Peripheral arterial disease and critical limb ischaemia: still poor outcomes and lack of guideline adherence

Eur Heart J. 2015 Apr 14;36(15):932-8. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehv006. Epub 2015 Feb 2.

Abstract

Aims: Only few and historic studies reported a bad prognosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and critical limb ischaemia (CLI). The contemporary state of treatment and outcomes should be assessed.

Methods and results: From the largest public health insurance in Germany, all in- and outpatient diagnosis and procedural data were retrospectively obtained from a cohort of 41 882 patients hospitalized due to PAD during 2009-2011, including a follow-up until 2013. Patients were classified in Rutherford categories 1-3 (n = 21 197), 4 (n = 5353), 5 (n = 6916), and 6 (n = 8416). The proportions of patients with classical risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and smoking declined with higher Rutherford categories (each P < 0.001) while diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and chronic heart failure increased (each P < 0.001). Angiographies and revascularizations were performed less often in advanced PAD (each P < 0.001). In-hospital amputations increased continuously from 0.5% in Rutherford 1-3 to 42% in Rutherford 6, as also myocardial infarctions, strokes, and deaths (each P < 0.001). Among 4298 amputated patients with CLI, 37% had not received any angiography or revascularization neither during index hospitalization nor the 24 months before. During follow-up (mean 1144 days), 7825 patients were amputated and 10 880 died. Kaplan-Meier models projected 4-year mortality risks of 18.9, 37.7, 52.2, and 63.5% in Rutherford 1-3, 4, 5, and 6, and for amputation of 4.6, 12.1, 35.3, and 67.3%, respectively. In multivariable Cox regression models, PAD categories were significant predictors of death, amputation, myocardial infarction, and stroke (each P < 0.001). Length of in-hospital stay (5.8 ± 6.7 days, 10.7 ± 11.1days, 15.2 ± 13.8 days and 22.1 ± 20.3 days; P < 0.001) and mean case costs (3662 ± 3186 €, 5316 ± 6139 €, 6021 ± 4892 €, and 8461 ± 8515 €; P < 0.001) increased continuously in Rutherford 1-3, 4, 5, and 6. While only 49% of the patients suffered from CLI, these produced 65% of in-hospital costs (141 million €), and 56% during follow-up (336 million €).

Conclusion: Regardless of recent advances in PAD treatment, current outcomes remain poor especially in CLI. Despite overwhelming evidence for reduction of limb loss by revascularization, CLI patients still received significantly less angiographies and revascularizations.

Keywords: Amputation; Critical limb ischaemia; Endovascular; Mortality; Peripheral arterial disease.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amputation, Surgical / statistics & numerical data
  • Endovascular Procedures / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Guideline Adherence
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Ischemia / diagnostic imaging
  • Ischemia / surgery*
  • Lower Extremity / blood supply*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease / surgery*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Radiography
  • Reperfusion / statistics & numerical data
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome