Editor's Choice - Bypass versus Angioplasty for Severe Ischaemia of the Leg (BASIL) Prospective Cohort Study and the Generalisability of the BASIL-2 Randomised Controlled Trial

Causes, prevention, and management of diabetes-related foot ulcers

In this Review, we aim to complement the 2023 update of the guidelines of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot. We highlight the complexity of the pathological processes that underlie diabetes-related foot ulceration (DFU) and draw attention to the potential implications for clinical management and outcome. Variation observed in the incidence and outcome of DFUs in different communities might result from differences in study populations and the accessibility of care. Comparing differences in incidence, management, and outcome of DFUs in different communities is an essential component of the quality of disease care. Additionally, these comparisons can also highlight the relationship between DFU incidence, management, and outcome and the structure of local clinical services and the availability of staff with the necessary skills. The clinical outcome is, however, also dependent on the availability of multidisciplinary care and the ability of people with DFUs to gain access to that care.

Validation of JCLIMB, SPINACH, and VQI Calculators for Prediction of Two Year Survival in Patients With Chronic Limb Threatening Ischaemia After Infra-Inguinal Surgical or Endovascular Revascularisation

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate three survival prediction models: the JAPAN Critical Limb Ischaemia Database (JCLIMB), Surgical Reconstruction Versus Peripheral Intervention in Patients With Critical Limb Ischaemia (SPINACH), and Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) calculators.

METHODS

Multicentre data of patients who underwent infrainguinal revascularisation for chronic limb threatening ischaemia between 2018 and 2021 were analysed retrospectively. The prediction models were validated using a calibration plot analysis with the intercept and slope. The discrimination was evaluated using area under the curve (AUC) analysis. The observed two year overall survival (OS) was evaluated by the Kaplan - Meier method. The two year OS predicted by each model at < 50%, 50 - 70%, and > 70% was defined as high, medium, and low risk, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 491 patients who underwent infra-inguinal revascularisation were analysed. The rates of surgical revascularisation, endovascular therapy, and hybrid therapy were 26.5%, 70.1%, and 5.5%, respectively. The average age was 75.6 years, and the percentages of patients with diabetes mellitus and dialysis dependent end stage renal disease were 66.6% and 44.6%, respectively. The tissue loss rate was 85.7%. The intercept and slope were -0.13 and 1.18 for the JCLIMB, 0.11 and 0.82 for the SPINACH, and -0.15 and 1.10 for the VQI. The AUC for the two year OS of JCLIMB, SPINACH, and VQI were 0.758, 0.756, and 0.740, respectively. The observed two year OS rates of low, medium, and high risk using the JCLIMB calculator were 80.1%, 61.1%, and 28.5%, respectively (p < .001), using the SPINACH calculator were 81.0%, 57.0%, and 38.1%, respectively (p < .001), and using the VQI calculator were 77.8%, 45.8%, and 49.6%, respectively (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

The JCLIMB, SPINACH, and VQI survival calculation models were useful, although the OS predicted by the VQI model appeared to be lower than the observed OS.