower limb bypass surgery (24% in the control group versus 11% in the intervention group, p = 0.018), and in the total group of a study evaluating the effect of outpatient clinic multimodal prehabilitation for patients with an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta (11.7% in the control group versus 8.2% in the intervention group, p = 0.043, OR = 0.56). A non-significant decrease in delirium incidence was described for patients receiving a multidisciplinary quality improvement at the vascular surgical ward (21.4% in the control group versus 14.6% in the intervention group, p = 0.17). The study concerning the impact of the type of anaesthesia on delirium in eleven older vascular surgical patients, of which three developed delirium, did not differentiate between the different types of anaesthesia the patients received.

CONCLUSION

Despite the high and continuous increasing incidence of delirium in the growing elderly vascular population, little is known about effective preventive strategies. An approach to address multiple risk factors simultaneously seems to be promising in delirium prevention, whether through multimodal prehabilitation or comprehensive geriatric assessments. Several strategies including prehabilitation programs have been proven to be successful in other types of surgery and more research is required to evaluate effective preventive strategies and prehabilitation programs in vascular surgical patients.

Age-dependent outcome of first-line endovascular and surgical revascularization strategies in chronic limb-threatening ischemia

OBJECTIVE

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) has a high mortality and amputation risk even after revascularization. Due to an ageing population the incidence of peripheral arterial disease is rising. However, the current age distribution in patients with CLTI and the impact of age on outcome remains unclear. For this reason we performed an age-dependent analysis of mortality, morbidity, and amputation-free survival after open surgical revascularization (OSR) and endovascular revascularization therapy (ERT) with identification of risk factors for mortality. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated, comparing observed deaths in the study population to expected deaths based on age and gender specific mortality rates of the overall Dutch population.

METHODS

Patients revascularized for a first episode of CLTI between 2013 and 2018 were included in this multicenter retrospective cohort study. The cohort was divided in two treatment groups (OSR and ERT) who were each stratified in three age groups: early age group <65 years (G1), middle age group 65-74 years (G2) and elderly age group ≥75 years (G3).

RESULTS

During the study period 274 limbs (43.9%) were treated with OSR and 350 limbs (56.1%) with ERT. The young population (G1) is only a small part of the whole CLTI population, namely for OSR 22% and ERT 18%. The risk profile of the early age group was characterized by male sex and smoking, while the elderly age group was characterized by poor arterial runoff, tissue loss, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, chronic kidney disease, history of heart disease, COPD and cerebrovascular disease. One year amputation rates were similar between the age groups. However, significantly higher one year mortality rates were observed in patients ≥75 years in comparison to the low mortality rates in patients <75 years. (OSR: G3 19.8% vs G2 7.1% and G1 6.7%, P = .006; ERT: G3 30.7 vs G2 12.7% and G1 7.8%, P = .001). The SMR in this elderly group equaled 3.72 after OSR and 4.04 after ERT. Independent risk factors for mortality after OSR were age, hazard ratio (HR) 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.06; P = .006), preoperative hemoglobin level, HR 0.79 (95% CI 0.67-0.92; P = .003), tissue loss, HR 1.85; 95% CI 1.22-2.79; P = .004), cardiac history, HR 1.56 (95% CI 1.06-2.30; P = .024) and development of postoperative delirium, HR 2.75 (95% CI 1.61-4.71; P < .001) . After ERT we identified age, HR 1.06 (95% CI 1.04-1.08; P < .001), preoperative hemoglobin level, HR 0.75 (95% CI 0.65-0.87; P < .001), tissue loss, HR 1.71 (95% CI 1.15-2.53; P = .008), history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), HR 1.99 (95% CI 1.43-1.79; P < .001), history of cerebrovascular accident (CVA), HR 1.55 (95% CI 1.09-2.21; P = .015), the development of postoperative pneumonia, HR 2.27 (95% CI 1.24-4.16; P = .008), postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI), HR 2.42 (95% CI 1.29-4.54; P = .006) and postoperative CVA, HR 8.17 (95% CI 1.96-34.15; P = .004) as risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The current CLTI population consists mostly of elderly patients and only a small part is younger than 65 years. This shift in the population is important because increasing age is associated with considerable higher one year mortality rates regardless of the method of revascularization in patients with CLTI. The mortality rates in the elderly group are three to four times larger than expected in the general population. In relation to the high mortality of the elderly patient, we assume that interventions to prevent postoperative delirium and correct preoperative anemia may be warranted as they appear to be independent risk factors for mortality.

