Search

Purpose: To evaluate the responsiveness of the original low back pain specific Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the spinal stenosis specific Zürich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ), and to investigate cut-off values for clinical "success" for ODI and ZCQ in surgically treated patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS)., Methods: We included 601 LSS patients (218 with, 383 without degenerative spondylolisthesis) from the NORDSTEN trials. Outcome measures included ODI and ZCQ (symptom severity and physical function scales) with three alternative response parameters: scores at follow-up, absolute and relative changes from baseline to two-year follow-up. Effect size and standardised response mean evaluated internal responsiveness. External responsiveness was assessed by the Spearman rank correlation between patient-reported global perceived effect scale (GPE) and ODI and ZCQ, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC). We evaluated which cut-off values could maximise the percentage of correctly classified patients according to the GPE-anchor "completely recovered" / "much improved" for each parameter., Results: Internal and external responsiveness were high for all three indices with effect sizes, standardized response means, ROC and corresponding area under the curve > 0.8. Correlations with GPE responses were moderate (> 0.50) for absolute change and strong (> 0.67) for relative change and follow-up scores. The 30% ODI relative change cut-off correctly classified 81% of patients to "success", within a range of accurate cut-offs according to the GPE-anchor., Conclusion: ODI and ZCQ demonstrate comparable responsiveness in evaluating outcomes for surgically treated LSS patients. The 30% ODI threshold was consistent with treatment "success" in NORDSTEN trials., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT02007083 10/12/2013, NCT02051374 31/01/2014 and NCT03562936 20/06/2018., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Significant health inequalities in major adverse limb events exist. Ethnically minoritized groups are more prone to have a major adverse event following peripheral vascular interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to describe the postoperative implications of racial and ethnic status on clinical outcomes following vascular interventions for claudication and chronic limb-threatening ischemia., Methods: Searches were conducted across seven databases from inception to June 2021 and were updated in October 2022 to identify studies reporting claudication or chronic limb-threatening ischemia in patients who underwent open, endovascular, or hybrid procedures. Studies with documented racial and ethnic status and associated clinical outcomes were selected. Extracted data included demographic and clinical characteristics, vascular interventions, and measured outcomes associated with race or ethnicity. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effect models to report pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Seventeen studies evaluating the impact of Black versus White patients undergoing amputation as a primary intervention were combined in a meta-analysis, revealing that Black patients had a higher incidence of amputations as a primary intervention than White patients (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.61-2.27). Another meta-analysis demonstrated that Black patients had significantly higher rates of amputation after revascularization (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.28-1.89). Furthermore, multiple trends were demonstrated in the secondary outcomes evaluated., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that Black patients undergo primary major amputation at a significantly higher rate than White patients, with similar trends seen among Hispanic and First Nations patients. Black patients are also significantly more likely to be subjected to amputation following attempts at revascularization when compared to White patients., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Contemporary quality control methods are often insufficient in predicting clinical outcomes after revascularization in lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) patients. This study evaluates the potential of near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green to predict the clinical outcome following revascularization. Near-infrared fluorescence imaging was performed before and within 5 days following the revascularization procedure. Clinical improvement was defined as substantial improvement of pain free walking distance, reduction of rest- and/or nocturnal pain, or tendency toward wound healing. Time-intensity curves and 8 perfusion parameters were extracted from the dorsum of the treated foot. The quantified postinterventional perfusion improvement was compared within the clinical outcome groups. Successful near-infrared fluorescence imaging was performed in 72 patients (76 limbs, 52.6% claudication, 47.4% chronic limb-threatening ischemia) including 40 endovascular- and 36 surgical/hybrid revascularizations. Clinical improvement was observed in 61 patients. All perfusion parameters showed a significant postinterventional difference in the clinical improvement group ( P -values <.001), while no significant differences were seen in the group without clinical improvement ( P -values .168-.929). Four parameters demonstrated significant differences in percentage improvement comparing the outcome groups ( P -values within .002-.006). Near-infrared fluorescence imaging has promising additional value besides clinical parameters for predicting the clinical outcome of revascularized LEAD patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Several concerns have been raised over the past several years about the potential for overuse of vascular interventions for peripheral artery disease. These interventions can have serious complications, including limb loss. Given that the natural history of intermittent claudication rarely includes limb loss, it is critically important that interventions to treat it have appropriate indications., Methods: To address this matter, the Society for Vascular Surgery published an appropriate use criteria (AUC) document for the management of intermittent claudication in 2022. Using the rigorously studied University of California Los Angeles RAND Appropriateness Method, the rating panel assessed the appropriateness of 2,280 scenarios for [1] the initial management and [2] the management after a failed trial of exercise therapy., Results: The findings of the rating panel included that medical management and exercise therapy are appropriate initial management in all scenarios. There were several scenarios in which revascularization was also considered appropriate, mainly influenced by severity of physical limitations and favorable lesion characteristics. When considering management after a failed trial of exercise, guiding principles cited by the rating panel included durability of intervention, smoking cessation, and evidence of prior good-faith effort at exercise therapy. There were many scenarios which were indeterminate. With respect to the infrapopliteal segment, the rating panelists unanimously agreed to forgo individual scenario ratings, since they deemed the risks outweigh the benefits in all cases., Conclusions: The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) AUC for intermittent claudication represents an important effort to identify and reduce overuse. There are several considerations for how they should be used. The simplest application is by practicing clinicians, at the bedside, as they engage in shared decision-making with patients. The matter of their use by payors is more complex. Ideally, decisions on how to best use AUC require additional study of their performance before they are used by payors for anything. Finally, these AUC have identified a myriad of areas where evidence is lacking. The AUC provide important targets for future research to improve the care of patients with intermittent claudication., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Intermittent Claudication (IC) is exercise pain seen in lower extremity arterial diseases. If it is left untreated, it may be the initial sign of a process leading to amputation. In the present study, the purpose was to compare the postoperative early and mid-term results of the patients who were treated with endovascular methods and those who underwent bypass graft surgery in the treatment due to IC complaints because of isolated Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease., Method: Postoperative first-month, sixth-month, and 12th-month follow-up results, procedure requirements, and demographic characteristics of the 153 patients who underwent femoropopliteal bypass because of isolated Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease and 294 patients who underwent endovascular intervention in our hospital between January 2015 and May 2020 were compared in the study., Results: It was found in demographic characteristics that endovascular intervention was performed more frequently in smokers and graft bypass surgery was performed more frequently in hyperlipidemic patients, and the results were found to be statistically significant. High amputation rates were detected at statistically significant levels in diabetic and hypertriglycemic patients and 1-year primary patency rates were found to be higher in patients who underwent graft bypass surgery. No differences were detected between the two methods in terms of mortality., Conclusion: Interventional treatment modalities must be considered for patients with isolated Femoropopliteal Arterial Disease whose symptoms persist despite exercise and the best medical treatment. We think that Bypass Graft Surgery has more positive results than endovascular interventions when short and medium-term amputation, repetitive intervention needs, and changes in quality of life are compared in patients who receive the same medical treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The heparin-bonded expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (He-ePTFE) conduit is an option for patients requiring infrainguinal revascularization (iIR), but the risk of failure may be unpredictable, especially in cases with poor run-off. Intraoperative transit-time flow (TTF) provides an automated and quantitative analysis of flow and may serve as an adjunct evaluation during surgical revascularization. The aim of this study was to assess TTF in patients undergoing iIR with He-PTFE at 3 referral hospitals and to establish a predictive flow threshold for graft occlusion., Methods: A prospective registry initiated in 2020 enrolled patients undergoing iIR using He-PTFE for critical limb ischemia or severe claudication, and TTF measurement was analyzed. Preoperative assessments of anatomical and clinical characteristics were available for all patients. The HT353 Optima Meter (Transonic Systems Inc., Ithaca, NY, USA) was used in all procedures according to a standardized protocol. The institutional ethics committee approved the study. A predictive model using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was utilized to establish the threshold of flow, and variables were compared. Anatomical and clinical evaluation were reported according to Rutherford grade, Global Limb Anatomic System and Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection classification. The main outcome considered was the correlation between TTF and graft occlusion. Secondary outcomes included survival, other predictors of graft occlusion, freedom from major adverse cardiovascular events, and freedom from major amputation., Results: Among 68 patients, 55.8% had Rutherford 5-6, 45.6% had Global Limb Anatomic System 3 and 73.5% had Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection 3-4. Distal anastomosis was at tibial level in 23.5% and mean diameter of conduit was 6.4 mm. Basal and postoperative TTF were 27.8 ± 15.6 ml/min and 109.0 ± 53.0 ml/min, respectively. After a mean follow-up of 18 ± 13 months, 7 (10.9%) patients presented graft occlusion and 5 (7.8%) required major amputation. TTF threshold = 80 ml/min revealed a sensitivity and specificity of 81.8% (95% confidence interval 48.2-97.7) and 80.7% (95% confidence interval 68.1-90.0) respectively, and it was selected as cut-off for graft occlusion. Freedom from graft occlusion in patients with TTF >80 ml/min vs. TTF ≤80 ml/min at 6, 12, and 24 months was 95.7% (standard error (SE) = 0.030) vs. 65.5% (SE = 0.115), 95.7% (SE = 0.030) vs. 58.9% (SE = 0.120) and 90.9% (SE = 0.054) vs. 51.6% (SE = 0.126), P = 0.0003. No statistical difference in primary patency, secondary patency and limb salvage was observed. At multivariate analysis, distal anastomosis at tibial vessel (odds ratio 8.50) and TTF ≤80 ml/min (odds ratio 9.39) were independent predictors of graft occlusion., Conclusions: These results suggest that TTF may serve as a valuable tool in the management of iIR. A TTF measurement of ≤80 ml/min should be regarded as a predictor of graft occlusion, prompting consideration of additional intraoperative maneuvers to enhance arterial flow. Caution should be exercised in patients requiring direct tibial artery revascularization, as it represents a predictor of failure independent of TTF levels. Larger cohorts of patients and longer follow-up periods are necessary to confirm these findings., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Use of peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) for intermittent claudication (IC) continues to expand, but there is uncertainty whether baseline demographics, procedural techniques and outcomes differ by sex, race, and ethnicity. This study aimed to examine amputation and revascularization rates up to 4 years after femoropopliteal (FP) PVI for IC by sex, race, and ethnicity. Patients who underwent FP PVI for IC between 2016 and 2020 from the PINC AI Healthcare Database were analyzed. The primary outcome was any index limb amputation, assessed by Kaplan-Meier estimate. Secondary outcomes included index limb major amputation, repeat revascularization, and index limb repeat revascularization. