Use of the Wound, Ischemia, foot Infection classification system in hemodialysis patients after endovascular treatment for critical limb ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: The Wound, Ischemia, foot Infection (WIfI) classification system is used to predict the amputation risk in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). The validity of the WIfI classification system for hemodialysis (HD) patients with CLI is still unknown. This single-center study evaluated the prognostic value of WIfI stages in HD patients with CLI who had been treated with endovascular therapy (EVT). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of collected data on CLI patients treated with EVT between April 2007 and December 2015. All patients were classified according to their wound status, ischemia index, and extent of foot infection into the following four groups: very low risk, low risk, moderate risk, and high risk. Comorbidities and vascular lesions in each group were analyzed. The prognostic value of the WIfI classification was analyzed on the basis of the wound healing rate and amputation-free survival at 1 year. RESULTS: This study included 163 consecutive CLI patients who underwent HD and successful endovascular intervention. The rate of the high-risk group (36%) was the highest among the four groups, and the proportions of very-low-risk, low-risk, and moderate-risk patients were 10%, 18%, and 34%, respectively. The mean follow-up duration was 784 ± 650 days. The wound healing rates at 1 year were 92%, 70%, 75%, and 42% in the very-low-risk, low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively (P <.01). A similar trend was observed for the 1-year amputation-free survival among the groups (76%, 58%, 61%, and 46%, respectively; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: The WIfI classification system predicted the wound healing and amputation risks in a highly selected group of HD patients with CLI treated with EVT, with a statistically significant difference between high-risk patients and other patients.

The Impact of Decline in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) of Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) After Endovascular Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Certain patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) experience significant decline in activities of daily living (ADL) during hospitalization. The prognosis of decline in ADL during hospitalization remains unknown. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on collected data of patients with CLI treated by endovascular treatment between April 2007 and December 2015. We evaluated CLI in patients ADL at the time of hospitalization and after discharge using the Barthel index. We classified all patients into patients with decline in ADL and stable in ADL and compared clinical outcomes (cumulative incidence of wound healing, amputation-free survival at 1 year) between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-five consecutive patients with CLI (221 limbs), who underwent successful endovascular intervention, were enrolled in this study. Of all patients, 22 patients were classified into the decline group. The prevalence of wound, Ischemia, foot infection (WIfI) classification high grade was higher in the decline group (30.7% vs 63.6%; P < .01). The wound healing rates were worse in the decline group than in the stable group (40% vs 78% at 1 year; P < .01). The same trends were observed in the amputation-free survival (37% vs 78%; P < .01). After multivariate analysis, decline in ADL was an independent predictor of wound healing and amputation-free survival (odds ratio [OR]: 2.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.61-3.35, P < .01; OR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.26-4.53, P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CLI with decline in ADL during hospitalization were found to have a poor prognosis suggesting that a decline in ADL may affect the clinical outcomes.