Association of Frailty With Treatment Selection and Long-Term Outcomes Among Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

Background The optimal treatment strategy for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is often unclear. Frailty has emerged as an important factor that can identify patients at greater risk of poor outcomes and guide treatment selection, but few studies have explored its utility among the CLTI population. We examine the association of a health record-based frailty measure with treatment choice and long-term outcomes among patients hospitalized with CLTI. Methods and Results We included patients aged >65 years hospitalized with CLTI in the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review data set between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2015. The primary exposure was frailty, defined by the Claims-based Frailty Indicator. Baseline frailty status and revascularization choice were examined using logistic regression. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine the association between frailty and death or amputation, stratifying by treatment strategy. Of 85 060 patients, 35 484 (42%) were classified as frail. Frail patients had lower likelihood of revascularization (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.75‒0.82). Among those revascularized, frailty was associated with lower likelihood of surgical versus endovascular treatment (adjusted OR, 0.76; CI, 0.72‒0.81). Frail patients experienced increased risk of amputation or death, regardless of revascularization status (revascularized: adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; CI, 1.30‒1.38; non-revascularized: adjusted HR, 1.22; CI, 1.17‒1.27). Among those revascularized, frailty was independently associated with amputation or death irrespective of revascularization strategy (surgical: adjusted HR, 1.36; CI, 1.31‒1.42; endovascular: aHR, 1.29; CI, 1.243‒1.35). Conclusions Among patients hospitalized with CLTI, frailty is an important independent predictor of revascularization strategy and longitudinal adverse outcomes.

Outcomes of Conservative Treatment in Patients with Chronic Limb Threatening Ischaemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI) is the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease. International guidelines recommend arterial revascularisation in patients with CLTI. However, these patients are often fragile elderly people with significant comorbidities, whose vascular anatomy is not always suitable for open or endovascular revascularisation. Recent studies have suggested acceptable outcomes of conservative treatment. A systematic review of the available literature was conducted to obtain best estimates of outcomes of conservative treatment in patients with CLTI.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central.

REVIEW METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched from inception until September 2019. All studies reporting on outcomes of conservative treatment for CLTI were considered. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were done by two investigators independently. Risk of bias was evaluated with a modified version of the Cochrane tool for observational studies. Outcomes of interest were all cause mortality, major amputation, and amputation free survival (AFS) after at least 12 months of follow up. A random effects model was used for meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven publications were included, consisting of 12 observational studies and 15 placebo arms from randomised clinical trials, totalling 1 642 patients. Most studies included patients with non-reconstructable CLTI. Overall study quality was moderate. The pooled 12 month all cause mortality rate in 14 studies comprising 1 003 patients was 18% (95% confidence interval [CI] 13 - 25, I² = 73%). The pooled major amputation rate from 14 studies comprising 755 patients was 27% (95% CI 20 - 36, I² = 65%) after one year, and pooled AFS rate after 12 months in 11 studies with 970 patients was 60% (95% CI 52 - 67, I² = 75%).

CONCLUSION

Conservative treatment for patients with CLTI may be considered and does not always result in loss of limb or patient demise. The results of this review can be used to inform patients with CLTI about conservative treatment as part of a shared decision making process.

Sinusoidal changes in transcutaneous oxygen pressure, suggesting Cheyne-Stokes respiration, are frequent and of poor prognosis among patients with suspected critical limb ischemia

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcpO₂) is used in patients with suspected critical limb ischemia (CLI). Sinusoidal changes (SC~) in TcpO₂ are found in patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR). We aimed to determine the characteristics of TcpO₂ changes at rest in patients with suspected CLI, define the objective criteria for SC ~ TcpO₂ patterns (SC+), and estimate the prevalence of SC+ in our population and its impact on the outcome.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 300 chest TcpO₂ recordings performed in a 16-month period. We determined the presence/absence of SC ~ TcpO₂ by visual analysis. We determined the acceptable error in the regularity of peaks of the cross-correlation with ROC curve analysis, among patients with typical SC ~ TcpO₂ and non-sinusoidal patterns. Then, we defined SC + as a minimum of five peaks, a standard deviation of TcpO₂ >1.25 mmHg, an error in regularity of peaks of the cross-correlation < 10%, and a cycle length between 30 and 100 s. In patients included until October 2019, we compared the outcome as a function of SC + or SC- with Cox models.