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression models. This study included 19,324 patients with IC who underwent FP PVI, with 41.2% women, 15.6% Black patients, and 4.7% Hispanic patients. Women were less likely than men to be treated with atherectomy (45.1% vs 47.8%, p = 0.0003); Black patients were more likely than White patients to receive atherectomy (50.7% vs 44.9%, p <0.001), and Hispanic patients were less likely than non-Hispanic patients to receive atherectomy (41% vs 47%, p = 0.0004). Unadjusted rates of any amputation were similar in men and women (6.4% for each group, log-rank p = 0.842), higher in Black patients than in White patients (7.8% vs 6.1%, log-rank p = 0.007), and higher in Hispanic patients than in non-Hispanic patients (8.8% vs 6.3%, log-rank p = 0.031). After adjustment for baseline characteristics, Black race was associated with higher rates of repeat revascularization (adjusted HR 1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 1.22) and any FP revascularization (adjusted HR 1.10, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.20). No statistical difference in amputation rate was observed among comparison groups. Women and men with IC had similar crude and adjusted amputation and revascularization outcomes after FP PVI. Black patients had higher repeat revascularization and any FP revascularization rates than did White patients. Black and Hispanic patients had higher crude amputation rates, but these differences were attenuated by adjustment for baseline characteristics. Black patients were more likely to receive atherectomy and had higher rates of any repeat revascularization and specifically FP revascularization. Further study is necessary to determine whether these patterns are related to disease-specific issues or practice-pattern differences among different populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Hess has received research funding to CPC Clinical Research from Merck, Bayer, and Amgen. Dr. Julien discloses equity in Johnson and Johnson and Shockwave Medical. Dr. Curtis has a contract with the American College of Cardiology for his role as Chief Scientific Advisor, National Cardiovascular Data Registry; and holds equity interest in Medtronic. The remaining authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is an uncommon condition that affects arteries and veins. It can cause a rare type of non-atherosclerotic peripheral vessel disease. The most common vessel affected is the popliteal artery. The number of case reports on CAD of the femoral artery is growing. We present a case of a 62-year-old female presented with claudication of the left leg diagnosed with CAD of the left common femoral artery. The patient was treated surgically with cyst excision and vessel reconstruction with saphenous vein autograft patch plasty. After 8-months the cyste relapsed and she had new claudication complains. We decided to perform new surgery. Surgical treatment consisted of cyst resection by excision of the femoral bifurcation and saphenous vein autograft interposition reconstruction of the bifurcation. We also provide an update on the latest literature of surgical treatment of CAD of the ilio-femoral artery region., Methods: Medline and EMBASE were used to collect articles on CAD of ilio-femoral artery. We included English written or translated case reports or series between 1987 and 2023., Results: Twenty-nine patients out of 28 case reports were included. Most patients were male (59%). Claudication is the most common symptom (76%). Treatment consisted of cyst resection, cyst decompression, Endarterectomy, patch angioplasty and interposition graft using PTFE, Dacron, Great saphenous vein (GSV) or femoral vein autograft. Recurrence appeared in 4 cases (14%)., Conclusion: In accordance to the literature and our experience we recommend complete vessel excision and saphenous vein (or PTFE) interposition bypass as treatment.

Objective: Common femoral endarterectomy (CFE) comprises the current standard-of-care for symptomatic common femoral artery occlusive disease. Although it provides effective inflow revascularization via a single incision, it remains an invasive procedure in an often-frail patient population. The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to assess the morbidity and mortality of CFE in a contemporary cohort., Methods: Consecutive CFEs performed at a large, urban hospital were reviewed. Six-month mortality, local complications (hematoma, lymphatic leak, pseudoaneurysm, wound infection, and/or dehiscence), and systemic complications were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses., Results: A total of 129 isolated CFEs were performed over 7 years for claudication (36%), rest pain (16%), tissue loss (29%), or acute on chronic limb ischemia (21%). Mean age was 75 ± 9 years, and 68% of patients were male. Comorbidities were prevalent, including coronary artery disease (54%), diabetes (41%), chronic pulmonary disease (25%), and congestive heart failure (22%). The majority of CFEs were performed under general anesthesia (98%) with patch angioplasty using bovine pericardium (73% vs 27% Dacron). Twenty-two patients (17%) sustained local complications following the procedure; their occurrence was significantly associated with obesity (P = .002) but no technical or operative factors. Nineteen patients (15%) sustained serious systemic complications; their occurrence was significantly associated with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (P < .001), and a high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class (P = .002). By 6 months, 17 patients (13%) had died. Being on dialysis, presenting with chronic limb-threatening ischemia, and being in a high ASA class at the time of operation were all associated with 6-month mortality; a high ASA class at the time of operation was independently predictive of mortality (odds ratio, 3.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-9.24; P = .044)., Conclusions: Although commonly performed, CFE is not a benign vascular procedure. Disease presentation, anesthetic risk, and expected longevity play an important role in clinical outcomes. Evolving endovascular approaches to the common femoral artery could serve to reduce morbidity and mortality in the future., Competing Interests: Disclosure L.S. is a founding member of Efemoral Medical, Inc., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Emphasis on tobacco cessation, given the urgent and emergent nature of vascular surgery, is less prevalent than standard elective cases such as hernia repairs, cosmetic surgery, and bariatric procedures. The goal of this study is to determine the effect of active smoking on claudicating individuals undergoing peripheral vascular interventions (PVIs). Our goal is to determine if a greater emphasis on education should be placed on smoking cessation in nonurgent cases scheduled through clinic visits and not the Emergency Department., Methods: This study was performed using the multi-institution de-identified Vascular Quality Initiative/Medicare-linked database (Vascular Implant Surveillance and Interventional Outcomes Network [VISION]). Claudicants who underwent PVI for peripheral arterial occlusive disease between 2004 and 2019 were included in our study. Our final sample consisted of a total of 18,726 patients: 3617 nonsmokers (19.3%) (NSs), 9975 former smokers (53.3%) (FSs), and 5134 current smokers (27.4%) (CSs). We performed propensity score matching on 29 variables (age, gender, race, ethnicity, treatment setting [outpatient or inpatient], obesity, insurance, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, previous coronary artery bypass graft, carotid endarterectomy, major amputation, inflow treatment, prior bypass or PVI, preoperative medications, level of treatment, concomitant endarterectomy, and treatment type [atherectomy, angioplasty, stent]) between NS vs FS and FS vs CS. Outcomes were long-term (5-year) overall survival (OS), limb salvage (LS), freedom from reintervention (FR), and amputation-free survival (AFS)., Results: Propensity score matching resulted in 3160 well-matched pairs of NS and FS and 3750 well-matched pairs of FS and CS. There was no difference between FS and NS in terms of OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-1.09; P = .43), FR (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.89-1.04; P = .35), or AFS (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.79-1.03; P = .12). However, when compared with CS, we found FS to have a higher OS (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04-1.33; P = .01), less FR (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.83-0.96; P = .003), and greater AFS (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03-1.31; P = .01)., Conclusions: This multi-institutional Medicare-linked study looking at elective PVI cases in patients with peripheral artery disease presenting with claudication found that FSs have similar 5-year outcomes in comparison to NSs in terms of OS, FR, and AFS. Additionally, CSs have lower OS and AFS when compared with FSs. Overall, this suggests that smoking claudicants should be highly encouraged and referred to structured smoking cessation programs or even required to stop smoking prior to elective PVI due to the perceived 5-year benefit., Competing Interests: Disclosures None., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is a rare cause of intermittent claudication in the young. Aberrant embryological development results in entrapment of the popliteal artery by myofascial structures of the popliteal fossa. Type 4 PAES is due to aberrant development of the popliteus muscle superficial to the popliteal artery. We present a case of bilateral type 4 PAES, along with intraoperative photography highlighting the anatomical cause for this pathology. Both limbs in this patient were treated successfully with surgical release of the entrapping popliteus muscle via a posterior surgical approach to the popliteal fossa. This report emphasises the importance of determining popliteal artery integrity and entrapment subtype to guide the management of this condition., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is characterized by varying severity of arterial stenosis, exercise induced claudication, malperfused tissue precluding normal healing and skeletal muscle dysfunction. Revascularization interventions improve circulation, but post-reperfusion changes within the skeletal muscle are not well characterized. This study investigates if revascularization enhanced hemodynamics increases walking performance with concurrent improvement of mitochondrial function and reverses abnormal skeletal muscle morphological features that develop with PAD. Fifty-eight patients completed walking performance testing and muscle biopsy before and 6 months after revascularization procedures. Muscle fiber morphology, desmin structure, and mitochondria respiration assessments before and after the revascularization were evaluated. Revascularization improved limb hemodynamics, walking function, and