Gender and frailty predict poor outcomes in infrainguinal vascular surgery

Modified Frailty Index Helps Predict Mortality and Ambulation Differences Between Genders and Racial Differences Following Major Lower Extremity Amputation

BACKGROUND

Major lower extremity amputation (LEA) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The modified frailty index (mFI-5) has been used to predict outcomes including ambulation and mortality after LEA. It remains unknown for which patient demographics the mFI-5 is a reliable predictor.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of all patients who underwent a first-time major LEA at our institution from 2015 to 2022. Patients were stratified into 2 risk groups based on their mFI-5 score: non-frail (mFI<3) and frail (mFI≥3) and assessed on outcomes.

RESULTS

Our sample consisted of 687 patients of whom 134 (19.6%) were considered frail and 551 (80.4%) were considered non-frail. A higher mFI-5 is associated with decreased ambulation rates (OR: 0.565, P = .004), increased hospital readmission (OR: 1.657, P = .021), and increased mortality (OR: 2.101, P = .001) following major LEA. In African American patients, frail and non-frail patients differed on readmission at 90 days (P = .008), mortality at 1 year (P = .001), ambulatory status (P < .001), and prosthesis use (P = .023). In male patients, frail and non-frail patients differed on readmission at 90 days (P = .019), death at 1 year (P = .001), and ambulatory status (P = .002). In Caucasian patients and female patients, frail and non-frail patients did not differ significantly on outcomes.

DISCUSSION

The mFI-5 is a valuable predictor of outcomes following major LEA, specifically in males and African American patients. Moreover, surgeons should consider using frailty status to risk stratify patients and inform treatment plans.

Improved long-term functional outcomes and mortality of patients with vascular-related amputations utilizing the lower extremity amputation pathway

BACKGROUND

Enhanced recovery after surgery pathways lead to improve perioperative outcomes for patients with vascular-related amputations; however, long-term data and functional outcomes are lacking. This study evaluated patients treated by the lower extremity amputation pathway (LEAP) and identified predictors of ambulation.

METHODS

A retrospective review of LEAP patients who underwent major amputation from 2016 to 2022 for Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection stage V disease was performed. LEAP patients were matched 1:1 with retrospective controls (NOLEAP) by hospital, need for guillotine amputation, and final amputation type (above knee vs below knee). The primary end point was the Medicare Functional Classification Level (K level) (functional classification of patients with amputations) at the last follow-up.

RESULTS

We included 126 patients with vascular-related amputations (63 LEAP and 63 NOLEAP). Seventy-one percent of the patients were male and 49% were Hispanic with a mean state Area Deprivation Index of 9/10. There were no differences in baseline demographics or comorbidities. All patients had a K level of >0 (ambulatory) before amputation and an average Modified Frailty Index of 4. The median follow-up was 270 days (interquartile range, 84-1234 days) in the NOLEAP group and 369 days (interquartile range, 145-481 days) in the LEAP group. Compared with NOLEAP patients, LEAP patients were more likely to receive a prosthesis (86% vs 44%;P > .001). LEAP patients were more likely to have a K level of >0 (60% vs 25%; P = .003). On multivariable logistic regression, participation in LEAP increased the odds of a K level of >0 at follow-up by 5.8-fold (odds ratio, 5.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.5-13.6). Patients with a K level of >0 had significantly higher survival at 4 years (93% vs 59%; P = .001). In a Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for demographics, comorbidities and amputation level, a K level of >0 at follow-up was associated with an 88% decrease in the risk of mortality compared with a K level of 0.

CONCLUSIONS

LEAP leads to improved ambulation with a prosthesis in a socioeconomically disadvantaged and frail patient population. Patients with a K level of >0 (ambulatory) have significantly improved mortality.

Outcomes of open and endovascular infra-inguinal revascularization are poor in young patients with atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease but do not differ between genders

OBJECTIVES

The effect of gender on the outcomes of revascularization procedures in young patients with premature atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is not known. The objective of this study was to compare short-term and long-term outcomes between young males and females undergoing infra-inguinal revascularization procedures.

METHODS

We examined postoperative outcomes of male and female PAD patients under the age of 55 who underwent infra-inguinal revascularization procedures at a single tertiary institution from 2011 to 2019. Primary outcomes included 30-day morbidity, patency of the revascularization procedures, and major adverse limb events (MALE). Secondary outcomes included survival, amputation rate, reintervention rate, improvement of ankle-brachial index (ABI), and number of reinterventions.

RESULTS

Eighty-one infra-inguinal revascularization procedures (46 endovascular and 35 open procedures) were reviewed including 45 procedures in 37 males and 36 procedures in 31 females. Fifty-three (65.4%) of the procedures were performed in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia symptoms. The rest were treated for life-disabling claudication. The female patients were younger, had higher body mass index, and were more likely to have diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in comparison to males. Thirty-day major adverse cardiovascular event was 0.0% and MALE was 16.0%. Mean follow-up was 806.2 days. At 1 year, primary patency was 34.4 ± 6.2%, primary assisted patency was 52.7 ± 6.5%, secondary patency was 61.8 ± 6.3%, and MALE-free rate was 47.0 ± 6.4%. For secondary outcomes at 1 year, amputation-free rate was 92.5 ± 3.2%, reintervention-free rate was 50.2 ± 6.4%, and survival was 96.2 ± 2.6%. By the end of the study, overall mortality rate was 14.8% and major amputation rate was 13.6%. No major differences were observed between males and females among these outcomes. A smaller improvement in ABI after revascularization was noted in females compared to males (female 0.2 ± 0.2 vs male 0.4 ± 0.2, p = .04). Among patients who required reintervention, females required a higher number of reinterventions than males (female 1.7 ± 2.5 vs male 0.8 ± 1.1, p = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences in short-term and long-term outcomes between males and females under the age of 55 after infra-inguinal revascularization. Poor patency, high MALE rate, and high mid-term mortality, and amputation rates after revascularization in young PAD patients highlight the need for improved strategies to treat premature PAD.

A systematic review of frailty assessment tools used in vascular surgery research

OBJECTIVE

Frailty is common in vascular patients and is recognized for its prognostic value. In the absence of consensus, a multitude of frailty assessment tools exist. This systematic review aimed to quantify the variety in these tools and describe their content and application to inform future research and clinical practice.

METHODS

Multiple cross-disciplinary electronic literature databases were searched from inception to August 2022. Studies describing frailty assessment in a vascular surgical population were eligible. Data extraction to a validated template included patient demographics, tool content, and analysis methods. A secondary systematic search for papers describing the psychometric properties of commonly used frailty tools was then performed.

RESULTS

Screening 5358 records identified 111 eligible studies, with an aggregate population of 5,418,236 patients. Forty-three differing frailty assessment tools were identified. One-third of these failed to assess frailty as a multidomain deficit and there was a reliance on assessing function and presence of comorbidity. Substantial methodological variability in data analysis and lack of methodological description was also identified. Published psychometric assessment was available for only 4 of the 10 most commonly used frailty tools. The Clinical Frailty Scale was the most studied and demonstrates good psychometric properties within a surgical population.

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial heterogeneity in frailty assessment is demonstrated, precluding meaningful comparisons of services and data pooling. A uniform approach to assessment is required to guide future frailty research. Based on the literature, we make the following recommendations: frailty should be considered a continuous construct and the reporting of frailty tools' application needs standardized. In the absence of consensus, the Clinical Frailty Scale is a validated tool with good psychometric properties that demonstrates usefulness in vascular surgery.

The Additional Value of Activated Clotting Time-Guided Heparinization During Interventions for Peripheral Arterial Disease

PURPOSE

Unfractionated heparin is widely used to lower the risk of arterial thromboembolic complications (ATECs) during interventions for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), but it is still unknown which heparin dose is the safest in terms of preventing ATECs and bleeding complications. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of complications during interventions for PAD and the relation between this incidence and different heparinization protocols.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of a prospective multicenter cohort study was performed. Between June 2015 and September 2022, 355 patients who underwent peripheral interventions for PAD were included. All patients who were included before July 2018 received 5000 international units (IU) of heparin (group 1). Starting from July 2018, all included patients received an initial dose of 100 IU/kg, with potential additional heparin doses based on activated clotting time (ACT) values (group 2). Data on ACT values and complications within 30 days post-procedurally were collected.

RESULTS

In total, 24 ATECs and 48 bleeding complications occurred. In group 1, 8.7% (n=11) of patients suffered from ATEC, compared with 5.7% (n=13) in group 2. Thirteen percent of patients (n=17) in group 1 had a bleeding complication, compared with 14% (n=31) in group 2. Arterial thromboembolic complications were more often found in patients with peak ACT values of <200 seconds, compared with ACT values between 200 and 250 seconds, 15% (n=6) versus 5.9% (n=9), respectively, p=0.048. Patients with peak ACT values >250 seconds had a higher incidence of bleeding complications compared with an ACT between 200 and 250 seconds, 24% (n=21) versus 9.8% (n=15), respectively, p=0.003. Forty-four percent of patients (n=23) in group 1 reached a peak ACT of >200 seconds, compared with 95% (n=218) of patients in group 2 (p=0.001).

CONCLUSION

ATEC was found in 6.8% (n=24) and bleeding complications in 14% (n=48) of patients who underwent a procedure for PAD. There was a significantly higher incidence of ATECs in patients with a peak ACT value <200 seconds, and a higher incidence of bleeding complications in patients with a peak ACT value >250 seconds. The findings obtained from this study may serve as a basis for conducting future research on heparinization during procedures for PAD, with a larger sample size.