RESULTS

Mathematical detection of SC + found that 43 patients (14.3%) fulfilled all four defined criteria at the chest level, but only 23 did so at the limb level. In the follow-up of 207 patients, the presence of Sc ~ TcpO₂ at the chest significantly increased the risk of mortality: hazard ratio: 2.69 [95%CI: 1.37-5.30]; p < 0.005.

CONCLUSIONS

SC ~ TcpO₂ is frequent, and is associated with a poor outcome in patients with suspected CLI.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of gender differences in long-term mortality and cardiovascular events in peripheral artery disease

OBJECTIVE

Individual studies of peripheral artery disease (PAD) have indicated that gender discrepancies exist in the symptoms, functional status, and treatment usage. It remains uncertain whether these discrepancies result in different long-term outcomes. We examined the potential gender differences in mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with symptomatic PAD.

METHODS

The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for studies from 2000 to January 2019. After a review of 13,582 citations, 14 articles were analyzed. The reported age-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for gender differences in mortality and MACE were included in the meta-analysis. The mortality outcomes were stratified according to the clinical presentation and study context.

RESULTS

Male gender was associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.16; P < .001) and MACE (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.06-1.14; P < .001). In a stratified analysis, male gender was associated with a higher mortality risk for patients presenting with either critical limb ischemia (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.10; P < .001) or mixed clinical presentations (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.11-1.21; P < .001) but not for those with intermittent claudication (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.98-1.30; P = .09). Elevated mortality risk was evident after revascularization (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.19; P = .003), hospitalization (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.08-1.22; P < .001), and amputation (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.08-1.10; P < .001), although not in outpatient clinics (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.97-1.32; P = .13), in men compared with women.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater mortality and MACE rates in men with PAD occurred despite other accepted gender disparities. The mechanisms underlying these gender differences in the outcomes for PAD patients require further investigation.

Notable Racial and Ethnic Disparities Persist in Lower Extremity Amputations for Critical Limb Ischemia and Infection

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current disparities for major lower extremity amputation in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) and infection.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program's database for the years 2011 to 2017 was conducted. Multivariate models were used to isolate the effect of race and ethnicity on the likelihood of a below-knee or above-knee amputation (BKA and AKA, respectively) for CLI secondary to type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, chronic osteomyelitis, and deep soft-tissue infections.

RESULTS

For all diagnoses, blacks were 93.3%, and Hispanics were 61.9% more likely to undergo a BKA than white patients (P < 0.001). In addition, black patients had a 133.0% higher risk of an AKA than white patients (P < 0.001). Disparities were greatest with blacks undergoing surgery for CLI secondary to atherosclerosis (BKA odds ratio 2.093; AKA: odds ratio 2.625). Black patients also had an elevated risk of amputation secondary to diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and deep soft-tissue infections (P < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

This nationally representative, cohort-based study demonstrates that notable racial and ethnic disparities for lower extremity amputations persist, with a higher proportion of black and Hispanic patients undergoing amputation compared with limb salvage procedures for atraumatic CLI and infection.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III prognostic.

Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown Strategy on Vascular Surgery Practice: More Major Amputations than Usual

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown period on the number and type of vascular procedures performed in the operating theater.

METHODS

A total of 38 patients who underwent 46 vascular procedures during the lockdown period of March 16th until April 30th, 2020, were included. The control groups consisted of 29 patients in 2019 and 54 patients in 2018 who underwent 36 and 66 vascular procedures, respectively, in the same time period. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics.

RESULTS

Our study shows that the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant increase in the number of major amputations (42% in 2020 vs. 18% and 15% in 2019 and 2020, respectively; P-value 0.019). Furthermore, we observed a statistically significant difference in the degree of tissue loss as categorized by the Rutherford classification (P-value 0.007). During the lockdown period, patients presented with more extensive ischemic damage when than previous years. We observed no difference in vascular surgical care for patients with an aortic aneurysm.