muscle morphology. Qualitatively not all participants recovered normal structural architecture of desmin in the myopathic myofibers after revascularization. Heterogenous responses in the recovery of desmin structure following revascularization may be caused by other underlying factors not reversed with hemodynamic improvements. Revascularization interventions clinically improve patient walking ability and can reverse the multiple subcellular functional and structural abnormalities in muscle cells. Further study is needed to characterize desmin structural remodeling with improvements in skeletal muscle morphology and function., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Intermittent claudication (IC) is a phenotype of peripheral artery disease that is characterized by pain in the lower extremity muscles during activity that is relieved by rest. Medical management, risk factor control, smoking cessation, and exercise therapy have historically been the mainstays of treatment for IC, but advances in endovascular technology have led to increasing use of peripheral vascular interventions in this patient population. There are meaningful differences in published society guidelines and appropriate use criteria relevant to the management of IC, especially regarding indications for peripheral vascular interventions. The current review aims to highlight similarities and differences between major society recommendations for the management of IC, and to discuss practice trends, disparities, and evidence gaps in the use of peripheral vascular interventions for IC in the context of existing guidelines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Analysis of regional data from the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) suggested improved survival for patients undergoing stent placement compared with balloon angioplasty and atherectomy. Using national data from the VQI linked to Medicare claims data through the Vascular Implant Surveillance and Interventional Outcomes Network program, this study aimed to compare the rates of mortality, reintervention, and amputation after endovascular interventions (atherectomy, stenting, and balloon angioplasty) for two separate cohorts: patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and patients with claudication., Methods: This was a secondary data analysis of Society for Vascular Surgery National VQI data linked to Medicare claims, between October 2016 and December 2019. Patients aged ≥65 years with symptoms of claudication or CLTI and a diagnosis of occlusive disease were included. Urgent or emergent interventions or those with concurrent procedures (endarterectomy, bypass, or bilateral intervention) were excluded. Interventions were grouped into (1) balloon angioplasty only; (2) stent (with or without balloon angioplasty); or (3) atherectomy (alone, with or without stent, with or without balloon angioplasty). Propensity score-matched cohorts were constructed to conduct pairwise intervention comparisons of mortality, reintervention, and amputation rates. Multivariable logistic regression was used to derive propensity scores for each patient. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) analyses were performed., Results: A total of 9785 (2665 claudication, 7120 CLTI) eligible patients were identified. After propensity score matching for the CLTI group, 2826, 3608, and 2796 pairs of cases were used to compare balloon angioplasty vs atherectomy, balloon angioplasty vs stent, and stent vs atherectomy, respectively. No statistically significant difference in mortality was observed among all interventions. However, atherectomy was associated with a significant increase in reintervention rate compared with balloon angioplasty (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06-1.39; P = .01) and compared with stenting (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10-1.46; P < .01) within the first year after the index procedure. Of note, both atherectomy (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68-0.98; P < .05) and stenting (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.90; P < .01) showed lower rates of major amputation when compared with balloon angioplasty within 1 year after the index procedure. In the claudication group, there were no significant differences observed among interventions for peripheral arterial disease for mortality, reintervention, or amputation rates., Conclusions: Further studies are needed to identify appropriate indications for atherectomy, because there may be a subset of patients with CLTI who benefit from this therapy with respect to amputation rates. Until then, caution should be exercised when using atherectomy because it is also associated with higher reintervention rates., Competing Interests: Disclosures None., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) tools created to enhance decision-making may have a significant impact on treatment algorithms for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A Markov-based AI model was developed to predict optimal therapy based on maximization of calculated quality of life (cQoL), a patient-centered system of assessment designed to report outcomes directly linked to health-related quality of life., Study Design: The AI model was prospectively interrogated immediately after individual interventions for PAD over a 12-year period to test predictive performance. Patient cQoL was determined at each patient follow-up visit., Results: A total of 1,143 consecutive patients were evaluated, with a median follow-up of 18 months. Observed mean annualized cQoL was higher than predicted by the model (0.85 ± 0.38 vs 0.79 ± 0.18, p < 0.0001). Of 5 potential clinical outcomes, the AI model correctly predicted final status in 71.3% of patients, with insignificant model performance deterioration over time (-0.15% per month, r = -0.49, p = 0.063). The chance of having the condition predicted by the model was 0.57 ± 0.32, compared with a theoretical maximum of 0.70 ± 0.19 (p < 0.0001, mean ratio 0.79). The AI model performed better in patients with claudication than limb-threatening ischemia (75.5% vs 63.6%, p = 0.014) but equally well for open or endovascular intervention (69.8% vs 70.5%, p = 0.70). Graft or artery patency and amputation-free survival were better for patients with claudication and those treated with endovascular techniques., Conclusions: AI can successfully predict treatment for PAD that maximizes patient quality of life in most cases. Future application of AI incorporating better estimates of patient anatomic and physiological risk factors and refinement of model structure should further enhance performance., (Copyright © 2024 by the American College of Surgeons. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prevalence of occlusive lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) is rising worldwide while European epidemiology data are scarce. We report incidence and mortality of LEAD repair in Denmark from 1996 through 2018, stratified on open aorto-iliac, open peripheral, and endovascular repair., Methods: A nationwide cohort study of prospective data from population-based Danish registers covering 1996 to 2018. Comorbidity was assessed by Charlson's Comorbidity Index (CCI). Incidence rate (IR) ratios and mortality rate ratios (MRR) were estimated by multivariable Poisson and Cox regression, respectively., Results: We identified 41,438 unique patients undergoing 46,236 incident first-time LEAD repairs by either aorto-iliac- (n=5213), peripheral surgery (n=18,665) or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA, n=22,358). From 1996 to 2018, the age- and sex-standardized IR for primary revascularization declined from 71.8 to 50.2 per 100,000 person-years (IRR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.66-0.75). Following a 2.5-fold IR increase of PTA from 1996 to 2010, all three repair techniques showed a declining trend after 2010. The declining IR was driven by decreasing LEAD repair due to claudication, and by persons aged below 80 years, while the IR increased in persons aged above 80 years (p interaction<0.001). LEAD repair was more frequent in men (IRR female vs male , 0.78; 95% CI, 0.77-0.80), which was consistent over calendar time (p interaction=0.41). Crude mortality decreased following open/surgical repair, and increased following PTA, but all three techniques trended towards lower adjusted mortality comparing the start and the end of the study period (MRR aorto-iliac , 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54-0.93 vs MRR peripheral , 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69-0.83 vs MRR PTA , 0.96; 95% CI, 0.86-1.07). Increasing age and CCI, male sex, smoking, and care dependency associated with increased mortality., Conclusion: The incidence rate of LEAD repair decreased in Denmark from 1996 to 2018, especially in persons younger than 80 years, and primarily due to reduced revascularization for claudication. Adjusted mortality rates decreased following open surgery, but seemed unaltered following PTA., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Møller et al.)

Objectives: According to guidelines, the autogenous saphenous vein (ASV) is the preferred conduit for femoropopliteal bypass surgery in all patients with peripheral artery disease. However, in contrast to patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), patients with intermittent claudication (IC) only, tend to have milder disease, and thus a prosthetic graft may be as good as a vein conduit. The objective of this study was to compare patency rates of the ASV and a prosthetic graft in femoropopliteal bypass surgery in patients with IC., Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to identify randomized controlled trials comparing prosthetic graft versus ASV in patients with IC. Articles with a mixed IC and CLI study population were included if more than 50% of the study cohort was treated for IC. Primary analysis was performed on IC patients only. Secondary analysis was performed on the mixed group. The primary endpoint was short- and long-term patency and secondary endpoints were complications, limb salvage, and mortality., Results: In total, six studies with 524 patients were included. Only two studies reported solely on patients with IC. All these patients underwent above-the-knee bypasses and average patency rates at one and 5 years were 88% and 76% vs 81% and 68% in the ASV and the PTFE groups, respectively. One and five-year patency was not statistically different between the groups (OR 5.21; 95% CI 0.60-45.36 and OR 2.10; 95% CI 0.88-5.01). In a mixed population of patients with IC and CLI (84% IC patients), 1 year patency was comparable (OR 1.40; 95% CI 0.87-2.25). However, after a follow-up of over 3 years, this mixed group had significantly higher patency rates in favour of the ASV (OR 2.06; 95 % CI 1.30-3.26). Complication and amputation rates were comparable in both groups., Conclusions: Limited data are available for patients receiving above-the-knee femoropopliteal bypass for intermittent claudication. The ASV remains the conduit of choice for femoropopliteal bypass surgery. However, the prosthetic conduit seems a feasible alternative for patients with intermittent claudication in whom the ASV is not present or unsuitable., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: There have been few reports examining changes in physical activity (PA) after revascularization of lower extremities from the perspective of physical function at discharge. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of physical function before discharge on the amount of PA after discharge in patients who underwent revascularization., Methods: The subjects were 34 Fontaine class II patients admitted for elective surgical revascularization or endovascular treatment at two hospitals from September 2017 to October 2019. Triaxial accelerometers were used to measure changes in sedentary behavior (SB) before admission and 1 month after discharge. Multiple regression analysis was performed on the 6-min walking distance (6MWD) at the time of discharge and the change in SB 1 month after discharge; the cutoff value was calculated from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve., Results: SB 1 month after discharge significantly decreased in the decreased SB group compared to the increased SB group (575.5 [400-745.2] vs. 649.5 [453.8-809.2], p <0.01). ROC curve was plotted with SB increase/decrease as the dependent variable and 6MWD at discharge as the independent variable; the cutoff value was 357.5 m., Conclusion: 6MWD measurement at discharge may help predict changes in SB after discharge.

