Effect of patient frailty status on outcomes of fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair for complex abdominal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms

Preoperative proteinuria is independently associated with mortality after fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair

OBJECTIVE

Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR) has become a mainstay in treating complex aortic aneurysms, though baseline patient factors predicting long-term outcomes remain poorly understood. Proteinuria is an early marker for chronic kidney disease and associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, but its utility in patients with aortic aneurysms is unknown. We aimed to determine whether preoperative proteinuria impacts long-term survival after FEVAR.

METHODS

A single-institution, retrospective review of all elective FEVAR was performed. Preoperative proteinuria was assessed by urinalysis: negative (0-29 mg/dL), 1+ (30-100 mg/dL), 2+ (101-299 mg/dL), and 3+ (≥300 mg/dL). The cohort was stratified by patients with proteinuria (≥30 mg/dL) vs those without (<30 mg/dL). Baseline, perioperative, and long-term outcomes were compared. The primary outcome, all-cause mortality, was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and independent predictors with Cox proportional hazards modeling.

RESULTS

Among 181 patients who underwent standard FEVAR from 2012 to 2022 (mean follow-up 33 months), any proteinuria was noted in 30 patients (16.6%). Patients with proteinuria were more likely to be Black (10.0% vs 1.3%) with a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (52.7 ± 24.7 vs 67.7 ± 20.5 mL/min/1.73 m2), higher Society for Vascular Surgery comorbidity score (10.9 ± 4.3 vs 8.2 ± 4.7) and calcium channel blocker therapy (50.0% vs 29.1%), and larger maximal aneurysm diameter (67.2 ± 16.9 vs 59.8 ± 9.8 mm) (all P < .05). Thirty-day mortality was higher in the proteinuria group (10.0% vs 1.3%; P = .03). Overall survival at 1 and 5 years was significantly lower for those with proteinuria (71.5% vs 92.3% and 29.5% vs 68.1%; log-rank P < .001). On multivariable analysis, preoperative proteinuria was independently associated with over threefold higher hazard of mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.66-6.20; P < .001), whereas preoperative eGFR was not predictive (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98-1.01; P = .28). Additional significant predictors included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR: 2.04), older age (HR: 1.05), and larger maximal aneurysm diameter (HR: 1.03; all P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

In our 10-year experience with FEVAR, preoperative proteinuria was observed in 17% of patients and was significantly associated with worse survival. In this cohort, proteinuria was independently associated with all-cause mortality, whereas eGFR was not, suggesting that urinalysis may provide an additional simple metric for risk-stratifying patients before FEVAR.

Prospective assessment of dynamic changes in frailty and its impact on early clinical outcomes following physician-modified fenestrated-branched endovascular repair of complex abdominal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms

INTRODUCTION

Frailty, a predictor of poor outcomes, has been widely studied as a screening tool in surgical decision-making. However, the impact of frailty on the outcomes after fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repairs (FBEVARs) is less well established. In addition, the changes in frailty during recovery after FBEVAR are unknown. We aim to assess the impact of frailty on outcomes of high-risk patients undergoing physician-modified FBEVARs for complex abdominal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms, as well as the changes in frailty during follow-up.

METHODS

Consecutive patients enrolled in a single-center prospective Physician-Sponsored Investigational Device Exemption protocol (FDA# G200159) were evaluated. In addition to the baseline characteristics, frailty was assessed using the Hopkins Frailty Score (HFS) and frailty index (FI) measured by the Frailty Meter. Sarcopenia was measured by L3 total psoas muscle area (PMA). These measurements were repeated during follow-up. The follow-up HFS and FI were compared with baseline scores using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, whereas follow-up PMA measurements were compared with the baseline using the paired t test. The association between baseline frailty and morbidity was evaluated by the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

RESULTS

Seventy patients were analyzed in a prospective Physician-Sponsored Investigational Device Exemption study from February 9, 2021, to June 2, 2023. At baseline, HFS identified 54% of patients as not frail, 43% as intermediately frail, and 3% as frail. Technical success of FBEVAR was 94% with one in-hospital mortality. Early major adverse events were seen in 10 (14.3%) patients. No difference in baseline FI was seen between patients with early morbidity and those without. Patients who were not frail per HFS were less likely to experience early morbidity (P = .033), and there was a significantly lower baseline PMA in patients who experienced early morbidity (P = .016). At 1 month, patients experienced a significant increase in HFS and HFS category (P = .001 and P = .01) and a significant decrease in sarcopenia (mean PMA: -96 mm2, P = .005). At 6 months, HFS and HFS category as well as PMA returned toward baseline (P = .42, P = .38, and mean PMA: +4 mm2, P = .6).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative frailty and sarcopenia were associated with early morbidity after physician-modified FBEVAR. During follow-up, patients became more frail and sarcopenic by 1 month. Recovery from this initial decline was seen by 6 months, suggesting that frailty and sarcopenia are reversible processes rather than a unidirectional phenomenon of continued decline.

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.

Effect of Sarcopenia on Mortality and Spinal Cord Ischaemia After Complex Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Sarcopenia has been related to higher mortality rates after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. This analysis aimed to assess sarcopenia related mortality and spinal cord ischaemia (SCI) at 30 days, and mortality during the available follow up, in patients with complex aortic aneurysms, managed with open or endovascular interventions.

DATA SOURCES

A search of the English literature, via Ovid, using Medline, EMBASE, and CENTRAL up to 15 June 2022 was done.

REVIEW METHODS

This meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines and preregistered in PROSPERO (CRD42022338079). Observational studies (2000 - 2022), with five or more patients, reporting on sarcopenia related mortality and SCI at 30 days, and midterm mortality after thoraco-abdominal aneurysm repair (open or endovascular), were eligible. The ROBINS-I tool (Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions) was used for risk of bias, and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) for the assessment of evidence quality. The primary outcome was 30 day and midterm mortality, and the secondary outcome was SCI at 30 days, in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients. The outcomes were summarised as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Four retrospective studies (1 092 patients; 40.0% sarcopenic) were included. Thirty day mortality was similar, with low certainty between groups (6% [95% CI 1 - 11] in sarcopenic vs. 5% [95% CI 1 - 9] non-sarcopenic patients [OR 0.30, 95% CI -0.21 - 0.81; p = .94, Ι2 = 0%). The estimated midterm mortality was statistically significantly higher (very low certainty) in sarcopenic patients (25% [95% CI 0.19 - 0.31] vs. 13% [95% CI -0.03 - 0.29] in non-sarcopenic patients (1.11 OR 0.95, 95% CI -0.21 - 2.44; p < .001, Ι2 = 88.32%). SCI was significantly higher (very low certainty) in sarcopenic patients (19%, 95% CI 4 - 34) vs. 7% (95% CI 5 - 20) in non-sarcopenic patients (OR 1.80, 95% CI -0.17 - 3.78; Ι2 = 82.4%), despite an equal distribution of aneurysm type between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Early mortality does not appear to be affected by sarcopenia in patients treated for thoraco-abdominal aneurysms. However, sarcopenia may be associated with higher peri-operative SCI and midterm mortality rates.