CONCLUSIONS

Measurements taken during the lockdown period have a significant effect on non-COVID-19 vascular patient care, which leads to an increased severe morbidity. In the future, policy makers should be aware of the impact of their measurements on vulnerable patient groups such as those with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. For these patients, medical care should be easily accessible and adequate.

Lower Extremity Revascularization for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia among Patients at the Extremes of Age

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) at the extremes of age are thought to have distinct risk factor profiles and poor outcomes after lower extremity revascularization (LER). The aim of this study is to examine the relationships among age, risk factor profiles, and outcomes of LER in patients with CLTI in a large database focusing on the extreme age groups.

METHODS

Patients undergoing LER for CLTI in the Vascular Quality Initiative suprainguinal bypass, infrainguinal bypass, and peripheral vascular intervention files were reviewed through 2019. Patients were stratified into 3 groups: premature peripheral artery disease (PAD) (≤50 years old), 51-84 years old, and elderly (≥85 years old). Trends in major amputation and mortality by age group were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 156,513 patients who underwent LER for CLTI. Of these, 9,063 (5.79%) patients had premature PAD, 131,694 (84.14%) patients were 51-84 years old, and 15,756 (10.07%) were elderly. Patients with premature PAD were more likely to have insulin-dependent diabetes, be dialysis-dependent, and be active smokers compared to patients 51-84 years old and the elderly. Elderly patients were more likely to undergo an endovascular procedure for tissue loss compared to younger groups. Perioperative and 1-year major amputation rates were highest among patients with premature PAD and decreased with increasing age (P < 0.001), while perioperative and 1-year mortality increased with age (P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, premature PAD was associated with an increased risk of major amputation (odds ratio, OR = 1.41 [1.22-1.62]), while elderly age was associated with decreased odds of major amputation compared to patients 51-84 years old (OR = 0.61 [0.51-0.73]).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients at the extremes of age have significantly different outcomes after LER for CLTI. Although mortality increases with age, the risk of major amputation decreases. Patients with premature PAD constitute a group of patients with a high risk of perioperative and 1-year major amputation.

Contemporary Outcomes of Peripheral Bypass Compared with Amputation in Octogenarians

BACKGROUND

Chronic limb threatening ischemia in octogenarians presents unique treatment challenges in patients with multiple comorbidities and variable functional status. Endovascular interventions offer a better risk profile; however, this is not always a feasible option for anatomic or disease-specific reasons. This study compares outcomes of peripheral bypass versus amputation in octogenarians.

METHODS

The American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried from 2013 to 2016 for patients >80 years undergoing femoral-popliteal bypass (FPB), femoral-tibial bypass, or popliteal-tibial bypass with vein or prosthetic graft versus above-knee amputation (AKA) or below-knee amputation. Patients presenting with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, septic shock, or a leukocytosis >11,000 were excluded. Patient demographics, risk factors, and 30-day unadjusted outcomes were analyzed. Multivariate regression analysis was then performed to compare risk adjusted 30-day morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

The bypass group contained 2226 patients compared with 1253 patients in the amputation group. AKA represented 59.9% of the amputation group. The largest portion of bypasses were FPBs at 58.6%. Total preoperative functional dependence was 1.3% for bypass versus 18.2% for amputation (P-value, <0.01). Risk factors for amputation over bypass included age, minority race, American Society of Anesthesiologists class IV-V, diabetes, congestive heart failure, dialysis, preoperative open wound, facility of origin, and functional dependence. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was 3.6% for bypasses and 7.7% for amputations (P-value, <0.01), with an in-hospital mortality of 2.0% vs. 3.2% and a mortality after discharge of 1.6% vs. 4.5%, respectively (P-value <0.01). Unadjusted morbidity was not significantly different between the 2 groups (18.7% bypass vs. 17.8% amputation, P-value, 0.52). After multivariate risk adjustment, there was no statistically significant difference in mortality or morbidity between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Contemporary risk-adjusted 30-day morbidity and mortality for bypass versus amputation in octogenarians show no significant difference. These data demonstrate that aggressive surgical limb salvage can be safe in well-selected patients in this age group.

Editor's Choice - Mortality and Major Amputation after Revascularisation in Octogenarians Versus Non-Octogenarians with Chronic Limb Threatening Ischaemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the clinical outcomes after revascularisation in octogenarians with chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI).