Objective: The benign natural history of intermittent claudication was first documented in 1960 and has been reconfirmed in several subsequent studies. Excellent outcomes in patients with intermittent claudication can be achieved with exercise therapy and optimal medical management. Professional society guidelines have clearly stated that revascularization procedures should be performed only in patients with incapacitating claudication who have failed conservative therapy. Despite these guidelines, revascularization procedures, primarily percutaneous interventions, have been increasingly utilized in patients with claudication. Many of these patients are not even offered an attempt at medical therapy, and those who are often do not undergo a full course of treatment. Many studies document significant reintervention rates following revascularization, which are associated with increased rates of acute and chronic limb ischemia that may result in significant rates of amputation. The objectives of this study were to compare outcomes of conservative therapy to those seen in patients undergoing revascularization procedures and to determine the impact of revascularization on the natural history of claudication., Methods: Google Scholar and PubMed were searched for manuscripts on the conservative management of claudication and for those reporting outcomes following revascularization for claudication., Results: Despite early improvement in claudication symptoms following revascularization, multiple studies have demonstrated that long-term outcomes following revascularization are often no better than those obtained with conservative therapy. High reintervention rates (up to 43% for tibial atherectomies) result in high rates of both acute and chronic limb ischemia as compared with those patients undergoing medical therapy. In addition, amputation rates as high as 11% on long-term follow-up are seen in patients undergoing early revascularization. These patients also have a higher incidence of adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarctions compared with patients treated medically., Conclusions: Revascularization procedures negatively impact the natural history of claudication often resulting in multiple interventions, an increase in the incidence of acute and chronic limb ischemia, and an increased risk of amputation. Accordingly, informed consent requires that all patients undergoing early revascularization must be appraised of the potential negative impact of revascularization on the natural history of claudication., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Revascularization for intermittent claudication (IC) due to infrainguinal peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is dependent on durability and expected benefit. We aimed to assess outcomes for IC interventions in octogenarians and nonagenarians (age ≥80 years) and those younger than 80 years (age <80 years)., Methods: The Vascular Quality Initiative was queried (2010-2020) for peripheral vascular interventions (PVIs) and infrainguinal bypasses (IIBs) performed to treat IC. Baseline characteristics, procedural details, and outcomes were analyzed (comparing age ≥80 years and age <80 years)., Results: There were 84,210 PVIs (12.1% age ≥80 years and 87.9% age <80 years) and 10,980 IIBs (7.4% age ≥80 years and 92.6% age <80 years) for IC. For PVI, patients aged ≥80 years more often underwent femoropopliteal (70.7% vs 58.1%) and infrapopliteal (19% vs 9.3%) interventions, and less often iliac interventions (32.1% vs 48%) (P < .001 for all). Patients aged ≥80 years had more perioperative hematomas (3.5% vs 2.4%) and 30-day mortality (0.9% vs 0.4%) (P < .001). At 1-year post-intervention, the age ≥80 years cohort had fewer independently ambulatory patients (80% vs 91.5%; P < .001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed patients aged ≥80 years had lower reintervention/amputation-free survival (81.4% vs 86.8%), amputation-free survival (87.1% vs 94.1%), and survival (92.3% vs 96.8%) (P < .001) at 1-year after PVI. Risk adjusted analysis showed that age ≥80 years was associated with higher reintervention/amputation/death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.35), amputation/death (HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.61-2.13), and mortality (HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.66-2.23) (P < .001 for all) for PVI. For IIB, patients aged ≥80 years more often had an infrapopliteal target (28.4% vs 19.4%) and had higher 30-day mortality (1.3% vs 0.5%), renal failure (4.1% vs 2.2%), and cardiac complications (5.4% vs 3.1%) (P < .001). At 1 year, the age ≥80 years group had fewer independently ambulatory patients (81.7% vs 88.8%; P = .02). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the age ≥80 years cohort had lower reintervention/amputation-free survival (75.7% vs 81.5%), amputation-free survival (86.9% vs 93.9%), and survival (90.4% vs 96.5%) (P < .001 for all). Risk-adjusted analysis showed age ≥80 years was associated with higher amputation/death (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.1-2.54; P = .015) and mortality (HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.16-2.93; P = .009), but not reintervention/amputation/death (HR, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.85-1.44; P = .47) after IIB., Conclusions: Octogenarians and nonagenarians have greater perioperative morbidity and long-term ambulatory impairment, limb loss, and mortality after PVI and IIB for claudication. Risks of intervention on elderly patients with claudication should be carefully weighed against the perceived benefits of revascularization. Medical and exercise therapy efforts should be maximized in this population., Competing Interests: Disclosures None., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Smoking is known to increase complications, including poor wound healing, coagulation abnormalities, and cardiac and pulmonary ramifications. Across specialties, elective surgical procedures are commonly denied to active smokers. Given the base population of active smokers with vascular disease, smoking cessation is encouraged but is not required the way it is for elective general surgery procedures. We aim to study the outcomes of elective lower extremity bypass (LEB) in actively smoking claudicants., Methods: We queried the Vascular Quality Initiative Vascular Implant Surveillance and Interventional Outcomes Network LEB database from 2003 to 2019. In this database we found 609 (10.0%) never smokers (NS), 3388 (55.3%) former smokers (FS), and 2123 (34.7%) current smokers (CS) who underwent LEB for claudication. We performed two separate propensity score matches without replacement on 36 clinical variables (age, gender, race, ethnicity, obesity, insurance, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, previous coronary artery bypass graft, carotid endarterectomy, major amputation, inflow treatment, preoperative medications and treatment type), one of FS to NS and a second analysis of CS to FS. Primary outcomes included 5-year overall survival (OS), limb salvage (LS), freedom from reintervention (FR), and amputation-free survival (AFS)., Results: Propensity score matches resulted in 497 well-matched pairs of NS and FS. In this analysis we found no difference in terms of OS (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.70-1.24; P = .61), LS (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.63-1.82; P = .80), FR (HR, 0.9; 95% CI,0.71-1.21; P = .59), or AFS (HR, 0.93; 95% CI,0.71-1.22; P = .62). In the second analysis, we had 1451 well-matched pairs of CS and FS. There was no difference in LS (HR, 1.36; 95% CI,0.94-1.97; P = .11) or FR (HR, 1.02; 95% CI,0.88-1.19; P = .76). However, we did find a significant increase in OS (HR, 1.37; 95% CI,1.15-1.64, P <.001) and AFS (HR, 1.38; 95% CI,1.18-1.62; P < .001) in FS compared with CS., Conclusions: Claudicants represent a unique nonemergent vascular patient population that may require LEB. Our study found that FS have better OS and AFS when compared with CS. Additionally, FS mimic nonsmokers at 5-year outcomes for OS, LS, FR, and AFS. Therefore, structured smoking cessation should be a more prominent part of vascular office visits before elective LEB procedures in claudicants., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In recent years, there has been a tendency toward an "endovascular-first" approach for the treatment for femoropopliteal arterial disease. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are patients that are better served with an initial femoropopliteal bypass (FPB) rather than an endovascular attempt at revascularization., Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing FPB between June 2006 - December 2014 was performed. Our primary endpoint was primary graft patency, defined as patent using ultrasound or angiography without secondary intervention. Patients with <1-year follow-up were excluded. Univariate analysis of factors significant for 5-year patency was performed using χ2 tests for binary variables. A binary logistic regression analysis incorporating all factors identified as significant by univariate analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for 5-year patency. Event-free graft survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier models., Results: We identified 241 patients undergoing FPB on 272 limbs. FPB indication was disabling claudication in 95 limbs, chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) in 148, and popliteal aneurysm in 29. In total, 134 FPB were saphenous vein grafts (SVG), 126 were prosthetic grafts, 8 were arm vein grafts, and 4 were cadaveric/xenografts. There were 97 bypasses with primary patency at 5 or more years of follow-up. Grafts patent at 5 years by Kaplan-Meier analysis were more likely to have been performed for claudication or popliteal aneurysm (63% 5-year patency) as compared with CLTI (38%, P < 0.001). Statistically significant predictors (using log rank test) of patency over time were use of SVG (P = 0.015), surgical indication of claudication or popliteal aneurysm (P < 0.001), Caucasian race (P = 0.019) and no history of COPD (P = 0.026). Multivariable regression analysis confirmed these 4 factors as significant independent predictors of 5-year patency. Of note, there was no statistical correlation between FPB configuration (above or below knee anastomosis, in-situ versus reversed saphenous vein) and 5-year patency. There were 40 FPBs in Caucasian patients without a history of COPD receiving SVG for claudication or popliteal aneurysm that had a 92% estimated 5-year patency by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis., Conclusions: Long-term primary patency that was substantial enough to consider open surgery as a first intervention was demonstrated in Caucasian patients without COPD, having good quality saphenous vein, and who underwent FPB for claudication or popliteal artery aneurysm., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare the ankle-brachial index (ABI), maximal claudication distance (MCD), pain-free walking distance (PFWD), claudication pain, and quality of life (intermittent claudication questionnaire [ICQ]) before and 3 months after revascularization surgery in 98 patients diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) at a single center in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninety-eight patients were examined (77% men, 23% women, 65.65±7.27 years old), diagnosed with PAD, and qualified for revascularization. The diagnosis of PAD was made on the basis of ABI ≤0.9 and medical records. The patients underwent a noninvasive examination, including measurement of ABI (by Doppler with the EZ8 probe), assessment of the quality of life by ICQ, distance of intermittent claudication on a treadmill using the Gardner-Skinner protocol (including PFWD and MCD), and pain intensity during walking (numeric rating scale [NRS11]). The assessment was carried out twice: 1 to 5 days before surgery and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS There was an increase of ABI (0.4 vs 0.62, P<0.001), PFWD (26.64 vs 80.21, P<0.001), MCD (60.08 vs 181.85, P<0.001), and ICQ (79.92 vs 60.23, P<0.001) and reduction of PFWD pain (7.26 vs 6.05, P<0.001) and MCD pain (9.24 vs 8.11, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Revascularization surgery improved the ABI and patients functional efficiency expressed in the improvement of subjective indicators PFWD, MCD, NRS11, and ICQ. Patients who had a longer duration of disease had worse outcomes after revascularization. More attention should be paid to increasing access to preventive examinations aimed at early detection of PAD and the possibility of implementing conservative treatment.