CLINICAL IMPACT

Heparin is administered during arterial interventions for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) to decrease the risk of arterial (thrombo)embolic complications (ATEC) during or shortly following surgery. The effect of heparin is unpredictable in the individual patient, and the optimal dosage of this anticoagulant has not yet been established. Using the activated clotting time (ACT), the anticoagulatory effect of heparin can be monitored periprocedurally. Previous research on the incidence of both ATEC and bleeding complications, or on the optimal dosage of heparin administration, is scarce. This study aims to investigate the incidence of ATEC and bleeding complications between 2 different dosage protocols of heparin-a standard bolus of 5000 IU or ACT-guided heparinization-and thereby provide clarity on the optimal dose of heparin during peripheral arterial interventions for PAD.

Preoperative Anemia is Associated with Poorer Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Infrainguinal Bypass Surgery

BACKGROUND

Preoperative anemia is an important, modifiable risk factor among surgical patients. However, data are scarce on the impact of preoperative anemia on postoperative outcomes after infrainguinal bypass.

METHODS

In this multi-institutional analysis, data were retrospectively collected on all infrainguinal bypass procedures performed between 2010 and 2020. Patients were grouped by preoperative hemoglobin as per the National Cancer Institute anemia scale (mild, 10 g/dL-lower limit of normal; moderate, 8.0-9.9 g/dL; severe, 6.5-7.9 g/dL). Multivariable comparisons were performed using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 492 patients underwent bypass for peripheral artery disease over the 10-year study period. Median preoperative hemoglobin was 11.0 g/dL (interquartile range 9.5-12.7) and median follow-up was 1.7 years. Preoperative anemia was prevalent among bypass patients (mild 52.4% [n = 258], moderate 26.4% [n = 130], and severe 5.1% [n = 25]). Women were more likely to have moderate (49.2% [women] vs. 50.8% [men]) or severe anemia (52.0% [women] vs. 48.0% [men]) compared with normal hemoglobin (17.7% [women] vs. 82.3% [men]) (P < 0.001). Patients with preoperative anemia were more likely to present with tissue loss (22.8% [normal] vs. 47.7% [moderate] vs. 52.0% [severe], P = 0.01). Bypass target and conduit types were similar between groups. Anemic patients had longer median hospital length of stay compared with nonanemic patients (4 days [normal] vs. 5 days [mild] vs. 6 days [moderate] vs. 7 days [severe], P < 0.001). Postoperative mortality at 30 days was similar across anemia groups (2.5% [normal] vs. 4.6% [moderate] vs. 8.0% [severe], P = 0.23). On multivariable analysis, however, postoperative mortality was independently associated with severe anemia (odds ratio 7.5 [1.2-48.8], P = 0.04) and male gender (odds ratio 7.5 [1.2-26.4], P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative anemia is common among patients undergoing infrainguinal bypass surgery and is an independent risk factor for postoperative mortality. Future investigation is needed to determine whether correction of anemia improves postoperative outcomes in these high-risk patients.

Gender disparities in patients with aortoiliac disease requiring open operative intervention

OBJECTIVE

Peripheral artery disease is known to affect males and females in different proportions. Disparate surgical outcomes have been quantified after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair, arteriovenous fistula creation, and treatment of critical limb ischemia. The aim of this study is to objectively quantify the sex differences in outcomes in patients undergoing open surgical intervention for aortoiliac occlusive disease.

METHODS

Patients were identified in the aortoiliac occlusive disease Vascular Quality Initiative database who underwent aorto-bifemoral bypass or aortic thromboendarterectomy as determined by Current Procedural Terminology codes between 2012 and 2019. Patients with a minimum of 1-year follow-up were included. Risk differences (RDs) by sex were calculated using a binomial regression model in 30-day and 1-year incidence of mortality and limb salvage. Additionally, incidence of surgical complications including prolonged length of stay (>10 days), reoperation, and change in renal function (>0.5 mg/dl rise from baseline), were recorded. Inverse probability weighting was used to standardize demographic and medical history characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to conduct analyses of the before mentioned clinical outcomes, controlling for known confounders.

RESULTS

Of 16,218 eligible patients from the VQI data during the study period, 6538 (40.3%) were female. The mean age, body mass index, and race were not statistically different between sexes. Although there was no statistically significant difference detected in mortality between males and females at 30 days postoperatively, females had an increased crude 1-year mortality with an RD of 0.014 (95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.02; P value < .001. Males had a higher rate of a postoperative change in renal function with an RD of -0.02 (95% confidence interval, -0.03 to -0.01; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although there was no sex-based mortality difference at 30 days, there was a statistically significant increase in mortality in females after open aortoiliac intervention at 1 year based on our weighted model. Male patients are statistically significantly more likely to have a decline in renal function after their procedures when compared with females. Postoperative complications including prolonged hospital stay, reoperation, and wound disruption were similar among the sexes, as was limb preservation rates at 1 year. Further studies should focus on elucidating the underlying factors contributing to sex-based differences in clinical outcomes following aortoiliac interventions.

Sex Related Outcomes Following Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Blunt Thoracic Aortic Injury

OBJECTIVE

Current literature suggests that thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in older patients with aortic aneurysms results in higher peri-operative mortality and lower long term survival in females compared with males. However, sex related outcomes in younger patients with blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) undergoing TEVAR remain unknown. This study examined the association between sex and outcomes after TEVAR for BTAI.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed of all patients who underwent TEVAR for BTAI in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (ACS-TQIP) between 2016 and 2019. The primary outcome was in hospital death. Secondary outcomes were peri-operative complications. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for demographics, comorbidities, injury severity score, and aortic injury grade.

RESULTS

Two thousand and twenty-two patients were included; 26% were female. Compared with males, females were older (46 [IQR 30, 62] vs. 39 [IQR 28, 56] years; p < .001), more often obese (41% vs. 33%; p = .005), had lower rates of alcohol use disorder (4.1% vs. 8.9%; p < .001) and a higher prevalence of hypertension (29% vs. 22%; p = .001). The injury severity was comparable between females and males (Injury Severity Score ≥ 25; 84% vs. 80%; p = .11) and there was no difference in aortic injury grades when comparing females with males (grade 1, 33% vs. 33%; grade 2, 24% vs. 25%; grade 3, 43% vs. 40%; grade 4, 0.8% vs. 1.3%; p = .53). Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated no difference for in hospital mortality between females and males (OR 1.02; 95% CI 0.67 - 1.53, p = .93). Compared with males, females were at lower risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.17 - 0.64; p = .001) and ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.28 - 0.91; p = .023).

CONCLUSION

This study did not demonstrate a sex related in hospital mortality difference following TEVAR for BTAI. However, female sex was associated with a lower risk of AKI and VAP. Future studies should evaluate sex differences and long term outcomes following TEVAR in patients with BTAI.

Use of the 11-Item Modified Frailty Index to Determine Accurate Prognosis and Revascularization Strategy in Patients Undergoing Vascular Bypass Surgery for Intermittent Claudication

BACKGROUND

In cases of intermittent claudication (IC) where traditionally noninvasive management yields unsatisfactory results, revascularization strategy in IC patients is generally decided based on anatomical considerations and the availability of a saphenous vein graft. Life expectancy should also be considered. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the 11-item modified frailty index (mFI-11) and the overall survival (OS) in patients with IC who underwent vascular bypass surgery to facilitate revascularization strategy selection.

METHODS

We reviewed the records of 144 consecutive patients (153 lower limbs) who underwent infrainguinal bypass for IC between 2011 and 2020. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on their mFI-11 score: high frailty (H), mFI score >0.3; and low frailty (L), mFI score ≤0.3. The OS was compared among the 2 groups. Rates of graft patency and freedom from major adverse limb event (ffMALE) were also determined and compared.

RESULTS

Five-year OS in the L and H groups was 92% and 55% (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that mFI, age, and end-stage renal disease were independent predictors of OS. Five-year rates of primary and secondary patency and ffMALE for vein grafts were 81%, 91%, and 94%, respectively; those for prosthetic grafts were 65%, 80%, and 84%, respectively; the differences were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The mFI-11 was a helpful tool in predicting OS for patients with IC who underwent vascular bypass surgery. Those with H should not undergo open revascularization; however, for IC patients who have either not responded to a regimen of exercise and medication, or have specifically requested a more aggressive approach, obtaining a good score in frailty assessment is useful in determining whether or not bypass surgery would be a viable option.

Sex-Related Differences in Acuity and Postoperative Complications, Mortality and Failure to Rescue

INTRODUCTION

Yentl syndrome describing sex-related disparities has been extensively studied in medical conditions but not after surgery. This retrospective cohort study assessed the association of sex, frailty, presenting with preoperative acute serious conditions (PASC), and the expanded Operative Stress Score (OSS) with postoperative complications, mortality, and failure-to-rescue.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2015 to 2019 evaluating 30-d complications, mortality, and failure-to-rescue.

