Sex Disparities in Long Term Outcomes After Open Surgery for Chronic Limb Threatening Ischaemia: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis of Health Insurance Claims

Exercise therapy for chronic symptomatic peripheral artery disease

All guidelines worldwide strongly recommend exercise as a pillar of the management of patients affected by lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Exercise therapy in this setting presents different modalities, and a structured programme provides optimal results. This clinical consensus paper is intended for clinicians to promote and assist for the set-up of comprehensive exercise programmes to best advice in patients with symptomatic chronic PAD. Different exercise training protocols specific for patients with PAD are presented. Data on patient assessment and outcome measures are narratively described based on the current best evidence. The document ends by highlighting disparities in access to supervised exercise programmes across Europe and the series of gaps for evidence requiring further research.

Exercise therapy for chronic symptomatic peripheral artery disease

All guidelines worldwide strongly recommend exercise as a pillar in the management of patients affected by lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Exercise therapy in this setting presents different modalities, and a structured programme provides optimal results. This clinical consensus paper is intended to promote and assist the set up of comprehensive exercise programmes and best advice for patients with symptomatic chronic PAD. Different exercise training protocols specific for patients with PAD are presented. Data on patient assessment and outcome measures are described based on the current best evidence. The document ends by highlighting supervised exercise programme access disparities across Europe and the evidence gaps requiring further research.

Exercise Therapy for Chronic Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease: A Clinical Consensus Document of the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases in Collaboration With the European Society of Vascular Medicine and the European Society for Vascular Surgery

All guidelines worldwide strongly recommend exercise as a pillar in the management of patients affected by lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Exercise therapy in this setting presents different modalities, and a structured programme provides optimal results. This clinical consensus paper is intended to promote and assist the set up of comprehensive exercise programmes and best advice for patients with symptomatic chronic PAD. Different exercise training protocols specific for patients with PAD are presented. Data on patient assessment and outcome measures are described based on the current best evidence. The document ends by highlighting supervised exercise programme access disparities across Europe and the evidence gaps requiring further research.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Sex-Based Disparities in Patients with Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia Undergoing Revascularization

BACKGROUND

This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to describe the prognostic implications of sex on the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing interventions for chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI).

METHODS

Studies were systematically searched across 7 databases from inception to August 25, 2021 and rerun on October 11, 2022. Studies focusing on patients with CLTI undergoing open surgery, endovascular treatment (EVT), or hybrid procedures were included if sex-based differences were associated with a clinical outcome. Two independent reviewers screened studies for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Primary outcomes included inpatient mortality, major adverse limb events (MALE), and amputation-free survival (AFS). Meta-analyses were performed using random effects models and reported pooled odds ratio (pOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

A total of 57 studies were included in the analysis. A meta-analysis of 6 studies demonstrated that female sex was associated with statistically higher inpatient mortality compared to male sex undergoing open surgery or EVT (pOR, 1.17; 95% CI: 1.11-1.23). Female sex also demonstrated a trend toward increased limb loss in those undergoing EVT (pOR, 1.15; 95% CI: 0.91-1.45) and open surgery (pOR 1.46; 95% CI: 0.84-2.55). Female sex also had a trend toward higher MALE (pOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.92-1.21) in 6 studies. Finally, female sex had a trend toward worse AFS (pOR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.70-1.03) in 8 studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Female sex was significantly associated with higher inpatient mortality and a trend toward higher MALE following revascularization. Female sex trended toward worse AFS. The reasons for these disparities are likely multifaceted on patient, provider, and systemic levels and should be explored to identify solutions for decreasing these health inequities across this vulnerable patient population.

Best medical treatment in patients with PAD

Background: Guidelines recommend comprehensive lifestyle change in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) to prevent cardiovascular events and death. When compared with other populations, patients with PAD are less likely to receive best medical therapies (BMT). The aim of this pilot study was to integrate all aspects of BMT in an intervention program and to determine the feasibility of such an approach by highlighting strengths and obstacles of a multi-aspect intervention. Patients and methods: Patients consecutively hospitalized due to symptomatic PAD between 01 December 2021 and 28 February 2022 were included and followed for ten weeks. We randomized into a lifestyle intervention (education on BMT, a list of regional contact data for supervised exercise, weekly counselling by phone for ten times) vs. standard of care (one contact to talk about BMT). Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire - 6 (VascuQoL-6) was used to collect patient reported outcomes. Results: Of 50 eligible patients 40 agreed to participate (32.5% female, 72.5 years in mean). During follow-up nine patients dropped out (4 in intervention group vs. 5). As for risk factor modification one patient was able to reach a normal weight body-mass-index (BMI) and nine reduced weight. Two patients stopped smoking, three reduced their consumption. The reported adherence to medication was a hundred percent. No patient attended supervised exercise therapy but eight trained at a home-based setting according to guidelines. The mean score of VascuQoL-6 at follow-up was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (17.4 vs. 13.8 points) at last contact with both groups increasing from baseline. Conclusions: This pilot study followed 40 patients for up to 10 weeks after inpatient treatment while we randomized a multi-aspect lifestyle intervention versus standard of care. Thereby, the current study illustrated the numerous obstacles and provided pragmatic solutions for the planning of studies on BMT in this target population.