METHODS

This was a systematic review and meta-analysis, in which the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched systematically by two independent researchers. Meta-analyses were performed to analyse one year mortality, one year major amputation, and one year amputation free survival (AFS) after revascularisation. Pooled outcome estimates were reported as percentages and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In addition, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed and the quality of evidence was determined according to the GRADE system.

RESULTS

The review includes 21 observational studies with patients who were treated for CLTI. Meta-analysis of 12 studies with a total of 17 118 patients was performed. A mortality rate of 32% was found in octogenarians (95% CI 27-37%), which was significantly higher than in the non-octogenarians (17%, 95% CI 11-22%/OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.93-3.29; GRADE: "low"). No significant difference in amputation rate was found (octogenarians 15%, 95% CI 11-18%; non-octogenarians 12%, 95% CI 7-14%; GRADE: "very low"). AFS was significantly lower in the octogenarian group (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.03-2.43; GRADE: "very low"). In a subgroup analysis differentiating between endovascular and surgical revascularisation, amputation rates were comparable. For octogenarians, those treated conservatively had a mortality rate significantly higher than those treated by revascularisation (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.19-2.60; GRADE: "very low"). No significant difference in mortality rate was found between primary amputation and revascularisation in octogenarians (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.24-2.03; GRADE: "very low").

CONCLUSION

In octogenarians with CLTI, a substantial one year mortality rate of 32% was found after revascularisation. The amputation rates were comparable between both age groups. However, only low quality evidence could be obtained supporting the results of this meta-analysis because only observational studies were available for inclusion.

Quality of Life and Traditional Outcome Results at 1 Year in Elderly Patients Having Critical Limb Ischemia and the Role of Conservative Treatment

Introduction:

Revascularization is the cornerstone of the treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI), but the number of elderly frail patients increase. Revascularization is not always possible in these patients and conservative therapy seems to be an option. The goals of this study are to analyze the 1-year quality of life (QoL) results and mortality rates of elderly patients with CLI and to investigate if conservative treatment could be an acceptable treatment option.

Methods:

Patients with CLI ≥70 years old were included in a prospective observational cohort study in 2 hospitals in the Netherlands between 2012 and 2016 and were divided over 3 treatment modalities: endovascular therapy, surgical revascularization, and conservative treatment. The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQoL-Bref) instrument, a generic QoL assessment tool that includes components of physical, psychological, social relationships and environment, was used to evaluate QoL at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year.

Results:

In total, 195 patients (56% male, 33% Rutherford 4, mean age of 80) were included. Physical QoL significantly increased after surgical (10.4 vs 14.9, P < .001), endovascular (10.9 vs 13.7, P < .001), and conservative therapy (11.6 vs 13.2, P = .01) at 1 year. One-year mortality was relatively low after surgery (10%) compared to endovascular (40%) and conservative therapy (37%).

Conclusion:

The results of this study could not be used to designate the superior treatment used in elderly patients with CLI. Conservative treatment could be an acceptable treatment option in selected patients with CLI unfit for revascularization. Treatment of choice in elderly patients with CLI is based on multiple factors and should be individualized in a shared decision-making process.

Important differences between quality of life and health status in elderly patients suffering from critical limb ischemia

Introduction

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients are often of advanced age with reduced health status (HS) and quality of life (QoL) at baseline. Physical health is considered as the most affected domain due to reduced mobility and ischemic pain. QoL and HS are often used interchangeably in the current literature. HS refers to objectively perceived physical, psychological, and social functioning and in assessing QoL, change is measured subjectively and can only be determined by the individual since it concerns patients’ evaluation of their functioning. It is important to distinguish between QoL and HS, especially in the concept of shared decision-making when the opinion of the patient is key. Goal of this study was to examine and compare QoL and HS in elderly CLI patients in relation to the used therapy, with a special interest in conservatively treated patients.

Methods

Patients suffering from CLI and ≥70 years old were included in a prospective study with a follow-up period of 1 year. Patients were divided into three groups; endovascular revascularization, surgical revascularization, and conservative therapy. The WHOQoL-Bref was used to determine QoL, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey was used to evaluate HS at baseline, 5–7 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year.