RESULTS

Of 4,860,308 cases (43% were male; mean [standard deviation] age of 56 [17] y), 6.0 and 0.8% were frail and very frail, respectively. Frailty score distribution was higher in men versus women (P < 0.001). Most cases were low-stress OSS2 (44.9%) or moderate-stress OSS3 (44.5%) surgeries. While unadjusted 30-d mortality rates were higher (P < 0.001) in males (1.1%) versus females (0.8%), males had lower odds of mortality (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90-0.94, P < 0.001) after adjusting for frailty, OSS, case status, PASC, and Clavien-Dindo IV (CDIV) complications. Males have higher odds of PASC (aOR = 1.33, CI = 1.31-1.35, P < 0.001) and CDIV complications (aOR = 1.13, CI = 1.12-1.15, P < 0.001). Male-PASC (aOR = 0.76, CI = 0.72-0.80, P < 0.001) and male-CDIV (aOR = 0.87, CI = 0.83-0.91, P < 0.001) interaction terms demonstrated that the increased odds of mortality associated with PASC or CDIV complications/failure-to-rescue were lower in males versus females.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of sex-related surgical outcomes across a wide range of procedures and health care systems. Females presenting with PASC or experiencing CDIV complications had higher odds of mortality/failure to rescue suggesting sex-related care differences. Yentl syndrome may be present in surgical patients; possibly related to differences in presenting symptoms, patient care preferences, or less aggressive care in female patients and deserves further study.

Frailty score and outcomes of patients undergoing vascular surgery and amputation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Frailty is associated with adverse postoperative health outcomes, including increased mortality, longer length of stay, higher rehospitalization, and other complications. There are many frailty assessment tools are to assess the level of frailty in vascular surgery patients. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between the frailty levels described by different frailty scores and adverse postoperative health outcomes among hospitalized vascular surgery patients and patients undergoing amputation.

Methods

Studies utilizing frailty scores and similar frailty assessment tools to describe frailty and investigate the association between frailty and health outcomes were searched. The primary outcomes of this study were in-hospital mortality, postdischarge mortality, length of hospital stay, rehospitalization, and discharge location. Additional outcomes included postoperative myocardial infarction, postoperative renal failure, cerebrovascular accident and stroke, comorbidities, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tools were used for quality assessment.

Results

In total, 24 studies with 1,886,611 participants were included in the final analysis. The overall results found that higher in-hospital mortality and postdischarge mortality were significantly associated with frailty. Frailty was also found to be significantly associated with a longer length of hospital stay, higher rehospitalization, and higher likelihood of non-home discharge. In addition, the results also showed that frailty was significantly associated with all kinds of comorbidities investigated, except chronic kidney disease. However, lower eGFR levels were significantly associated with frailty.

Conclusion

Among patients who underwent all types of vascular surgery and those who underwent amputations, assessment of frailty was significantly associated with adverse postoperative outcomes and multiple comorbidities.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=336374, identifier CRD42022336374.

Prevalence of frailty in patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Increasing studies have reported on the prevalence of frailty in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the pooled prevalence of frailty in patients with lower extremity PAD.

METHODS

Two authors systematically searched PubMed and Embase databases from their inception to August 8, 2022. Original articles that reported the prevalence of frailty in patients with lower extremity PAD were included. The prevalence of frailty in patients with lower extremity PAD was pooled using a random-effect model. Meta-regression, subgroup, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore the heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies reported on 17 articles involving 1,726,343 patients with lower extremity PAD were identified. The pooled prevalence of frailty in patients with lower extremity PAD was 49 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 37-61 %), with significant heterogeneity between studies (I ² = 100 %, p < 0.001). Multivariable meta-regression showed that only the severity of PAD (coefficient 0.270; 95 % CI 0.017-0.523, p = 0.039) was significantly associated with the heterogeneity. In subgroup analysis, the pooled prevalence of frailty was higher in critical limb ischemia or chronic limb-threatening ischemia (54 %) than all PAD (48 %); the pooled prevalence of frailty was 64 %, 51 %, and 54 % for Modified Frailty Index-5, Modified Frailty Index-11, and Clinical Frailty Scale, respectively. The pooled prevalence of frailty appeared to be lower in male (39 %) than the female patients (47 %).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of frailty was higher in patients with lower extremity PAD, suggesting frailty is a common condition. This finding highlights the significance of assessing frailty in patients with lower extremity PAD.

Editor's Choice - Sex Differences in Response to Administration of Heparin During Non-Cardiac Arterial Procedures

OBJECTIVE

Females are more prone to complications during non-cardiac arterial procedures (NCAPs) than males. The current study investigated the difference in the effect of peri-procedural prophylactic heparin in males and females, using the activated clotting time (ACT). This was a retrospective analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort study.

METHODS

All patients undergoing elective NCAP using heparin and ACT measurements between January 2016 and March 2020 were included. Two heparin dosage protocols were used: weight based dosing of 100 IU/kg (international units per kilogram) or a bolus of 5 000 IU. The primary outcome was the anticoagulatory effect of heparin after five minutes, measured by ACT. Secondary outcomes were the effect of heparin after 30 minutes, bleeding complications, and arterial thromboembolic complications (ATECs).

RESULTS

A total of 778 patients were included; 26% were female. After 100 IU/kg (n = 300), females more often reached longer ACT (< 200 seconds: 22% vs. 25%, p = .62; 200 - 250 seconds: 41% vs. 53%, p = .058; 251 - 280 seconds, 26% vs. 15%, p = .030). The mean ACT after 100 IU/kg heparin was 233 seconds (95% confidence interval [CI] 224 - 243) for females and 226 seconds (95% CI 221 - 231) for males (p = .057). After a bolus of 5 000 IU of heparin (n = 411), females reached significantly higher levels of anticoagulation than males (mean ACT 204 seconds vs. 190 seconds: p ≤ .001; ACT < 200 seconds: 44% vs. 66%; p < .001; ACT 200 - 250 seconds: 47% vs. 30%, p = .001; ACT 251 - 280 seconds: 7.8% vs. 2.3%, p = .009). Thirty minutes after heparin administration, 58% of all patients had an ACT < 200 seconds. ATECs did not differ between females and males (6.9% vs. 5.1%, p = .33) but bleeding complications were higher in females (27% vs. 16%, p = .001).

CONCLUSION

Heparin leads to significantly longer ACT in females during NCAP. Further research is needed to investigate whether individually based heparin protocols lead to fewer bleeding complications and lower incidence of ATECs.

Social determinants of health and the prediction of 90-day mortality among brain tumor patients

OBJECTIVE

Within the neurosurgical oncology literature, the effect of structural and socioeconomic factors on postoperative outcomes remains unclear. In this study, the authors quantified the effects of social determinant of health (SDOH) disparities on hospital complications, length of stay (LOS), nonroutine discharge, 90-day readmission, and 90-day mortality following brain tumor surgery.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of brain tumor patients who had undergone resection at a single institution in 2017-2019. The prevalence of SDOH disparities among patients was tracked using International Classification of Diseases Ninth and Tenth Revisions (ICD-9 and ICD-10) codes. Bivariate (Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher's exact test) and multivariate (logistic and linear) regressions revealed whether there was an independent relationship between SDOH status and postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

The patient cohort included 2519 patients (mean age 55.27 ± 15.14 years), 187 (7.4%) of whom experienced at least one SDOH disparity. Patients who experienced an SDOH disparity were significantly more likely to be female (OR 1.36, p = 0.048), Black (OR 1.91, p < 0.001), and unmarried (OR 1.55, p = 0.0049). Patients who experienced SDOH disparities also had significantly higher 5-item modified frailty index (mFI-5) scores (p < 0.001) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classes (p = 0.0012). Experiencing an SDOH disparity was associated with a significantly longer hospital LOS (p = 0.0036), greater odds of a nonroutine discharge (OR 1.64, p = 0.0092), and greater odds of 90-day mortality (OR 2.82, p = 0.0016) in the bivariate analysis. When controlling for patient demographics, tumor diagnosis, mFI-5 score, ASA class, surgery number, and SDOH status, SDOHs independently predicted hospital LOS (coefficient = 1.22, p = 0.016) and increased odds of 90-day mortality (OR 2.12, p = 0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

SDOH disparities independently predicted a prolonged hospital LOS and 90-day mortality in brain tumor patients. Working to address these disparities offers a new avenue through which to reduce patient morbidity and mortality following brain tumor surgery.

Vascular surgery patients in intensive care: a bi-national cohort study over 15 years

BACKGROUND

To describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to Intensive Care following vascular surgery, and their subsequent usage of Intensive Care resources, over a 15-year period in Australia and New Zealand.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, bi-national study of 69 676 adult patients admitted to 179 Intensive Care Unit (ICUs) following vascular surgery between January 2005 and December 2019, using the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Adult Patient Database.

RESULTS

The proportion of ICU bed days used by vascular surgery patients decreased during the study period from 3.6% in 2005 to 2.9% in 2019 (P < 0.001). The cohort had a median age of 73 years, and were most frequently admitted after a carotid endarterectomy (22%) or elective open aneurysm repair (20%). A total of 5.2% of patients did not survive to discharge. Mean annual adjusted mortality decreased during the study period from 6.1% in 2005 to 3.7% in 2019 (P < 0.001). Multiple factors were associated with higher mortality, including gender, hospital case volume and hospital type.

CONCLUSIONS

Between 2005 and 2019 survival for vascular surgery patients requiring ICU admission in Australia and New Zealand improved. During the same time the proportion of ICU bed days used by these patients decreased.

Gender Disparities in Aortoiliac Revascularization in Patients with Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease

BACKGROUND

Gender disparities have been previously reported in aortic aneurysm and critical limb ischemia outcomes; however, limited info is known about disparities in aortoiliac occlusive disease. We sought to characterize potential disparities in this specific population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients who underwent aortobifemoral bypass and aortic thromboendarterectomy (Current Procedural Terminology codes 35646 and 35331) between 2012 and 2019 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. A binomial regression model was used to estimate gender differences in 30-day morbidity and mortality. Inverse probability weighting was used to standardize demographic and surgical characteristics.