Lower All-Cause Mortality Risk in Females and Males with Peripheral Artery Disease following Pain-Free Home-Based Exercise: A 7-Year Observational Study

We evaluated the sex-specific difference in response upon participation in an exercise program with respect to the risk of adverse clinical outcomes among patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and claudication. The records of 400 PAD patients were assessed between 2012 and 2015. Two hundred of them were addressed to a walking program prescribed at the hospital and executed at home at symptom-free walking speed (Ex), while the remaining 200 acted as a control group (Co). The number and date of deaths, all-cause hospitalizations, and amputations for a 7-year period were collected from the regional registry. At baseline, no differences were observed (M_EXn = 138; F_EXn = 62; M_COn = 149; F_COn = 51). The 7-year survival rate was significantly higher in F_EX (90%) than in M_EX (82% hazard ratio, HR: 0.542 95% CI 0.331-0.885), F_CO (45%, HR: 0.164 95% CI 0.088-0.305), and M_CO (44%; HR: 0.157 95% CI 0.096-0.256). A significantly lower rate of hospitalization (p < 0.001) and amputations (p = 0.016) was observed for the Ex group compared to the Co group, without differences by sex. In conclusion, in PAD patients, active participation in a home-based pain-free exercise program was associated with a lower rate of death and better long-term clinical outcomes, particularly among women.

How Does Female Sex Affect Complex Endovascular Aortic Repair? A Single Centre Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

There is growing evidence of a female patient disadvantage in complex endovascular aortic repair using fenestrated and branched endografts (FB-EVAR) primarily related to peri-procedural events including ischaemic and access vessel complications. This study aimed to determine the impact of sex differences on treatment patterns, and in hospital outcomes in a single centre cohort.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cross sectional single centre cohort study of all consecutive FB-EVAR procedures provided to patients with asymptomatic pararenal and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) between 1 January 2010 and 28 February 2021. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were developed using backward (Wald) elimination of variables to determine the independent impact of female sex on short term outcomes.

RESULTS

In total, 445 patients (24.3% females, median age 73.0 years, IQR 66, 78) were included. Female patients had a smaller aneurysm diameter, less frequent coronary artery disease (29.6% vs. 44.8%, p = .007) and history of myocardial infarction (2.8% vs. 15.4%, p < .001) when compared with males. Females were more frequently treated for TAAA than males (49.1% vs. 25.2%, p < .001). The median length of post-procedural hospital stay was 10 days in females and 9 in males. In adjusted analyses, female sex was independently associated with higher mortality (odds ratio [OR] 10.135, 95% CI 2.264 - 45.369), post-procedural complications (OR 2.500, 95% CI 1.329 - 4.702), spinal cord ischaemia (OR 4.488, 95% CI 1.610 - 12.509), sepsis (OR 4.940, 95% CI 1.379 - 17.702), and acute respiratory insufficiency (OR 3.283, 95% CI 1.015 - 10.622) after pararenal aortic aneurysm repair during the hospital stay.

CONCLUSION

In this analysis of consecutively treated patients, female sex was associated with increased in hospital mortality, peri-procedural complications, and spinal cord ischaemia after elective complex endovascular repair of pararenal aortic aneurysm, while no differences were revealed in the TAAA subgroup. These results suggest that sex related patient selection and peri-procedural management should be studied in future research.

A health insurance claims analysis on the effect of female sex on long-term outcomes after peripheral endovascular interventions for symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease

OBJECTIVE

Several reports have addressed sex disparities in peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) treatment with inconclusive or even conflicting results. However, most previous studies have neither been sufficiently stratified nor used matching or weighting methods to address severe confounding. In the present study, we aimed to determine the disparities between sexes after percutaneous endovascular revascularization (ER) for symptomatic PAOD.

METHODS

Health insurance claims data from the second-largest insurance fund in Germany, BARMER, were used. A large cohort of patients who had undergone index percutaneous ER of symptomatic PAOD from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018 were included in the present study. The study cohort was stratified by the presence of intermittent claudication, ischemic rest pain, and wound healing disorders. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for confounding through differences in age, treated vessel region, comorbidities, and pharmacologic treatment. Sex-related differences regarding cardiovascular event-free survival, amputation-free survival, and overall survival within 5 years of surgery were determined using Kaplan-Meier time-to-event curves, log-rank test, and Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

In the present study, 50,051 patients (47.2% women) were identified and used to compose a matched cohort of 35,232 patients. Among all strata, female patients exhibited lower mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.69-0.90), fewer amputations or death (HR, 0.70-0.89), and fewer cardiovascular events or death (HR, 0.78-0.91). The association between female sex and improved long-term outcomes was most pronounced for the patients with intermittent claudication.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present propensity score-matched analysis of health insurance claims, we observed superior cardiovascular event-free survival, amputation-free survival, and overall survival during 5 years of follow-up after percutaneous ER in women with symptomatic PAOD. Future studies should address sex disparities in the open surgical treatment of PAOD to illuminate whether the conflicting data from previous reports might have resulted from insufficient stratification of the studies.