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the effect of a person centred nurse led follow up programme on health related quality of life (HRQoL), health literacy, and general self efficacy compared with standard care for patients undergoing revascularisation for intermittent claudication (IC), and to describe factors associated with HRQoL one year after revascularisation., Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Patients with IC scheduled for revascularisation at two vascular surgery centres in Sweden between 2016 and 2018 were randomised to intervention or control. During the first year after surgery, the intervention group received a person centred follow up programme with three visits and two telephone calls with a vascular nurse, while the control group received standard follow up with two visits to a vascular surgeon or vascular nurse. Outcomes were HRQoL measured by VascuQol-6, health literacy, and general self efficacy measured by validated questionnaires., Results: Overall, 214 patients were included in the trial; this secondary analysis comprised 183 patients who completed the questionnaires. One year after revascularisation, HRQoL had improved with a mean increase in VascuQol-6 of 7.0 scale steps (95% CI 5.9 - 8.0) for the intervention and 6.0 scale steps (95% CI 4.9 - 7.0) for the control group; the difference between the groups was not significant (p = .18). In an adjusted regression analysis, the intervention was associated with higher VascuQoL-6 (2.0 scale steps, 95% CI 0.08 - 3.93). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding health literacy or general self efficacy. The prevalence of insufficient health literacy among all participants was 38.7% (46/119) at baseline and 43.2% (51/118) at one year., Conclusion: In this study, a person centred, nurse led follow up programme had no significant impact on HRQoL, health literacy, or general self efficacy among patients undergoing revascularisation for IC. The prevalence of insufficient health literacy was high and should be addressed by healthcare givers and researchers., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) clinical practice guidelines recommend best medical therapy (BMT) as first-line therapy before offering revascularization to patients with intermittent claudication (IC). Notably, atherectomy and tibial-level interventions are generally discouraged for management of IC; however, high regional market competition may incentivize physicians to treat patients outside the scope of guideline-directed therapy. Therefore, we sought to determine the association between regional market competition and endovascular treatment of patients with IC., Methods: We examined patients with IC undergoing index endovascular peripheral vascular interventions (PVI) in the SVS Vascular Quality Initiative from 2010 to 2022. We assigned the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index as a measure of regional market competition and stratified centers into very high competition (VHC), high competition, moderate competition, and low competition cohorts. We defined BMT as preoperative documentation of being on antiplatelet medication, statin, nonsmoking status, and a recorded ankle-brachial index. We used logistic regression to evaluate the association of market competition with patient and procedural characteristics. A sensitivity analysis was performed in patients with isolated femoropopliteal disease matched by the TransAtlantic InterSociety classification of disease severity., Results: There were 24,669 PVIs that met the inclusion criteria. Patients with IC undergoing PVI were more likely to be on BMT when treated in higher market competition centers (odds ratio [OR], 1.07 per increase in competition quartile; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.11; P < .0001). The probability of undergoing aortoiliac interventions decreased with increasing competition (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.81-0.87; P < .0001), but there were higher odds of receiving tibial (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.30-1.50; P < .0001) and multilevel interventions in VHC vs low competition centers (femoral + tibial OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.14; P = .001). Stenting decreased as competition increased (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.87-0.92; P < .0001), whereas exposure to atherectomy increased with higher market competition (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.11-1.19; P < .0001). When assessing patients undergoing single-artery femoropopliteal intervention for TransAtlantic InterSociety A or B lesions to account for disease severity, the odds of undergoing either balloon angioplasty (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.625-0.840; P < .0001) or stenting only (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.727-0.966; P < .0001) were lower in VHC centers. Similarly, the likelihood of receiving atherectomy remained significantly higher in VHC centers (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.36-1.84; P < .0001)., Conclusions: High market competition was associated with more procedures among patients with claudication that are not consistent with guideline-directed therapy per the SVS clinical practice guidelines, including atherectomy and tibial-level interventions. This analysis demonstrates the susceptibility of care delivery to regional market competition and signifies a novel and undefined driver of PVI variation among patients with claudication., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Endurance athletes such as cyclists may develop intermittent claudication owing to iliac artery endofibrosis after long-lasting extreme hemodynamic challenges. This study investigated short-term (<1.5 years) and long-term (>5 years) satisfaction and safety after a surgical endarterectomy and autologous patching., Methods: Data of endurance athletes who underwent an endarterectomy for flow limitation of the iliac artery owing to endofibrosis between 1997 and 2015 in one center were studied. Maximal cycling exercise tests, ankle-brachial index with flexed hips, echo-Doppler examination (peak systolic velocity), and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography were performed before and 6 to 18 months after surgery. Short-term and long-term satisfaction were evaluated using questionnaires. Potential patch dilatation was assessed using echo-Doppler., Results: Analysis of 68 patients (79 legs; 55.7% males, median age at the time of surgery, 34 years; interquartile range, 26-41 years) demonstrated that cycling workload at symptom onset improved from 226 ± 97 to 333 ± 101 (P < .001) Watts. Peak workload increased from 326 ± 111 to 352 ± 93 Watts (P < .001). Ankle-brachial index with flexed hips increased from 0.34 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.00-0.47) to 0.59 (IQR, 0.51-0.69; P < .001). Peak systolic velocity with extended and flexed hip decreased from 2.04 m·sec -1 (IQR, 1.52-2.56 m·3sec -1 ) to 1.25 m·sec -1 (IQR, 0.92-1.62 m·sec -1 ; P < .001) and 2.40 m·sec -1 (IQR, 1.81-2.81 m·sec -1 ) to 1.15 m·sec -1 (IQR, 0.97-1.60 m·sec -1 ; P < .001), respectively. Thirty-day major complication rate was 5.1% (hematoma requiring evacuation n Legs  = 2, septic bleeding from deep infection n Legs  = 1, and iliac occlusion requiring thrombectomy n Legs  = 1). In the short term, 91.2% of patients reported symptom reduction with a 93.7% overall satisfaction rate. After a median of 11.1 years (IQR, 7.8-17.6 years), the overall satisfaction was 91.7%; 94.5% of patients reported persistent symptom reduction. Patch dilatation of >20 mm was observed in two patients. Linear mixed model analysis revealed no alarming patch dilatation in the long term., Conclusions: Endarterectomy with an autologous patch for intermittent claudication owing to iliac artery endofibrosis in endurance athletes shows high rates of patient satisfaction and symptom reduction in both the short and long term. The risk of surgical complications or patch dilatation is mild. A surgical intervention for flow limitation of the iliac artery owing to endofibrosis is safe and successful., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim was to analyze the risk of progression to chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), amputation and subsequent interventions after revascularization versus noninvasive therapy in patients with intermittent claudication (IC)., Background: Conflicting evidence exists regarding adverse limb outcomes after each treatment strategy., Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched aided by a health sciences librarian through August 16, 2022. Randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing invasive (endovascular or surgical revascularization) and noninvasive treatment (exercise and/or medical treatment) were included. PROSPERO registration was completed (CRD42022352831)., Results: A total of 9 RCTs comprising 1477 patients (invasive, 765 patients; noninvasive, 712 patients) were eligible. During a mean of 3.6-year follow-up, progression to CLTI after invasive [5 (2-8) per 1000 person-years] and noninvasive treatment [6 (3-10) per 1000 person-years] were not statistically different [rate ratio (RR): 0.77; 95% CI, 0.35-1.69; P =0.51, I2 =0%]. Incidence of amputation (RR: 1.69; 95% CI, 0.54-5.26; P =0.36, I2 =0%) and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.26; 95% CI, 0.91-1.74; P =0.16, I2 =0%) also did not differ between the groups. However, the invasive treatment group underwent significantly more revascularizations (RR: 4.15; 95% CI, 2.80-6.16; P <0.00001, I2 =83%). The results were not changed by fixed effect or random-effects models, nor by sensitivity analysis., Conclusions: Although there is equivalent risk of progression to CLTI, major amputation and all-cause mortality compared with noninvasive treatment, invasive treatment for patients with IC led to significantly more revascularization procedures and should be used selectively in patients with major lifestyle limitation. Guideline recommendation of noninvasive treatment for first-line IC therapy is supported., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD) - also known as peripheral arterial disease - refers to the obstruction or narrowing of the large arteries of the lower limbs, most commonly caused by atheromatous plaque. Although in many cases of less severe disease patients can be asymptomatic, the major clinical manifestations of LEAD are intermittent claudication (IC) and critical limb ischaemia, also known as chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI). Revascularisation procedures including angioplasty, stenting, and bypass grafting may be required for those in whom the disease is severe or does not improve with non-surgical interventions. Maintaining vessel patency after revascularisation remains a challenge for vascular surgeons, since approximately 30% of vein grafts may present with restenosis in the first year due to myointimal hyperplasia. Restenosis can also occur after angioplasty and stenting. Restenosis and occlusions that occur more than two years after the procedure are generally related to progression of the atherosclerosis. Surveillance programmes with duplex ultrasound (DUS) scanning as part of postoperative care may facilitate early diagnosis of restenosis and help avoid amputation in people who have undergone revascularisation., Objectives: To assess the effects of DUS versus pulse palpation, arterial pressure index, angiography, or any combination of these, for surveillance of lower limb revascularisation in people with LEAD., Search Methods: The Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and LILACS databases and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 1 February 2022., Selection Criteria: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that compared DUS surveillance after lower limb revascularisation versus clinical surveillance characterised by medical examination with pulse palpation, with or without any other objective test, such as arterial pressure index measures (e.g. ankle-brachial index (ABI) or toe brachial index (TBI)). Our primary outcomes were limb salvage rate, vessel or graft secondary patency, and adverse events resulting from DUS surveillance. Secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, functional walking ability assessed by walking distance, clinical severity scales, quality of life (QoL), re-intervention rates, and functional walking ability assessed by any validated walking impairment questionnaire. We presented the outcomes at two time points: two years or less after the original revascularisation (short term) and more than two years after the original revascularisation (long term)., Data Collection and Analysis: We used standard Cochrane methodological procedures. We used the Cochrane RoB 1 tool to assess the risk of bias for RCTs and GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence. We performed meta-analysis when appropriate., Main Results: We included three studies (1092 participants) that compared DUS plus pulse palpation and arterial pressure index (ABI or TBI) versus pulse palpation and arterial pressure index (ABI or TBI) for surveillance of lower limb revascularisation with bypass. One study each was conducted in Sweden and Finland, and the third study was conducted in the UK and Europe. The studies did not report adverse events resulting from DUS surveillance, functional walking ability, or clinical severity scales. No study assessed surveillance with DUS scanning after angioplasty or stenting, or both. We downgraded the certainty of evidence for risk of bias and imprecision. Duplex ultrasound plus pulse palpation and arterial pressure index (ABI or TBI) versus pulse palpation plus arterial pressure index (ABI or TBI) (short-term time point) In the short term, DUS surveillance may lead to little or no difference in limb salvage rate (risk ratio (RR) 