RESULTS

We identified 1,869 patients, of which 39.8% were female and the median age was 61 years. Age, body composition, and other baseline characteristics were overall similar between genders; however, racial data were missing for 26.1% of patients. Females had a higher prevalence of preexisting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (20.9% vs. 14.7%, prevalence difference 6.1%, P < 0.01), diabetes mellitus (25.4% vs. 19.4%, prevalence difference 6.0%, P < 0.01), and high-risk anatomical features (39.4% vs. 33.7%, prevalence difference 5.8%, P = 0.01). Preprocedural medications included a statin in only 68.2% of patients and antiplatelet agent in 76.7% of patients. Females also had a higher incidence of bleeding events when compared to males (25.2% vs. 17.5%, standardized risk difference 7.2%, P < 0.01), but were less likely to have a prolonged hospitalization greater than 10 days (18.2% vs. 20.9%, standardized risk difference -5.0%, P = 0.01). The 30-day mortality rate was not significantly different between genders (4.7% vs. 3.6%, standardized risk difference 1.2%, P = 0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Female patients treated with aortobifemoral bypass or aortic thromboendarterectomy are more likely to have preexisting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and high-risk anatomical features. Regardless of a patient's gender, there is poor adherence to preoperative medical optimization with both statins and antiplatelet agents. Female patients are more likely to have postoperative bleeding complications while males are more likely to have a prolonged hospital stay greater than 10 days. Future work could attempt to further delineate disparities using databases with longer follow-up data and seek to create protocols for reducing these observed disparities.

Frailty scoring in vascular and endovascular surgery: A systematic review

One in 10 independently living adults aged 65 years old and older is considered frail, and frailty is associated with poor postoperative outcomes. This systematic review aimed to examine the association between frailty assessments and postoperative outcomes in patients with vascular disease. Electronic databases - MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library - were searched from inception until January 2022, resulting in 648 articles reviewed for potential inclusion and 16 studies selected. Demographic data, surgery type, frailty measure, and postoperative outcomes predicted by frailty were extracted from the selected studies. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The selected studies (mean age: 56.1-76.3 years) had low-to-moderate risk of bias and included 16 vascular (elective and nonelective) surgeries and eight frailty measures. Significant associations (p < 0.05) were established between mortality (30-day, 90-day, 1-year, 5-year), 30-day morbidity, nonhome discharge, adverse events, failure to rescue, patient requiring care after discharge, and amputation following critical limb ischaemia. The strongest evidence was found between 30-day mortality and frailty. Composite 30-day morbidity and mortality, functional status at discharge, length of stay, spinal cord deficit, and access site complications were found to be nonsignificantly associated with frailty. With frailty being significantly associated with several adverse postoperative outcomes, preoperative frailty assessments can potentially be clinically useful in helping practitioners predict and guide the pre-, peri-, and postoperative management of frail with vascular disease.

Impact of frailty on all-cause mortality or major amputation in patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Frailty has been increasingly identified as a risk factor of adverse outcomes in vascular disease. However, its impact on the survival and amputation in patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the value of frailty in predicting all-cause mortality or major amputation in patients with lower extremity PAD.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Web of Sciences, and Scopus databases (up to April 7, 2022) were comprehensively searched to identify relevant studies that investigated the association between frailty and all-cause mortality or major amputation in patients with lower extremity PAD. The impact of frailty on adverse outcomes was summarized by pooling the fully adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random effect (DerSimonian-Laird) model.

RESULTS

Seven studies reporting on eight articles that involved 122,892 patients were included. The prevalence of frailty ranged from 42% to 80% based on the frailty tool used. Meta-analysis showed that frailty was associated with an increased risk of 30-day all-cause mortality (HR 2.11; 95% CI 1.41-3.15; I² =47.6%, p = 0.148, Tau-squared=0.058) and long-term all-cause mortality (HR 1.86; 95% CI 1.25-2.76; I² =76.1%, p = 0.002, Tau-squared=0.118). However, no clear association was observed between frailty and major amputation (HR 1.07; 95% CI 0.83-1.36; I² =23.0%, p = 0.273, Tau-squared=0.019).

CONCLUSION

Frailty independently predicts short and long-term all-cause mortality but not major amputation in patients with lower extremity PAD. Frailty status may play an important role in risk stratification of lower extremity PAD.

The Association of Frailty With Outcomes for Older Adults Undergoing Appendectomy

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a potential modifiable predictor of surgical outcomes in older adults. The impact of frailty following appendectomy, a common urgent operation, is unknown for older adults. The study aim was to assess if frailty is associated with worse perioperative outcomes after appendectomy in older adults.

METHODS

We used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database from 2016 to 2018 and identified patients 65 and older who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis. We identified frailty as a Modified Frailty Index (MFI) score ≥2. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association of frailty with 30-day mortality, serious complications, readmission, and discharge to facility.

RESULTS

Five thousand seven hundred twenty-eight older adults underwent appendectomy, of which 29.1% were 75 or older, 53.3% female, 74.9% non-Hispanic White, and 17.1% frail. Frail patients experienced worse outcomes: mortality (frail: 1.0% vs non-frail: .3%, P = .001), serious complications (14.2% vs 8.0%, P = <.0001), and discharge to facility (9.3% vs 2.3%, P < .0001). On multivariate logistic regression, frailty was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio [OR] 3.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28-8.66), serious complications (OR 1.51; 95% CI: 1.17-1.93), and discharge to facility (OR 2.80; 95% CI: 2.00-3.93). Frailty was not significantly associated with readmission (P = .180).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is associated with worse postoperative outcomes following appendectomy in older adults. As frailty is potentially modifiable, it should be routinely assessed and utilized in perioperative optimization and counseling, especially with respect to patient-centered outcomes.

Canadian Cardiovascular Society 2022 Guidelines for Peripheral Arterial Disease

Patients with widespread atherosclerosis such as peripheral artery disease (PAD) have a high risk of cardiovascular and limb symptoms and complications, which affects their quality of life and longevity. Over the past 2 decades there have been substantial advances in diagnostics, pharmacotherapy, and interventions including endovascular and open surgical to aid in the management of PAD patients. To summarize the evidence regarding approaches to diagnosis, risk stratification, medical and intervention treatments for patients with PAD, guided by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, evidence was synthesized, and assessed for quality, and recommendations provided-categorized as weak or strong for each prespecified research question. Fifty-six recommendations were made, with 27% (15/56) graded as strong recommendations with high-quality evidence, 14% (8/56) were designated as strong recommendations with moderate-quality evidence, and 20% (11/56) were strong recommendations with low quality of evidence. Conversely 39% (22/56) were classified as weak recommendations. For PAD patients, strong recommendations on the basis of high-quality evidence, include smoking cessation interventions, structured exercise programs for claudication, lipid-modifying therapy, antithrombotic therapy with a single antiplatelet agent or dual pathway inhibition with low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin; treatment of hypertension with an angiotensin converting enzyme or angiotensin receptor blocker; and for those with diabetes, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor should be considered. Furthermore, autogenous grafts are more effective than prosthetic grafts for surgical bypasses for claudication or chronic limb-threatening ischemia involving the popliteal or distal arteries. Other recommendations indicated that new endovascular techniques and hybrid procedures be considered in patients with favourable anatomy and patient factors, and finally, the evidence for perioperative risk stratification for PAD patients who undergo surgery remains weak.

Frailty and outcomes following revascularization of lower-extremity peripheral artery disease: Insights from the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI)

BACKGROUND

Multiple frailty screening tools are implemented; however, it is unclear whether they perform in a comparable way for both frailty detection and prediction of perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing lower-extremity revascularization.

METHODS

Patients undergoing lower-extremity revascularization were identified from the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) national database. Two cohorts were established based on the revascularization type (percutaneous vascular interventions (PVI) or lower-extremity bypass). Frailty was assessed by the 5-item modified frailty index (mFI-5) and the VQI-derived risk analysis index (RAI).

RESULTS

Out of 134,081 patients undergoing PVI, frailty was identified in 67% by mFI-5 and 28% by RAI. Similarly, out of 41,316 patients in the bypass cohort, frailty was identified in 69% by mFI-5 and 16% by RAI. There was little agreement between the two frailty tools for both vascular cohorts (PVI: kappa: 0.17; bypass: kappa: 0.13). In an adjusted analysis, frailty as assessed by mFI-5 and RAI was associated with higher odds of mortality in both cohorts (p < 0.001). A significant association between frailty and unplanned amputations was only noted in the bypass cohort when RAI was applied (OR: 1.50, p < 0.01). The addition of frailty to traditional PAD risk factors marginally improved model performance to predict mortality and unplanned major amputations.

CONCLUSION

There was significant variation in frailty detection by mFI-5 and RAI. Although frailty was associated with mortality, the predictive value of these tools in predicting outcomes in PAD was limited. Future research should focus on designing new frailty screening tools specific to the PAD population.

Elevated Risk Analysis Index (RAI) Frailty Scores Are Independently Associated with Adverse Outcomes in Lower Extremity Surgical Revascularizations Similarly Across Genders

INTRODUCTION

The Risk Analysis Index (RAI) frailty scoring system, developed in a predominantly male Veteran sample, has recently undergone revision and external validation to become the RAI-rev using a general surgical sample from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. We set forth to evaluate the application of RAI-rev scoring to lower extremity surgical revascularization outcomes in the NSQIP database while verifying that similar associations with outcomes persist in this subset across genders.