Results

Physical QoL of endovascularly and surgically treated patients showed immediate significant improvement during follow-up in contrast to delayed increased physical HS at 6 weeks and 6 months (P<0.001). Conservatively treated patients showed significantly improved physical QoL at 6 and 12 months (P=0.02) in contrast to no significant improvement in physical HS.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that QoL and HS are indeed not identical concepts and that differentiating between these two concepts could influence the choice of treatment in elderly CLI patients. Discriminating between QoL and HS is, therefore, of major importance for clinical practice, especially to achieve shared decision-making.

Endovascular-First Treatment Is Associated With Improved Amputation-Free Survival in Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia

BACKGROUND

Critical limb ischemia remains a difficult disease to treat, with limited level one data. The BEST-CLI trial (Best Endovascular vs Best Open Surgical Therapy in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia) is attempting to answer whether initial treatment with open surgical bypass or endovascular therapy improves outcomes, although it remains in enrollment. This study aims to compare amputation-free survival and reintervention rates in patients treated with initial open surgical bypass or endovascular intervention for ischemic ulcers of the lower extremities.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using California nonfederal hospital data linked to statewide death data, all patients with lower extremity ulcers and a diagnosis of peripheral artery disease who underwent a revascularization procedure from 2005 to 2013 were identified. Propensity scores were formulated from baseline patient characteristics. Inverse probability weighting was used with Kaplan-Meier analysis to determine amputation-free survival and time to reintervention for open versus endovascular treatment. Mixed-effects Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to adjust for patient ability to manage their disease and hospital revascularization volume. A total of 16 800 patients were identified. Open surgical bypass was the initial treatment in 5970 (36%) while 10 830 (64%) underwent endovascular interventions. Patients in the endovascular group were slightly younger compared with the open group (70 versus 71 years, ±12 years; P<0.001). Endovascular-first patients were more likely to have comorbid renal failure (36% versus 24%), coronary artery disease (34% versus 32%), congestive heart failure (19% versus 15%), and diabetes mellitus (65% versus 58%; all P values <0.05). After inverse propensity weighting as well as adjustment for patient ability to manage their disease and hospital revascularization experience, open surgery first was associated with a worse amputation-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.13-1.20) with no difference in mortality (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.89-1.11). Endovascular first was associated with higher rates of reintervention (hazard ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.14-1.23).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with critical limb ischemia have multiple comorbidities, and initial surgical bypass is associated with poorer amputation-free survival compared with an endovascular-first approach, perhaps due to increased severity of wounds at the time of presentation.

The Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia One Year after Spinal Cord Stimulation

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of spinal cord stimulation in patients with critical limb ischemia and to test the hypothesis that the dynamics of clinical changes one year after therapy depend both on the clinical determinants associated with the underlying disease and on factors related to systemic atherosclerosis.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included 56 patients with critical limb ischemia. All patients before and after spinal cord stimulation were examined in terms of the dynamics of their clinical changes using the Rutherford scale and transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO₂, mm Hg) in the affected foot. The active orthostatic test was used to assess the functional state of peripheral perfusion.

RESULTS

One year after spinal cord stimulation, 74% of patients showed positive clinical outcomes. No changes were observed in 9.3% of patients, whereas adverse clinical outcomes were revealed in 16.7% of cases. The TcPO₂ values were significantly reduced before spinal cord stimulation: 10.5 (6.4-16.0) mm Hg. The functional status of the peripheral microvasculature was also disturbed. One year after therapy, TcPO₂ significantly increased and the adaptive mechanisms of the microvasculature were improved in more than 70% of patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that the initially low TcPO₂ values (<10 mm Hg) with a lack of gain in TcPO₂ during the orthostatic test are associated with the negative clinical outcomes after spinal cord stimulation. The gain in TcPO₂ during the orthostatic test to >10 mm Hg is associated with the positive clinical outcomes after spinal cord stimulation. The age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index >5 and duration of critical ischemic symptoms also had a negative effect on the clinical outcomes after spinal cord stimulation.

CONCLUSIONS

The positive clinical outcomes were revealed in most patients with critical limb ischemia one year after spinal cord stimulation. The low values of peripheral tissue metabolism with the disturbed functional status of the microvasculature are associated with the negative clinical outcome. The patients with baseline TcPO₂ <10 mm Hg can recover if they still have a sufficient microcirculatory reserve capacity. Duration of critical ischemic symptoms and high comorbidity burden with allowance for age are negative factors affecting the clinical outcome.