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49 to 1.45; I² = 93%; 2 studies, 936 participants; low-certainty evidence) and vein graft secondary patency (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.26; I² = 57%; 3 studies, 1092 participants; low-certainty evidence). DUS may lead to little or no difference in all-cause mortality (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.74; 1 study, 594 participants; low-certainty evidence). There was no clear difference in QoL as assessed by the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) physical score (mean difference (MD) 2 higher, 95% CI 2.59 lower to 6.59 higher; 1 study, 594 participants; low-certainty evidence); the SF-36 mental score (MD 3 higher, 95% CI 0.38 lower to 6.38 higher; 1 study, 594 participants; low-certainty evidence); or the EQ-5D utility score (MD 0.02 higher, 95% CI 0.03 lower to 0.07 higher; 1 study, 594 participants; low-certainty evidence). DUS may increase re-intervention rates when considered any therapeutic intervention (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.81; 3 studies, 1092 participants; low-certainty evidence) or angiogram procedures (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.08; 3 studies, 1092 participants; low-certainty evidence). Duplex ultrasound plus pulse palpation and arterial pressure index (ABI or TBI) versus pulse palpation plus arterial pressure index (ABI or TBI) (long-term time point) One study reported data after two years, but provided only vessel or graft secondary patency data. DUS may lead to little or no difference in vessel or graft secondary patency (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.19 to 3.51; 1 study, 156 participants; low-certainty evidence). Other outcomes of interest were not reported at the long-term time point., Authors' Conclusions: Based on low certainty evidence, we found no clear difference between DUS and standard surveillance in preventing limb amputation, morbidity, and mortality after lower limb revascularisation. We found no studies on DUS surveillance after angioplasty or stenting (or both), only studies on bypass grafting. High-quality RCTs should be performed to better inform the best medical surveillance of lower limb revascularisation that may reduce the burden of peripheral arterial disease., (Copyright © 2023 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: In patients with intermittent claudication (IC), short-term amputation rates from clinical trial data following lower extremity femoropopliteal (FP) peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) are <1% with unknown longer-term rates., Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify revascularization and amputation rates following PVI in the FP segment and to assess 4-year amputation and revascularization rates after FP PVI for IC., Methods: From 2016 to 2020, 19,324 patients undergoing FP PVI for IC were included from the PINC AI Healthcare Database and evaluated by treatment level (superficial femoral artery [SFA], popliteal artery [POP], or both). The primary outcome was index limb amputation (ILA) assessed by Kaplan-Meier estimate. The secondary outcomes were index limb major amputation and repeat revascularization. HRs were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression., Results: The 4-year index limb amputation rate following FP PVI was 4.3% (95% CI: 4.0-4.7), with a major amputation rate of 3.2% (95% CI: 2.9-3.5). After POP PVI, ILA was significantly higher than SFA alone (7.5% vs 3.4%) or both segment PVI (5.5%). In multivariate analysis, POP PVI was associated with higher ILA rates at 4 years compared with isolated SFA PVI (HR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.52-2.91) and index limb major amputation (HR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.32-2.95). Repeat FP revascularization rates were 15.2%; they were highest in patients undergoing both SFA and POP PVI (18.7%; P < 0.0001) compared with SFA (13.9%) and POP (17.1%) only., Conclusions: IC patients undergoing FP PVI had 4-year rates of index limb repeat revascularization of 16.7% and ILA rates of 4.3%. Further risk factors for amputation requires further investigation., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Dr Hess has received research funding to Colorado Prevention Center Clinical Research from Merck, Bayer, and Amgen. Dr Curtis has a contract with the American College of Cardiology for his role as senior medical officer of the National Cardiovascular Data Registry; has received salary support from the American College of Cardiology, National Cardiovascular Data Registry; and holds equity interest in Medtronic. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Studies examining the relationship between socioeconomic disparities and peripheral artery disease (PAD) often focus on individual social health determinants and fail to account for the complex interplay between factors that ultimately impact disease severity and outcomes. Area deprivation index (ADI), a validated measure of neighborhood adversity, provides a more comprehensive assessment of social disadvantage. Therefore, we examined the impact of ADI on PAD severity and its management., Methods: We identified all patients who underwent infrainguinal revascularization (open or endovascular) or amputation for symptomatic PAD in the Vascular Quality Initiative registry between 2003 and 2020. An ADI score of 1 to 100 was assigned to each patient based on their residential zip code, with higher ADI scores corresponding with increasing adversity. Patients were categorized by ADI quintiles (Q1-Q5). The outcomes of interest included indication for procedure (claudication, rest pain, or tissue loss) and rates of revascularization (vs primary amputation). Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate for an independent association between ADI quintile and these outcomes., Results: Among the 79,973 patients identified, 9604 (12%) were in the lowest ADI quintile (Q1), 14,961 (18.7%) in Q2, 19,800 (24.8%) in Q3, 21,735 (27.2%) in Q4, and 13,873 (17.4%) in Q5. There were significant trends toward lower rates of claudication (Q1: 39% vs Q5: 34%, P < .001), higher rates of rest pain (Q1: 12.4% vs Q5: 17.8%, P < .001) as the indication for intervention, and lower rates of revascularization (Q1: 80% vs Q5: 69%, P < .001) with increasing ADI quintiles. In adjusted analyses, there was a progressively higher likelihood of presenting with rest pain vs claudication, with patients in Q5 having the highest probability when compared with those in Q1 (relative risk: 2.0; 95% confidence interval: 1.8-2.2; P < .001). Patients in Q5, when compared with those in Q1, also had a higher likelihood of presenting with tissue loss vs claudication (relative risk: 1.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.3-1.6; P < .001). Compared with patients in Q1, patients in Q2-Q5 had a lower likelihood of undergoing any revascularization procedure., Conclusions: Among patients who underwent infrainguinal revascularization or amputation in the Vascular Quality Initiative, those with higher neighborhood adversity had more advanced disease at presentation and lower rates of revascularization. Further work is needed to better understand neighborhood factors that are contributing to these disparities in order to identify community-level targets for improvement., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Primary stenting of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) in intermittent claudication (IC) has been shown to increase health related quality of life (HRQoL) after 12 and 24 months. An extended follow up of HRQoL 36 and 60 months after randomisation is presented., Methods: A multicentre randomised controlled trial was conducted at seven vascular clinics in Sweden between 2010 and 2020. One hundred patients randomised to either primary stenting and best medical treatment (BMT; n = 48) or BMT alone (n = 52) were followed for 60 months. HRQoL, assessed by the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and EuroQoL 5 dimensions (EQ5D) 36 and 60 months after randomisation, was the primary outcome. Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) score, re-interventions, progression to chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI), amputation, and death were secondary outcomes., Results: At the 36 month follow up, the stent group (n = 32) had statistically significantly better scores in the SF-36 domain "Role Physical" (p = .023) and the Physical Component Summary (p = .032) compared with the control group (n = 30); however, there was no statistically significant difference in EQ5D scores (p = .52). WIQ was statistically significantly better in the stent group compared with the control group (p = .029) at 36 months. At the 60 month follow up, no statistically significant difference in HRQoL was seen between patients in the stent (n = 31) and control groups (n = 32). Crossover from the control group to the stent group was 25% at 60 months. There were no differences in progression to CLTI, amputation (2.1% vs. 1.9%), or mortality (14.6% vs. 15.4%) between groups., Conclusion: In patients with IC caused by isolated SFA lesions, primary stenting conferred benefits to HRQoL until 36 months from treatment vs. BMT alone, but these benefits were no longer detectable at 60 months, where a high crossover rate affected the power of the final analysis., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

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., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To investigate the safety and efficacy of short recovery day-case pathway following lower-limb angioplasty in both intermittent claudication and critical limb ischaemia patients., Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the medical records of consecutive outpatients treated with lower-limb angioplasty over a 1-year period within an interventional radiology (IR) day-case unit in a high-volume vascular centre. Standard post-angioplasty care at York Teaching Hospital is discharge 3 h after puncture site haemostasis without the routine use of closure devices. The rates of successful same-day discharge, procedure success, complications, and re-admissions were calculated with 30-day follow-up., Results: The cohort included 301 patients (57% intermittent claudication and 43% critical limb ischaemia) undergoing 605 angioplasties using access sheath size ranging from 4 to 7 F. Closure devices were used in only 7% of patients. Successful same-day discharge achieved in 98% of patients (294/301), with seven admitted overnight because of complications. Eleven patients (3.6%) were re-admitted within 30 days. Technical success rates were 92%, and 96% when including partially successful interventions, with 4% technical failure. Twelve patients (4%) developed minor complications and four major complications (1%). There were no significant differences in complication rates between small and larger sheath sizes (p>0.05). No procedure-related death was recorded within 30 days., Conclusion: Lower-limb angioplasty can be performed safely as day-case procedure with a short recovery protocol within IR departments for both patients with intermittent claudication (IC) and critical limb ischaemia (CLI). This may significantly increase patient throughput and alleviate pressure on stretched hospital inpatient resources by safely discharging patients on the day of procedure., (Copyright © 2022 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The surgical treatment of claudication can be associated with significant morbidity and costs. There are growing concerns that some patients proceed to interventions without first attempting evidence-based nonoperative management. We used a direct, cross-site, blinded expert review to evaluate the appropriateness of the surgical treatment of claudication., Methods: We enlisted practicing vascular surgeons to perform retrospective clinical assessments of lower extremity bypass procedures in a statewide clinical registry. Cases were limited to elective, open, infrainguinal bypasses performed for claudication using prosthetic grafts. Reviewing surgeons were randomly assigned 10 cases from a sample of 139 anonymized bypass operations and instructed to evaluate procedural appropriateness based on their expert opinion and evidence-based guidelines for preoperative treatment, namely, antiplatelet, statin, cilostazol, exercise, and smoking cessation therapy as documented in the medical record. Ninety-day episode payments were estimated from a distinct but similar cohort of patients undergoing lower extremity bypass for claudication., Results: Of 325 total reviews, surgeons stated they would not have recommended bypass in 134 reviews (41%) and deemed bypass inappropriate in 122 reviews (38%). The most common reason for inappropriateness was lack of preoperative medical and lifestyle therapy, which was present in 63% of reviews where bypass was deemed appropriate and 39% of reviews where bypass was deemed inappropriate (P < .001). Surgeons stated they would have recommended additional preoperative therapy in 65% of reviews where bypass was deemed inappropriate and 35% of reviews where bypass was deemed appropriate (P < .001). The mean total episode payments in a similar cohort of 1458 patients undergoing elective open lower extremity bypass for claudication were $31,301 ± $21,219. Extrapolating to the 325 reviews, the 134 reviews in which surgeons would not have recommended bypass were associated with potentially avoidable estimated total payments of $4,194,334, and the 122 reviews in which bypass was deemed inappropriate were associated with potentially avoidable estimated total payments of $3,818,722., Conclusions: In this cross-site expert peer review study, 40% of lower extremity bypasses were deemed premature and, therefore, potentially avoidable, primarily owing to a lack of medical and lifestyle management before surgery. Reviews deemed inappropriate were associated with approximately $4 million in potentially avoidable costs. This approach could inform performance feedback among surgeons to help align clinical practice with evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of claudication., (Copyright © 2022 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: With the growing number of traditional posterior open surgery, the incidence of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) increases gradually. We aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors for FBSS following open posterior lumbar surgery for degenerative lumbar disease (DLD)., Method: A multivariable regression analysis was performed for 333 consecutive patients to identify potential risk factors for FBSS. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by the validated North American Spine Society (NASS) Questionnaire and numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain. Demographics, diagnostic characteristics, surgical data, radiographic parameters for each patient were analyzed., Result: 16.8% of the included patients were classified as FBSS. Univariate analysis showed that age, hypertension, symptom location, intermittent claudication, preoperative pain NRS-leg, HIZ, Modic changes (MCs), surgical strategy and postoperative rehabilitation were related to FBSS. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that preoperative NRS-leg (OR:0.80, 95%CI:0.71-0.91, P = 0.001), hypertension (OR: 2.22, 95%CI: 1.10-4.51, P = 0.027), intermittent claudication with waking distance > 100 m (OR: 4.07, 95%CI: 1.75-9.47, P = 0.001) and waking distance ≤ 100 m (OR: 12.43, 95%CI: 5.54-27.92, P < 0.001), HIZ (OR: 8.26, 95%CI: 4.00-17.04, P < 0.001), MCs (OR: 3.41, 95%CI: 1.73-6.71, P < 0.001), postoperative rehabilitation (OR: 2.63, 95%CI: 1.13-6.12, P = 0.024) were risk factors for FBSS., Conclusion: Open posterior lumbar surgery is an effective treatment for DLD which provides pain reduction and lumbar curve improvement with a considerable satisfaction rate. Lower preoperative NRS-leg, hypertension, intermittent claudication, HIZ, MCs and postoperative rehabilitation are risk factors for FBSS, which can serve as a tool for clinicians to identify at-risk population and provide more effective management to mitigate the doctor-patient contradictions and further occupation of medical resources., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is a rare cause of claudication in which a mucinous cyst forms within the adventitial layer of a blood vessel, most commonly the popliteal artery, resulting in luminal narrowing. This paper presents a case of a man in his mid-50s with unilateral lower limb popliteal artery CAD, which was not initially identified on either duplex ultrasonography or CT angiography. He was successfully treated with surgical resection of the affected segment of the popliteal artery and autologous vein grafting., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with comorbid conditions and frailty. The role of preoperative nutrition in patients with PAD has not been well characterized. In the present scoping review, we sought to describe the prevalence and prognostic implications of preoperative malnutrition in patients undergoing vascular interventions for claudication or chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI)., Methods: We systematically searched for studies across six databases from inception to August 2021. Studies that had focused on patients with claudication or CLTI who had undergone open or endovascular procedures were included if preoperative nutrition had been measured and correlated with a clinical outcome., Results: Of 4186 records identified, 24 studies had addressed the prevalence or prognostic effects of malnutrition in patients who had undergone interventions for PAD. The proportion of women included in these studies ranged from 6% to 58%. The prevalence of preoperative malnutrition ranged from 14.6% to 72%. Seven different malnutrition assessments had been used in these studies. Across all the scales, preoperative malnutrition was associated with at least one of the following outcomes: mortality, postoperative complications, length of stay, readmission rates, and delayed wound healing., Conclusions: A variety of tools were used to measure malnutrition in patients undergoing interventions for PAD. Our findings suggest that preoperative malnutrition is associated with adverse clinical outcomes for patients undergoing open and endovascular procedures for claudication or CLTI and that consensus is lacking regarding which tool to use. Clinicians and surgeons should be sensitized to the importance of assessing for malnutrition preoperatively in adults undergoing interventions for PAD., (Copyright © 2022 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Historically, longer operative times for open infrainguinal revascularization have been associated with higher perioperative complication rates, especially surgical site infections and extended lengths of stay. We sought to determine whether an association existed between the procedure length and morbidity or mortality after elective lower extremity endovascular interventions., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective analysis of the targeted lower extremity National Surgery Quality Improvement Program database from 2012 to 2017. We included patients who had been either asymptomatic or had presented with claudication. The primary outcome was a severe adverse outcome, including one or more of the following: death, myocardial infarction, amputation, bleeding, and cerebrovascular accident. We performed univariate logistic regression analysis to determine whether patients with longer operative times had had greater odds of experiencing a severe adverse outcome. We performed a multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model to identify variables predictive of the outcome of interest., Results: A total of 4081 patients were included, 3478 with claudication and 603 without symptoms. Patients with unknown disease or critical limb ischemia were excluded. Of the 4081 patients, 3646 had undergone interventions in the femoropopliteal region (89.3%) and 406 in the tibial region (10.0%). For the remaining 29 patients, the location of the endovascular intervention was missing. The median operative time for all procedures was 84 minutes. On univariate analysis, an operative time >121 minutes was a significant predictor of a severe adverse outcome (P < .0001). We used a forward selection method to identify confounders and subsequently performed multivariate logistic regression. Even after controlling for confounders, an operative time >121 minutes remained a significant predictor of severe adverse outcomes., Conclusions: For patients with claudication and asymptomatic patients, prolonged operative times for elective endovascular procedures were associated with poor outcomes. After controlling for confounders, we found a statistically significant association between the procedure length and the occurrence of adverse outcomes. Specifically, an operating time >2 hours had had significantly greater odds of dying or experiencing myocardial infarction, amputation, or bleeding. Thus, surgeons should weigh the benefits and choice of endovascular intervention types against the risks of prolonged procedures., (Copyright © 2022 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The goal of this study was to assess the long-term effectiveness of combination therapy for intermittent claudication, compared with supervised exercise only., Background: Supervised exercise therapy is recommended as first-line treatment for intermittent claudication by recent guidelines. Combining endovascular revascularization plus supervised exercise shows promising results; however, there is a lack of long-term follow-up., Methods: The ERASE study is a multicenter randomized clinical trial, including patients between May 2010 and February 2013 with intermittent claudication. Interventions were combination of endovascular revascularization plus supervised exercise (n = 106) or supervised exercise only (n = 106). Primary endpoint was the difference in maximum walking distance at long-term follow-up. Secondary endpoints included differences in pain-free walking distance, ankle-brachial index, quality of life, progression to critical limb ischemia, and revascularization procedures during follow-up. This randomized trial report is based on a post hoc analysis of extended follow-up beyond that of the initial trial. Patients were followed up until 31 July 2017. Data were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle., Results: Median long-term follow-up was 5.4 years (IQR 4.9-5.7). Treadmill test was completed for 128/212 (60%) patients. Whereas the difference in maximum walking distance significantly favored combination therapy at 1-year follow-up, the difference at 5-year follow-up was no longer significant (53 m; 99% CI-225 to 331; P = 0.62). No difference in pain-free walking distance, ankle-brachial index, and quality of life was found during long-term follow-up. We found that supervised exercise was associated with an increased hazard of a revascularization procedure during follow-up (HR 2.50; 99% CI 1.27-4.90; P < 0.001). The total number of revascularization procedures (including randomized treatment) was lower in the exercise only group compared to that in the combination therapy group (65 vs 149)., Conclusions: Long-term follow up after combination therapy versus supervised exercise only, demonstrated no significant difference in walking distance or quality of life between the treatment groups. Combination therapy resulted in a lower number of revascularization procedures during follow-up but a higher total number of revascularizations including the randomized treatment., Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Registry Identifier: NTR2249., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Despite low LDL-C goals, the residual risk for further cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains high. Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) is a known risk factor for PAD incidence, but little is known regarding the outcome in patients with symptomatic PAD. Thus, this study investigates Lp(a) and CV mortality in PAD after endovascular repair., Methods: A total of 1222 patients with PAD in two cohorts according to Lp(a) assay in nmol/L (n = 964, Lip-LEAD-A) or mg/dl (n = 258, Lip-LEAD-B) were followed up for 4.3 (IQR 3.0-5.6) or 7.6 (IQR 3.2-8.1) years. Lp(a) was measured before endovascular repair for either intermittent claudication (IC) or critical limb ischemia (CLI). Outcome information was obtained from the federal death registry., Results: In Lip-LEAD-A, 141 CV-deaths occurred (annual calculated CV-death rate 3.4%), whereas 64 CV-deaths were registered in Lip-LEAD-B (annual calculated CV-death rate 3.3%). After adjustment for traditional CV risk factors Lp(a) was neither associated with outcome in Lip-LEAD-A (highest tertile HR 1.47, 95%CI [0.96-2.24]) nor in Lip-LEAD-B (highest tertile HR 1.34 [0.70-2.58]). Subanalyses for IC (HR 1.37 [0.74-2.55]; HR 1.10 [0.44-2.80], CLI (HR 1.55 [0.86-2.80], HR 3.01 [0.99-9.10]), or concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD; HR 1.34 [0.71-2.54]; HR 1.21 [0.46-3.17]) failed to show a significant association between Lp(a) and CV-mortality., Conclusions: In this large-scale cohort of symptomatic PAD no association of elevated Lp(a) with CV mortality was found over a median observation period of 5 years. Thus, an even longer study including asymptomatic patients is warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This prospective study aimed to assess the prognosis of claudication after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) involving hypogastric artery (HGA) embolization., Methods: Patients who were scheduled to undergo EVAR involving bilateral or unilateral HGA embolization (BHE or UHE, respectively) between May 2017 and January 2019 were included in this study. Patients underwent the walk test preoperatively, one week postoperatively, and monthly thereafter for six months. The presence of claudication and the maximum walking distance (MWD) were recorded. A near-infrared spectroscopy monitor was placed on the buttocks, and the recovery time (RT) was determined. A walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ) was completed to determine subjective symptoms., Results: Of the 13 patients who completed the protocol, 12 experienced claudication in the 6-min walk test. The MWD was significantly lower at one week postoperatively than preoperatively. The claudication prevalence was significantly higher at five and six months postoperatively after BHE than after UHE. BHE was