METHODS

All elective cases in the NSQIP Targeted Lower Extremity Open (LEO) database recorded from 2015-2019 were paired with the NSQIP Participant User File using Case IDs. Groups were defined by EMR-recorded gender. Extended length of stay was defined as top quartile postoperative stays. Aggregate demographics, perioperative factors, and 30-day outcomes were compared between groups using unpaired t-test and Fisher's exact test. Adjusted odds-ratios (aOR) for each outcome were generated by applying a multivariate binary logistic regression model in IBM SPSS^TM for five-point RAI-rev score increments from 25-45 and a most-frail group with scores >45. Covariates included surgical indication, prior ipsilateral surgical revascularization versus percutaneous intervention, graft utilization, presence of dirty/infected wound, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and steroid use. A non-frail group with RAI-rev scores <25 was utilized as the reference for generating adjusted odds ratios.

RESULTS

8,155 cases were recorded in the NSQIP LEO database from 2015-2019, including 2,498 (31%) performed in women who had slightly lower RAI-rev scores on average (22.1±5.8 vs 24.2±5.1; p=0.0001). Univariate trends demonstrated dose-dependent increases in frequency of most outcomes with rising frailty score ranges, with the most substantial changes over mortality (0.4% of non-frail to 14.7% most-frail), disposition to a skilled nursing facility (8% of non-frail to 27% most-frail), and extended length of stay (16% of non-frail to 44% most-frail). After adjusting for co-variates, patients with RAI-rev scores of 26-30 had aOR of 1.4 (95% CI: 1.2-1.6; p<0.001), 1.9 (95% CI: 1.6-2.2; p<0.001), and 2.4 (95% CI: 1.3-4.4; p<0.001) for extended stay, disposition to skilled nursing, and mortality respectively as compared to those with RAI-rev scores <25. Despite more non-significant aOR for women than men, trends were similar across genders in both univariate and multivariate analyses.

CONCLUSION

Our study is the first to find that outcomes other than mortality are significantly predicted by RAI-rev score ranges in lower extremity surgical revascularizations with similar associations regardless of gender. RAI-rev frailty scores >30 may help to identify frail patients at a higher risk of mortality, extended stay, and increased rehabilitation needs prior to lower extremity surgical revascularization to inform risk assessment and optimize patient recovery.

Current Clinical Implications of Frailty and Sarcopenia in Vascular Surgery: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature and Consideration of Perioperative Management

Frailty is a well-known geriatric syndrome of impaired physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors. Sarcopenia is also used as a parameter of physical impairment characterized by muscle weakness. As population aging has become more prominent in recent years, both modalities are now regarded as clinically important prognostic tools defined by multidimensional factors that may affect clinical outcomes in various clinical settings. A preoperative surgical risk analysis is mandatory to predict clinical and surgical outcomes in all surgical practices, particularly in high-risk surgical patients. In vascular surgical settings, frailty and sarcopenia have been accepted as useful prognostic tools to evaluate patient characteristics before surgery, as these may predict perioperative clinical and surgical outcomes. Although minimally invasive surgical approaches, such as endovascular therapy, and hybrid approaches have been universally developed, achieving good vascular surgical outcomes for high-risk cohorts remains to be challenge due to the increasing prevalence of elderly patients and multiple preoperative co-morbidities in addition to frailty and sarcopenia. Therefore, to further improve clinical and surgical outcomes, these preoperative geriatric prognostic factors will be of great importance and interest in vascular surgical settings for both physicians and surgeons.

The modified 5-item frailty index is a predictor of perioperative risk in head and neck microvascular reconstruction: An analysis of 3795 cases

BACKGROUND

The modified frailty index 5 (mFI-5)-a scale based on the five variables diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and functional dependency-has been shown to be a valid predictor of surgical outcomes. In this study we sought to evaluate the ability of the mFI-5 to predict the postoperative outcomes of head and neck microvascular reconstruction.

METHODS

Review of the 2015-2019 American College of Surgeons, National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database identified 5323 cases of microvascular reconstruction, of which 3795 were head and neck cases that provided parameters necessary to calculate the mFI-5. The groups were compared in terms of demographics and comorbidities. Post-operative outcomes assessed included mortality, average operative time and length of hospital stay, surgical and medical complications, and non-home discharge.

RESULTS

Increases in the mFI were associated with longer hospitalization periods (10.5 ± 7.5 days in mFI 0 vs 14.9 ± 15.4 in mFI ≥ 3; p < 0.0001) higher rates of mortality (1% in mFI 0 vs 3.1% in mFI ≥ 3; p = 0.02), reoperation (15.4% in mFI 0 vs 17.2% in mFI ≥ 3; p = 0.002) and unplanned readmission (7.6% in mFI 0 vs 18.8% in mFI ≥ 3; p = 0.001). Rates of any complications (p < 0.0001), as well as surgical (p < 0.002) and medical (p < 0.0001) complications specifically were higher with greater mFI scores. Higher mFI scores also predicted decreased home discharge (p < 0.0001). Differences remained significant on multivariate analysis and subgroup analysis by age.

CONCLUSION

The mFI-5 is a significant predictor of risk in microvascular head and neck reconstruction. Subgroup analysis by age highlights that the tool can help identify younger patients who are frail and hence at risk. Through appropriate pre-operative identification of frail patients surgeons can prospectively modify their operative and discharge planning as well as post-operative support.

Outcome Analysis Using the Modified Frailty Index-5 in Patients With Complex Aortoiliac Disease

OBJECTIVES

Vascular surgery patients commonly have several comorbidities that cumulatively lead to a frailty status. The cumulative comorbidities disproportionately increase the risk of adverse events and are also associated with worsened long-term prognosis. In recent years, several tools have been elaborated with the objective of quantifying a patient's frailty. One of them is the modified frailty index-5 (mFI-5), a simplified and easy to use index. There is scarce data regarding its value as a prognostic factor in aortoiliac occlusive disease. The aim of this work is to validate mFI-5 as a potential postoperative prognostic indicator in this population.

METHODS

From January 2013 to January 2020, 109 patients who underwent elective revascularizations, either endovascular or open surgery, having Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus II type D aortoiliac lesions in a tertiary and a regional hospital were selected from a prospective vascular registry. Demographic data was collected including diabetes mellitus, chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arterial hypertension requiring medication and functional status. The 30-d and subsequent long-term surveillance outcomes were also collected including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), major adverse limb events (MALE) and all-cause mortality were assessed in the 30-d post-procedure and in the subsequent long-term surveillance period. The mFI-5 was applied to this population to evaluate the prognostic impact of this frailty marker on mortality and morbidity.

RESULTS

In the long-term follow-up, mFI-5 was significantly associated with MACE (hazard ratio [HR] 2.469; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.267-4.811; P = .008) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.585; 95% CI: 1.270-5.260; P = .009). However, there was no significant association with 30-day outcomes. Along with the presence of chronic kidney disease, mFI-5 was the prognostic factor better able of predicting MACE. No prognostic value was found regarding short-term outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The mFI-5 index may have a role in predicting long term outcomes, namely MACE and all-cause mortality, in the subset of patients with extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease. Its ease of use can foster its application in risk stratification and contribute for the decision-making process.

Sex-related disparities in intervention rates and type of intervention in patients with aortic and peripheral arterial diseases in the National Inpatient Sample Database

OBJECTIVE

The first annual Women's Vascular Summit highlighted sex- and gender-related knowledge gaps in vascular disease diagnosis and treatment. This finding suggests an opportunity for further research to improve care and outcomes in people who identify as women, specifically. The purpose of this study was to a large national dataset to identify all operations performed for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), carotid artery stenosis (CAS), and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the United States, and to provide data on sex-related disparities in treatment.

METHODS

All hospitalizations of adult patients (≥18 years old) diagnosed with AAA, CAS, or PAD who underwent vascular surgery from 2000 to 2016 were identified in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample. Sex-stratified U.S. Census data and sex-specific population disease prevalence estimates from the National Institute of Health and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality were used to calculate the number of U.S. adults with AAA, CAS, and PAD. Sex-stratified rates of surgery and incidence rate ratios were estimated using Poisson regression. Among those undergoing surgery, multivariable logistic regression was used to assess differences in endovascular vs open approach.

RESULTS

Over 16 years, there were 1,021,684 hospitalizations for vascular surgery: 13% AAA (21% female, 79% male), 40% CAS (42% female, 58% male), and 47% PAD (42% female, 58% male). Females were older than males at time of surgery (median age, 71.3 years vs 69.7 years) and less likely to have private insurance (18% vs 23%); minimal differences were seen across race/ethnicity, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. After accounting for disease prevalence, females were still 25% less likely to undergo surgery for AAA and 30% less likely to undergo surgery for PAD compared with males with the same disease. These results were consistent over time. After adjustment, females, compared with males, were less likely to receive an endovascular procedure compared with open for AAA or CAS, and more likely to receive one for PAD.

CONCLUSIONS

From 2000 to 2016 in the United States, females were less likely to undergo intervention for AAA and PAD than males. This finding is particularly significant for PAD, because the prevalence is the same for both sexes, indicating that females are likely undertreated for PAD. Additionally, females were less likely to undergo endovascular surgery for AAA and more likely to undergo endovascular surgery for PAD than males. These findings suggest that improvement in AAA and PAD identification and management in females may improve outcomes.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preoperative Frailty Instruments Derived From Electronic Health Data

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a strong predictor of adverse outcomes in the perioperative period. Given the increasing availability of electronic medical data, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis with primary objectives of describing available frailty instruments applied to electronic data and synthesizing their prognostic value. Our secondary objectives were to assess the construct validity of frailty instruments that have been applied to perioperative electronic data and the feasibility of electronic frailty assessment.

METHODS

Following protocol registration, a peer-reviewed search strategy was applied to Medline, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Cochrane databases, and the Comprehensive Index to Nursing and Allied Health literature from inception to December 31, 2019. All stages of the review were completed in duplicate. The primary outcome was mortality; secondary outcomes included nonhome discharge, health care costs, and length of stay. Effect estimates adjusted for baseline illness, sex, age, procedure, and urgency were of primary interest; unadjusted and adjusted estimates were pooled using random-effects models where appropriate or narratively synthesized. Risk of bias was assessed.

RESULTS

Ninety studies were included; 83 contributed to the meta-analysis. Frailty was defined using 22 different instruments. In adjusted data, frailty identified from electronic data using any instrument was associated with a 3.57-fold increase in the odds of mortality (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.68-4.75), increased odds of institutional discharge (odds ratio [OR], 2.40; 95% CI, 1.99-2.89), and increased costs (ratio of means, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.46-1.63). Most instruments were not multidimensional, head-to-head comparisons were lacking, and no feasibility data were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty status derived from electronic data provides prognostic value as it is associated with adverse outcomes, even after adjustment for typical risk factors. However, future research is required to evaluate multidimensional instruments and their head-to-head performance and to assess their feasibility and clinical impact.

Variation in treatment and outcomes for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia in New South Wales, Australia

BACKGROUND

Chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI) carries significant amputation and mortality risks. Australian population-based outcomes for CLTI are inadequately known. This study aimed to distinguish factors associated with outcomes in the first 2 years after CLTI surgery.

METHODS

By linking routinely collected health administrative and mortality data from New South Wales, this population-based cohort study identified patients with ischaemic rest pain, gangrene or ulceration undergoing vascular surgery in public hospitals between 2010 and 2012. The primary outcome was 2-year amputation-free survival (AFS), and secondary outcomes included readmission and reoperation rates. Multivariable regression analysis identified prognostic factors adjusted for patient, hospital and geographic factors.

RESULTS

Primary CLTI surgery was performed on 4898 patients. Almost half the cohort had minor amputations without concurrent revascularization (2398, 49%), and the remaining patients had open (652, 13%) or endovascular (1848, 38%) surgery. At 2-years, the AFS rate was 72%. Significant disparity was seen between age groups, with the 2-year AFS 71% in patients aged 75 years or older, compared to 95% in patients aged less than 75 years (P < 0.001). Place of residence or hospital training status did not significantly influence AFS or readmission, but non-training hospitals had higher rates of reoperation.

CONCLUSION

This population-based cohort study demonstrated variable outcomes for patients with CLTI, particularly with respect to older age, admission acuity and comorbidity. Results may guide service improvements however further research is needed into how population-wide health initiatives can address age-related disparities in CLTI.

Frailty leads to poor long-term survival in patients undergoing elective vascular surgery

OBJECTIVE

Frailty has persistently been associated with unfavorable short-term outcomes after vascular surgery, including an increased complication risk, greater readmission rate, and greater short-term mortality. However, a knowledge gap remains concerning the association between preoperative frailty and long-term mortality. In the present study, we aimed to determine this association in elective vascular surgery patients.

METHODS

The present study was a part of a large prospective cohort study initiated in 2010 in our tertiary referral teaching hospital to study frailty in elderly elective vascular surgery patients (Vascular Ageing Study). A total of 639 patients with a minimal follow-up of 5 years, who had been treated from 2010 to 2014, were included in the present study. The Groningen Frailty Indicator, a 15-item self-administered questionnaire, was used to determine the presence and degree of frailty.

RESULTS

Of the 639 patients, 183 (28.6%) were considered frail preoperatively. For the frail patients, the actuarial survival after 1, 3, and 5 years was 81.4%, 66.7%, and 55.7%, respectively. For the nonfrail patients, the corresponding survival was 93.6%, 83.3%, and 75.2% (log-rank test, P < .001). Frail patients had a significantly greater risk of 5-year mortality (unadjusted hazard ratio, 2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.572-2.771; P < .001). After adjusting for surgical- and patient-related risk factors, the hazard ratio was 1.68 (95% confidence interval, 1.231-2.286; P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study have shown that preoperative frailty is associated with significantly increased long-term mortality after elective vascular surgery. Knowledge of a patient's preoperative frailty state could, therefore, be helpful in shared decision-making, because it provides more information about the procedural benefits and risks.

Predictive Effect of Frailty on Amputation, Mortality, and Ambulation in Patients Undergoing Revascularization for Acute Limb Ischemia

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a common, age-associated syndrome that has been used to predict postoperative outcomes in vascular surgery. This study examines if standard measures of frailty correlate with postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing revascularization for acute limb ischemia (ALI).

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on all adult patients undergoing revascularization for ALI at an academic medical center between January 2016 and June 2019. Frailty was calculated with the 11-factor modified frailty index (mFI-11), derived from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Frailty Index. Outcomes examined included in-hospital mortality, major amputation, site of discharge, and ambulatory status at follow-up.

RESULTS

Fifty-three ambulatory patients presented with ALI during the study time period, with 13.2% deemed not frail (mFI-11 < 3) and 86.8% deemed frail (mFI-11 ≥ 3). Frailty was significantly correlated with discharge to a skilled nursing facility (P = 0.028) and nonambulation at follow-up (P = 0.002). There was no significant correlation with other outcomes, including mortality and amputation. On multivariate analysis, frailty was the only factor contributing to nonambulation at follow-up (P = 0.012). Endovascular treatment did not mitigate the effects of frailty on discharge site and ambulatory status.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is exceedingly common in patients with ALI. Although frailty predicts discharge site and nonambulation at follow-up, it is not associated with amputation or death. Therefore, frail patients should not be denied open or endovascular revascularization for ALI.

Chronic Lower Extremity Ischemia and Its Association with the Frailty Syndrome in Patients with Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Peripheral arterial disease affecting lower limb arteries is one of the clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis. The frailty syndrome (Frailty) is a problem associated with diminution of physiological reserves. The ankle-brachial index is a commonly used tool for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The usefulness of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) is limited in people with diabetes because of calcification of the middle layer of arteries. In this population, toe-brachial index should be measured. Frailty may be associated with worse prognosis for patients undergoing revascularization. Amputation may be an important factor leading to the development of Frailty. The risk of amputation and the prognosis after revascularization may be modified by some medications and blood glucose levels. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature about the association between PAD, especially in patients living with diabetes and Frailty.

Extent of heel ulceration influences the outcomes in patients with isolated infrapopliteal limb threatening critical ischemia

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of the extent of heel ulceration on the outcomes of limb threatening critical ischemia due to isolated infrapopliteal disease.

METHODS

A retrospective review identified 989 patients with isolated infrapopliteal disease and heel ulceration treated from 2001 to 2018. The heel was defined as the back of the foot, extending from the Achilles tendon to around the plantar surface and covering the apex of the calcaneum bone. Heel ulceration was categorized into three groups by area: <5 cm², 5 to 10 cm², and >10 cm². The interventions were endovascular, open bypass, major amputation, and wound care. An intention-to-treat analysis by patient group was performed. The 30-day outcomes and amputation-free survival (AFS; survival without a major amputation) were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 989 patients, 384 (58% male; average age, 65 years; n = 768 vessels) had undergone isolated endovascular tibial intervention, 124 (45% male; average age, 59 years) had undergone popliteal tibial vein bypass for limb threatening critical ischemia, 219 (52% male; average age, 67 years) had undergone major amputation, and 242 (49% male; average age, 66 years) had received wound care. No difference was found in the 30-day major adverse cardiac events in the endovascular and open bypass groups, with significantly more events in the major amputation group (P = .03). The 30-day major adverse limb events and 30-day amputation rates were equivalent between the open bypass and endovascular groups. The 5-year AFS rate was superior in the open bypass group (37% ± 8%; mean ± standard error of the mean) compared with the endovascular group (27% ± 9%; P = .04). The wound care group had a 5-year AFS rate of 20% ± 9%, which was not significantly different from that of the endovascular group. Patients with heel ulcers of <5 cm² had better AFS (47% ± 8%) than those with 5- to 10- cm² heel ulceration (24% ± 9%). Heel ulcers >10 cm² were associated with markedly worse 5-year AFS outcomes (0% ± 0%). The presence of end-stage renal disease, osteomyelitis, uncontrolled diabetes (hemoglobin A_1c >10%), and/or frailty combined with a heel ulcer >10 cm² were predictive of poor AFS.

CONCLUSIONS

An increasing heel ulcer area combined with osteomyelitis and systemic comorbidities was associated with worsening 30-day outcomes and 5-year AFS, irrespective of the therapy chosen.