associated with longer RTs and lower WIQ scores than UHE., Conclusions: We noted a trend in adverse effects on the gluteal circulation and subjective symptoms ameliorating within six months postoperatively, with more effects being associated with BHE than with UHE. These findings should be used to make decisions concerning management strategies for HGA reconstruction., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Outcomes after femoropopliteal bypass for intermittent claudication (IC) remain unclear in the endovascular era., Methods: A multi-institutional database was retrospectively queried for all femoropopliteal bypass procedures performed between 1995 and 2020. Demographics, operative details, and outcomes were documented. A statistical analysis included Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards ratios (HR)., Results: A total of 282 patients underwent femoropopliteal bypass surgery for IC. Median age was 68 y (interquartile range, 61-73 y). Bypass conduits included great saphenous vein (GSV) (48.2%), prosthetic grafts (48.9%), and non-GSV autogenous grafts (2.8%). Distal bypass target was above-knee in 62.1% and below-knee in 37.9% of patients. The most common postoperative complications were wound infections (14.2%) followed by unplanned 30-d hospital readmissions (12.4%). Mortality rates were low at 0.4% (30 d) and 3.2% (1 y). Five-year primary patency rates trended highest for claudicants undergoing above-knee bypass with GSV conduit (log-rank P = 0.065). Five-year amputation-free survival rates were highest using GSV conduit regardless of distal bypass target (log-rank P = 0.017). On a multivariable analysis, age (HR 1.02 [1.00-1.04], P = 0.023) and active smoking (HR 1.48 [1.06-2.06], P = 0.021) were identified as risk factors for diminished primary graft patency. Risk factors for amputation-free survival included age (HR 1.03 [1.01-1.05], P < 0.001) and GSV conduit type (HR 0.65 [0.46-0.90], P = 0.011)., Conclusions: Femoropopliteal bypass among claudicants is associated with high rates of wound infection and hospital readmission. Active smoking portends worse outcomes in this population. These data may inform clinical decision-making regarding surgical intervention for claudication in the endovascular era., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Intermittent claudication (IC) is a commonly treated vascular condition. Patient sex has been shown to influence outcomes of interventions for other vascular disorders; however, whether outcomes of interventions for IC vary by sex is unclear. We sought to assess the association of patient sex with outcomes after IC interventions., Methods: The Vascular Quality Initiative was queried from 2010-2020 for all peripheral endovascular interventions (PVI), infra-inguinal bypasses (IIB), and supra-inguinal bypasses (SIB) for any degree IC. Univariable and multivariable analyses compared peri-operative and long-term outcomes by patient sex., Results: There were 24,701 female and 40,051 male patients undergoing PVI, 2,789 female and 6,525 male patients undergoing IIB, and 1,695 female and 2,370 male patients undergoing SIB for IC. Guideline-recommended pre-operative medical therapy differed with female patients less often prescribed aspirin for PVI (73.4% vs. 77.3%), IIB (71.5% vs. 74.8%), and SIB (70.9% vs. 74.3%) or statins for PVI (71.8% vs. 76.7%) and IIB (73.1% vs. 76.0%) (all P < 0.05). Female compared with male patients had lower 1-year reintervention-free survival after PVI (84.4% ± 0.3% vs. 86.3% ± 0.2%, P < 0.001), IIB (79.0% ± 0.9% vs. 81.2% ± 0.6%, P = 0.04), and SIB (89.4% ± 0.9% vs. 92.6% ± 0.7%, P = 0.005), but similar amputation-free survival and survival across all procedures. Multivariable analysis confirmed that female sex was associated with increased 1-year reintervention for PVI (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.09-1.24, P < 0.001), IIB, (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.03-1.31, P = 0.02), and SIB (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.20-2.13, P = 0.001)., Conclusions: Female patients undergoing interventions for IC were less often pre-operatively medically optimized than male patients, though the difference was small. Furthermore, female sex was associated with more reinterventions after interventions. Interventionists treating female patients should increase their efforts to maximize medical therapy. Future research should clarify reasons for poorer intervention durability in female patients., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Management of intermittent claudication should include secondary prevention to reduce the risk of cardiocerebrovascular disease. Patient adherence to secondary prevention is a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme could improve adherence to medication compared with standard care., Methods: A non-blinded RCT was conducted at two vascular surgery centres in Sweden. Patients with intermittent claudication and scheduled for revascularization were randomized to the intervention or control (standard care) follow-up programme. The primary outcome, adherence to prescribed secondary preventive medication, was based on registry data on dispensed medication and self-reported intake of medication. Secondary outcomes were risk factors for cardiocerebrovascular disease according to the Framingham risk score., Results: Some 214 patients were randomized and analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The mean proportion of days covered (PDC) at 1 year for lipid-modifying agents was 79 per cent in the intervention and 82 per cent in the control group, whereas it was 92 versus 91 per cent for antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant agents. The groups did not differ in mean PDC (lipid-modifying P = 0.464; antiplatelets and/or anticoagulants P = 0.700) or in change in adherence over time. Self-reported adherence to prescribed medication was higher than registry-based adherence regardless of allocation or medication group (minimum P < 0.001, maximum P = 0.034). There was no difference in median Framingham risk score at 1 year between the groups., Conclusion: Compared with the standard follow-up programme, a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme did not improve adherence to secondary preventive medication. Adherence was overestimated when self-reported compared with registry-reported., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Society Ltd.)

Background: Endovascular atherectomy enables minimally invasive plaque removal in peripheral artery disease (PAD)., Aims: We aimed to evaluate the safety and the long-term effectiveness of the Phoenix atherectomy for the treatment of complex and calcified lesions in PAD patients., Methods: Consecutive all-comer patients with PAD underwent the Phoenix atherectomy. Device safety in terms of perforation and distal embolisation were evaluated. Lesion calcifications were categorised by the Peripheral Arterial Calcium Scoring System (PACSS) and lesion complexity was assessed by the Transatlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC). Clinically driven target lesion revascularisation (TLR) was assessed., Results: A total of 558 lesions were treated in 402 consecutive patients. Clinical follow-up was available at 15.7±10.2 months for 365 (91%) patients. Of 402 patients, 135 (33.6%) had claudication, 37 (9.2%) had ischaemic rest pain and 230 (57%) exhibited ischaemic ulcerations. Lesions were mostly identified in the femoropopliteal segments (55%), followed by below-the-knee (BTK) segments (32%). Complex TASC C/D lesions and moderate to severe calcifications (PACSS score ≥2) were present in 331 (82%) and 323 (80%) patients, respectively. The mean lesion length was 20.6±14.3 cm. Five (1%) perforations and 10 (2%) asymptomatic embolisations occurred. Bail-out stenting was performed in 4%, 16% and 3% of patients with common femoral artery, femoropopliteal and BTK lesions, respectively. During follow-up, 5 (3.9%) patients with claudication and 52 (21.9%) patients with critical limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI) died (hazard ratio [HR] 3.7; p<0.001). Freedom from TLR was 87.5% (112 of 128) in patients with claudication and 82.3% (195 of 237) in patients with CLTI, respectively (HR 1.8; p=0.03)., Conclusions: The Phoenix atherectomy can be safely performed in patients with complex lesions with a relatively low rate of bail-out stenting and clinically acceptable TLR rates., German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00016708.

Objective: Despite limited evidence supporting atherectomy alone over stenting/angioplasty as the index peripheral vascular intervention (PVI), the use of atherectomy has rapidly increased in recent years. We previously identified a wide distribution of atherectomy practice patterns among US physicians. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of index atherectomy with reintervention., Methods: We used 100% Medicare fee-for-service claims to identify all beneficiaries who underwent elective first-time femoropopliteal PVI for claudication between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019. Subsequent PVI reinterventions were examined through June 30, 2021. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare rates of PVI reinterventions for patients who received index atherectomy versus nonatherectomy procedures. Reintervention rates were also described for physicians by their overall atherectomy use (by quartile). A hierarchical Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate patient and physician-level characteristics associated with reinterventions., Results: A total of 15,246 patients underwent an index PVI for claudication in 2019, of which 59.7% were atherectomy. After a median of 603 days (interquartile range, 77-784 days) of follow-up, 41.2% of patients underwent a PVI reintervention, including 48.9% of patients who underwent index atherectomy versus 29.8% of patients who underwent index nonatherectomy (P < .001). Patients treated by high physician users of atherectomy (quartile 4) received more reinterventions than patients treated by standard physician users (quartiles 1-3) (56.8% vs 39.6%; P < .001). After adjustment, patient factors association with PVI reintervention included receipt of index atherectomy (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.46), Black race (vs White; aHR; 1.18; 95% CI, 1.03-1.34), diabetes (aHR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.07-1.21), and urban residence (aHR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.22). Physician factors associated with reintervention included male sex (aHR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.12-2.04), high-volume PVI practices (aHR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.10-1.37), and physicians with a high use of index atherectomy (aHR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.27-1.74). Vascular surgeons had a lower risk of PVI reintervention than cardiologists (vs vascular; aHR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09-1.38), radiologists (aHR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.31-1.83), and other specialties (aHR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.20-2.11). The location of services delivered was not associated with reintervention (P > .05)., Conclusions: The use of atherectomy as an index PVI for claudication is associated with higher PVI reintervention rates compared with nonatherectomy procedures. Similarly, high physician users of atherectomy perform more PVI reinterventions than their peers. The appropriateness of using atherectomy for initial treatment of claudication needs critical reevaluation., (Copyright © 2022 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. It may present with diverse clinical presentations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis of these clinical presentations., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study, in which symptomatic PAD patients were included from 2014 to 2020 at a university hospital in Argentina. We classified symptomatic PAD in intermittent claudication (IC), chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and acute ischemia (AI). Our primary endpoint was to compare the composite of all-cause mortality and major amputation events between the three groups., Results: We included 309 patients, with a median follow up of 1.87 years (IQR 0.72-3.67). The primary endpoint was more prevalent in CLTI and AI patients (33% and 33.3%) compared to IC patients (8.1%), P<0.001. CLTI and AI were independently associated with the primary endpoint after adjusting for clinical variables of interest (OR 4.04 95%CI [1.86-9.07], P<0.001 and OR 5.40 95%CI [2.18-13.7], P<0.001, respectively). Mortality incidence rate (per 100 patients/year) was similar between AI and CLTI patients (14.2 95% CI [8.0-24.1] and 13.1 95%CI [8.8-19.7], respectively, P=0.67) but higher compared to IC (2.9 95%CI [1.6-5.1], P<0.01). Major amputation events were more prevalent in CLTI (16.5%) compared to AI (8.9%) and IC patients (1.2%), P<0.01., Conclusions: Those with CLTI and AI have a particular increased risk of all-cause death and major amputation events. Although mortality incidence was similar between AI and CLTI patients, the latter have an increased risk of major amputation events compared to AI and IC patients.