Influence of Frailty on Outcome in Older Patients Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frailty is increasingly recognized as a better predictor of adverse postoperative events than chronological age. The objective of this review was to systematically evaluate the effect of frailty on postoperative morbidity and mortality. Studies were included if patients underwent non-cardiac surgery and if frailty was measured by a validated instrument using physical, cognitive and functional domains. A systematic search was performed using EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, CENTRAL and PubMed from 1990 - 2017. Methodological quality was assessed using an assessment tool for prognosis studies. Outcomes were 30-day mortality and complications, one-year mortality, postoperative delirium and discharge location. Meta-analyses using random effect models were performed and presented as pooled risk ratios with confidence intervals and prediction intervals. We included 56 studies involving 1.106.653 patients. Eleven frailty assessment tools were used. Frailty increases risk of 30-day mortality (31 studies, 673.387 patients, risk ratio 3.71 [95% CI 2.89-4.77] (PI 1.38-9.97; I2=95%) and 30-day complications (37 studies, 627.991 patients, RR 2.39 [95% CI 2.02-2.83). Risk of 1-year mortality was threefold higher (six studies, 341.769 patients, RR 3.40 [95% CI 2.42-4.77]). Four studies (N=438) reported on postoperative delirium. Meta-analysis showed a significant increased risk (RR 2.13 [95% CI 1.23-3.67). Finally, frail patients had a higher risk of institutionalization (10 studies, RR 2.30 [95% CI 1.81- 2.92]). Frailty is strongly associated with risk of postoperative complications, delirium, institutionalization and mortality. Preoperative assessment of frailty can be used as a tool for patients and doctors to decide who benefits from surgery and who doesn’t.

Frailty Factors and Outcomes in Vascular Surgery Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To describe and critique tools used to assess frailty in vascular surgery patients, and investigate its associations with patient factors and outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence shows negative impacts of frailty on outcomes in surgical patients, but little investigation of its associations with patient factors has been undertaken.

METHODS

Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting frailty in vascular surgery patients (PROSPERO registration: CRD42018116253) searching Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Quality of studies was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa scores (NOS) and quality of evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Associations of frailty with patient factors were investigated by difference in means (MD) or expressed as risk ratios (RRs), and associations with outcomes expressed as odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios (HRs). Data were pooled using random-effects models.

RESULTS

Fifty-three studies were included in the review and only 8 (15%) were both good quality (NOS ≥ 7) and used a well-validated frailty measure. Eighteen studies (62,976 patients) provided data for the meta-analysis. Frailty was associated with increased age [MD 4.05 years; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.35, 4.75], female sex (RR 1.32; 95% CI 1.14, 1.54), and lower body mass index (MD -1.81; 95% CI -2.94, -0.68). Frailty was associated with 30-day mortality [adjusted OR (AOR) 2.77; 95% CI 2.01-3.81), postoperative complications (AOR 2.16; 95% CI 1.55, 3.02), and long-term mortality (HR 1.85; 95% CI 1.31, 2.62). Sarcopenia was not associated with any outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Frailty, but not sarcopenia, is associated with worse outcomes in vascular surgery patients. Well-validated frailty assessment tools should be preferred clinically, and in future research.

Increased Reintervention After Infrainguinal Revascularization for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia in Women

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine if there are gender-based differences in major adverse limb events after revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and to identify potential associated factors.

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective analysis of 151 patients who underwent infrainguinal revascularization for CLTI between April 2013 and December 2015. Only the first revascularized limb was included in patients with bilateral CLTI. Demographic data and clinical outcomes were collected using electronic medical records.

RESULTS

The mean age was 68.1 ± 12.1 years, and 55 of 151 (36%) were women. Women were less likely to carry a diagnosis of hyperlipidemia (60% vs. 83%; P = 0.003), less likely to be on a statin medication (58% vs. 81%; P = 0.004), and less likely to undergo an infrapopliteal revascularization (60% vs. 77%; P = 0.04) compared with men. There were no differences between genders with regard to the Society for Vascular Surgery Wound Ischemia and Foot Infection stage at presentation or utilization of open versus endovascular intervention. During the median follow-up time of 678 days (interquartile range, 167-1277 days), 48 of 151 patients (32%) underwent reintervention on the threatened limb and 23 of 151 patients (15%) underwent major amputation. Women were more likely than men to need reintervention (P = 0.02). There was no difference between genders for major amputation (P = 0.48) or overall survival (P = 0.65). In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model for reintervention that included gender, preoperative body mass index, hyperlipidemia, preoperative anticoagulation, and ischemia score ≥2 (all P < 0.20 in univariate analysis), female gender (hazard ratio [HR], 1.96 [1.10-3.54]; P = 0.02) and hyperlipidemia (HR, 2.32 [1.07-5.03]; P = 0.03) were significantly associated with increased rates of reintervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Women undergoing lower extremity revascularization for CLTI were more likely to require reintervention compared with men but had similar rates of limb preservation. Further study is required to understand potential causative factors to improve treatment outcomes in women.

The Modified Frailty Index Does Not Predict Mortality After Major Lower Extremity Amputation for Peripheral Arterial Disease in an Asian Population

BACKGROUND

Patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) who undergo major lower extremity amputation (LEA) have been associated with high one-year mortality rates. Previous western-based studies have identified risk factors that exponentiate these poor outcomes, including nonambulatory status and cardiovascular morbidity. We assessed the effect of frailty, using the modified frailty index (mFI) in a cohort undergoing major LEA for CLI to predict mortality, perioperative complications, and unplanned readmissions in a tertiary institution from Singapore.

METHODS

Data on patients who had undergone major LEA from January 2016 to December 2017 were collected retrospectively. Inclusion criteria were below-knee amputations (BKAs) or above-knee amputations (AKAs) performed for peripheral arterial disease-related tissue loss or sepsis only. Patients were categorized into 3 risk groups based on the 11-variable mFI: low mFI, 0-0.27; moderate mFI, 0.36-0.54; and high mFI ≥0.63. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

211 patients underwent major LEA, of whom 133 (63.0%) had undergone BKA. The mean mFI was 0.41 (range 0-0.81). 84/211 (39.8%) died within 1 year after the procedure, with mortality rates of 25/65 (38.4%), 49/127 (38.6%), and 10/19 (52.6%) in the low-, moderate-, high-mFI categories, respectively. High and moderate mFI had failed to demonstrate an increased risk of mortality when compared with the low-mFI group (P > 0.05). 91/211 (43.1%) patients had perioperative complications, whereas 27/211 (12.8%) patients were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease, and atrial fibrillation were found to be predictive of poor outcomes after major LEA.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty as measured with the mFI did not predict outcome after major LEA. This could be due to confounding effects such as high prevalence of renal dysfunction and the constancy of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease in this population that would reduce the differentiation of patients using the mFI.

Frailty In Patients Undergoing Vascular Surgery: A Narrative Review Of Current Evidence

Frailty is presumably associated with an elevated risk of postoperative mortality and adverse outcome in vascular surgery patients. The aim of our review was to identify possible methods for risk assessment and prehabilitation in order to improve recovery and postoperative outcome. The literature search was performed via PubMed, Embase, OvidSP, and the Cochrane Library. We collected papers published in peer-reviewed journals between 2001 and 2018. The selection criterion was the relationship between vascular surgery, frailty and postoperative outcome or mortality. A total number of 52 publications were included. Frailty increases the risk of non-home discharge independently of presence or absence of postoperative complications and it is related to a higher 30-day mortality and major morbidity. The modified Frailty Index showed significant association with elevated risk for post-interventional stroke, myocardial infarction, prolonged in-hospital stays and higher readmission rates. When adjusted for comorbidity and surgery type, frailty seems to impact medium-term survival (within 2 years). Preoperative physical exercising, avoidance of hypalbuminemia, psychological and cognitive training, maintenance of muscle strength, adequate perioperative nutrition, and management of smoking behaviours are leading to a reduced length of stay and a decreased incidence of readmission rate, thus improving the effectiveness of early rehabilitation. Pre-frailty is a dynamically changing state of the patient, capable of deteriorating or improving over time. With goal-directed preoperative interventions, the decline can be prevented.

Sex-Based Assessment of Patient Presentation, Lesion Characteristics, and Treatment Modalities in Patients Undergoing Peripheral Vascular Intervention

BACKGROUND

Limited evidence suggests that women and men might be treated differently for peripheral arterial disease. This analysis evaluated sex-based differences in disease presentation and its effect on treatment modality among patients who underwent endovascular treatment for peripheral arterial disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using national registry data from the Vascular Quality Initiative between 2010 and 2013, we examined patient, limb, and artery characteristics by sex through descriptive statistics. We studied 26 750 procedures performed in 23 820 patients to treat 30 545 limbs and 44 804 arteries. Women presented at an older age (69 versus 67 years; P<0.001) and were less often current or former smokers (72% versus 85%; P<0.001). Transatlantic Inter-Society Consensus classification was similar among men and women (Transatlantic Inter-Society Consensus C or D: 37% in men versus 37% in women; P=0.81), as was mean occlusion length (4.5 cm in men versus 4.6 cm in women; P=0.04), even after accounting for lesion location. Women more frequently underwent treatment for rest pain (11% in men versus 16% in women; P<0.001) versus claudication (59% in men versus 53% in women; P<0.001) or tissue loss (28% in men versus 27% in women; P=0.75). Treatment modality did not differ by sex but was associated with disease severity (P for trend <0.001) and lesion location (P for trend <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Women undergo peripheral endovascular intervention for peripheral arterial disease at an older age with critical limb ischemia. Treatment modalities do not vary by sex but are determined by disease severity and site. Although there exist sex differences in presentation, these differences do not lead to differential treatment for women with peripheral arterial disease.

Frailty and functional outcomes after open and endovascular procedures for patients with peripheral arterial disease: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Frailty has been associated with postoperative complications and mortality across surgical specialties, including vascular surgery. However, the influence of frailty on postoperative functional outcomes is unclear. We sought to determine the influence of frailty on functional outcomes after open or endovascular vascular procedures in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

METHODS

This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Eligible articles were identified through database searches of Pubmed and EMBASE in April 2017. Studies reporting on frailty and functional outcomes after vascular interventions for peripheral artery disease (PAD) were included. Outcomes of interest were dependency in activities of daily living (ADL), dependent mobility, discharge destination, disability-free survival, and quality of life. Individual studies were assessed for quality and risk of bias using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool.

RESULTS

Eight studies met the eligibility criteria and were included. The risk of bias was low in two studies, intermediate in three studies, and high in three studies. Methods for frailty assessment were different for each study. Frailty was a predictor for discharge to a higher level of care, dependent mobility, and dependency in ADL after vascular procedures for PAD. Both frailty models and individual frailty characteristics seem to be associated with these adverse functional outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a limited amount of literature and an overall intermediate quality of the included studies, this systematic review shows an association between frailty and adverse functional outcomes after peripheral arterial procedures for PAD, including discharge to a care facility, dependent mobility, and a decline in ADL functioning.

Sarcopenia as a Possible Negative Predictor of Limb Salvage in Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

Objective: Open revascularization of the lower extremity in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) does not guarantee limb salvage. Due to the high prevalence of frailty among these patients, we hypothesized that sarcopenia negatively affects limb prognosis.

Methods: Seventy-five CLTI patients who underwent open revascularization between 2011 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The lumbar psoas index, which is the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscles to the patients’ height squared, was used as a surrogate marker for sarcopenia. Male and female patients were stratified separately according to lumbar psoas index values. The lower two-thirds of the population for each sex were defined as the sarcopenia group, with the higher third defined as the non-sarcopenia group.

Results: Comorbidities and ambulatory status did not differ between the sarcopenia (n=50) and non-sarcopenia (n=25) groups. The sarcopenia group had significantly lower overall survival rates than the non-sarcopenia group (60% vs 87% at 3 years, P<0.05). Moreover, the limb salvage rates were significantly lower in the sarcopenia group than in the non-sarcopenia group (73% vs 100% at 2 years, P<0.05).

Conclusion: Sarcopenia, as measured by the lumbar psoas index, may predict poor limb prognosis in CLTI patients undergoing open revascularization.

Interaction between frailty and sex on mortality after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

BACKGROUND

Controversy exists surrounding gender outcome disparity and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Previous reports have demonstrated worse outcomes for women undergoing open aneurysm repair (OAR); however, these differences are less evident with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Epidemiologic studies have documented that women score higher on most frailty assessment scales but paradoxically have longer life expectancy compared to men. The interaction of gender/frailty and the influence on outcomes and practice patterns surrounding EVAR and OAR is poorly described. This analysis characterizes the association of frailty/sex interactions on mortality as well as patient selection surrounding elective AAA repair in the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative.

METHODS

All elective infrarenal AAA (EVAR + OAR; 2003-2017) cases were queried from the Vascular Quality Initiative database. Each patient was assigned a previously published modified frailty index (mFI) score derived from comorbidity and preoperative functional status data. Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for statistically significant covariates, including procedural complexity, determined associations within full models and sex-stratified models.

RESULTS

A total of 20,750 elective AAA cases were analyzed (EVAR 15,893 [77%]; OAR 4857 [23%]). Thirty-day mortality for EVAR and OAR was 0.7% (n = 115) and 3.5% (n = 169), respectively. Patients who died were significantly more likely to be older (EVAR, 78 vs 73 years; OAR, 74 vs 69 years; P < .0001), have larger AAA diameters (EVAR, 59 vs 56 mm; P = .005; OAR, 62 vs 59 mm; P = .001), higher mFI scores (EVAR, 3.2 vs 2.4; OAR, 3.1 vs 2.2; P < .0001), and be of female sex (EVAR hazard ratio = 1.66 [95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.52]; P = .007; OAR-1.43 [1.02-1.99]; P = .003). Significant differences in the gender distribution of frailty scores among EVAR patients were evident (mean mFI: male 2.42 vs female 2.34; P = .02), but no difference was detected for OAR (male 2.17 vs female 2.22; P = .38). The mFI was a strong independent predictor of mortality (30 days: EVAR hazard ratio = 1.36 [1.22-1.53] and OAR 1.46 [1.32-1.60]; 1 year: EVAR 1.32 [1.25-1.39] and OAR-1.38 [1.28-1.48]). There was no interaction between mFI and gender on the association with mortality. Across frailty strata, male patients were nearly twofold more likely to undergo either elective EVAR or OAR for an AAA below recommended minimum diameter thresholds (male, <5.5 cm; female, <5.0 cm). Greater mFI score did not alter OAR selection but was associated with less frequent EVAR of small AAA.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the strong association between frailty and postoperative mortality, mFI can be used as a predictive tool to aid in surgical planning of patients undergoing elective AAA repair. While mFI can predict postoperative mortality for both men and women, it does not account for the survival disparity between sexes, and further research is warranted to explain this difference. There appear to be significant gender differences in patient selection based on current Society for Vascular Surgery-endorsed treatment thresholds that may have important implications on the appropriateness of AAA care delivery nationally.

Frailty assessment in older adults undergoing interventions for peripheral arterial disease

OBJECTIVE

Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome that influences postoperative morbidity and mortality after vascular procedures; however, its integration in clinical practice has been limited, given the lack of consensus on how to measure it. This study sought to compare the incremental predictive value of six different nonphysical performance frailty scales to predict poor outcomes after interventions for peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

METHODS

This preplanned analysis of the FRailty Assessment In Lower Extremity arterial Disease (FRAILED) prospective cohort included two centers recruiting patients between July 1, 2015, and October 1, 2016. Individuals who underwent vascular interventions for Rutherford class 3 or higher PAD were enrolled. The following scales were compared: Edmonton Frail Scale, Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI), modified Essential Frailty Toolset (mEFT), modified Frailty Index, Multidimensional Prognostic Index, and the Risk Analysis Index-C. The primary end point was a composite of all-cause mortality and major disability at 12 months after the procedure. The secondary end point was length of stay. Logistic regression was used to determine the association of frailty with the primary end point after adjusting for confounders. To compare the incremental predictive value of each frailty scale, model performance statistics were calculated.

RESULTS

The cohort was composed of 148 patients with a mean age of 70 years. Depending on the scale used, the prevalence of frailty ranged from 16% to 70%. Frailty as measured by the GFI (adjusted odds ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.72) and mEFT (adjusted odds ratio, 2.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-5.73) predicted mortality and worsening disability at 12 months after interventions for PAD. Furthermore, there was statistically significant C-statistic, Bayesian information criterion, and integrated discrimination improvement when the GFI and mEFT were added to the baseline model. Frailty was not associated with length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is associated with mortality and worsening disability after interventions for PAD. The GFI and mEFT performed well and identified vulnerable older adults who are at risk of poor outcomes after interventions for PAD and recommended for use in this setting.

Association of Frailty and Postoperative Complications With Unplanned Readmissions After Elective Outpatient Surgery

IMPORTANCE

Ambulatory surgery in geriatric populations is increasingly prevalent. Prior studies have demonstrated the association between frailty and readmissions in the inpatient setting. However, few data exist regarding the association between frailty and readmissions after outpatient procedures.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between frailty and 30-day unplanned readmissions after elective outpatient surgical procedures as well as the potential mediation of surgical complications.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

In this retrospective cohort study of elective outpatient procedures from 2012 and 2013 in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, 417 840 patients who underwent elective outpatient procedures were stratified into cohorts of individuals with a length of stay (LOS) of 0 days (LOS = 0) and those with a LOS of 1 or more days (LOS ≥ 1). Statistical analysis was performed from June 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019.

EXPOSURE

Frailty, as measured by the Risk Analysis Index.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The main outcome was 30-day unplanned readmission.

RESULTS

Of the 417 840 patients in this study, 59.2% were women and unplanned readmission occurred in 2.3% of the cohort overall (LOS = 0, 2.0%; LOS ≥ 1, 3.4%). Frail patients (mean [SD] age, 64.9 [15.5] years) were more likely than nonfrail patients (mean [SD] age, 35.0 [15.8] years) to have an unplanned readmission in both LOS cohorts (LOS = 0, 8.3% vs 1.9%; LOS ≥ 1, 8.5% vs 3.2%; P < .001). Frail patients were also more likely than nonfrail patients to experience complications in both cohorts (LOS = 0, 6.9% vs 2.5%; LOS ≥ 1, 9.8% vs 4.6%; P < .001). In multivariate analysis, frailty doubled the risk of unplanned readmission (LOS = 0: adjusted relative risk [RR], 2.1; 95% CI, 2.0-2.3; LOS ≥ 1: adjusted RR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.6-2.1). Complications occurred in 3.1% of the entire cohort, and frailty was associated with increased risk of complications (unadjusted RR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.4-2.8). Mediation analysis confirmed that complications are a significant mediator in the association between frailty and readmissions; however, it also indicated that the association of frailty with readmission was only partially mediated by complications (LOS = 0, 22.8%; LOS ≥ 1, 29.3%).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that frailty is a significant risk factor for unplanned readmission after elective outpatient surgery both independently and when partially mediated through increased complications. Screening for frailty might inform the development of interventions to decrease unplanned readmissions, including those for outpatient procedures.