Vascular Diseases in Women: Do Women Suffer from Them Differently?

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, yet its magnitude is often underestimated. Biological and gender differences affect health, diagnosis, and healthcare in numerous ways. The lack of sex and gender awareness in health research and healthcare is an ongoing issue that affects not only research but also treatment and outcomes. The importance of recognizing the impacts of both sex and gender on health and of knowing the differences between the two in healthcare is beginning to gain ground. There is more appreciation of the roles that biological differences (sex) and sociocultural power structures (gender) have, and both sex and gender affect health behavior, the development of diseases, their diagnosis, management, and the long-term effects of an illness. An important issue is the knowledge and awareness of women about vascular diseases. The risk of cardiovascular events is drastically underestimated by women themselves, as well as by those around them. The purpose of this review is to draw attention to improving the medical care and treatment of women with vascular diseases.

The importance of socio-economic determinants of health in the care of patients with peripheral artery disease: A narrative review from VAS.

Socio-economic determinants of health (SDoH) include various nonmedical factors in the socio-economic sphere with a potentially significant impact on health outcomes. Their effects manifest through several mediators/moderators (behavioral characteristics, physical environment, psychosocial circumstances, access to care, and biological factors). Various critical covariates (age, gender/sex, race/ethnicity, culture/acculturation, and disability status) also interact. Analyzing the effects of these factors is challenging due to their enormous complexity. Although the significance of SDoH for cardiovascular diseases is well documented, research regarding their impact on peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurrence and care is less well documented. This narrative review explores to what extent SDoH are multifaceted in PAD and how they are associated with its occurrence and care. Additionally, methodological issues that may hamper this effort are addressed. Finally, the most important question, whether this association may contribute to reasonable interventions aimed at SDoH, is analyzed. This endeavor requires attention to the social context, a whole systems approach, multilevel-thinking, and a broader alliance that reaches out to more stakeholders outside the medical sphere. More research is needed to justify the power in this concept to improve PAD-related outcomes like lower extremity amputations. At the present time, some evidence, reasonable consideration, and intuitive reasoning support the implementation of various interventions in SDoH in this field.

Takayasu's arteritis with giant left ventricular pseudoaneurysm presenting as heart failure.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a vasculitis with a predilection for young women. Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (PSA) in TA is a rare phenomenon. We report a 36 years old Filipina who presented with heart failure symptoms. Years prior, she had a recurrent fever, headache, myalgia and left arm claudication. On workup, a 2D echo revealed a left ventricular PSA with mural thrombus and moderate mitral regurgitation. Cardiac MRI further characterised the PSA with a sac diameter of 8×7.5×8.4 cm (CC×T×AP). Carotid Duplex Scan revealed total occlusion of the mid to distal right common carotid artery and left subclavian artery. She was started on immunosuppresants and guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure and subsequently underwent successful endoventricular patch closure and mitral valve repair. This case highlights the importance of actively searching for cardiac complications of TA which although very rare, can dominate the clinical picture and may carry a dismal prognosis if left untreated.

Rivaroxaban and Aspirin in Patients With Symptomatic Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease: A Subanalysis of the COMPASS Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Patients with symptomatic lower extremity peripheral artery disease (LE-PAD) experience an increased risk of major vascular events. There is limited information on what clinical features of symptomatic LE-PAD prognosticate major vascular events and whether patients at high risk have a greater absolute benefit from low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin. Objective: To quantify the risk of major vascular events and investigate the response to treatment with low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin among patients with symptomatic LE-PAD based on clinical presentation and comorbidities. Design, Setting, and Participants: This is a subanalysis of a previously reported subgroup of patients with symptomatic LE-PAD who were enrolled in a large, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategies [COMPASS]) in 602 centers in 33 countries from March 2013 to January 2020. Data analysis was completed from May 2016 to June 2020. Interventions: A combination of low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin compared with aspirin alone. Main Outcomes and Measures: Thirty-month incidence risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death (MACE), major adverse limb events (MALE) including major vascular amputation, and bleeding. Results: The COMPASS trial enrolled 4129 patients with symptomatic LE-PAD (mean [SD] age, 66.8 [8.8] years; 2932 men [71.0%]). The 30-month Kaplan-Meier incidence risk of MACE or MALE, including major amputation, was 22.6% in those with prior amputation (this outcome was observed in 54 patients), 17.6% (n = 15) in those with Fontaine III or IV symptoms, and 11.8% (n = 142) in those with previous peripheral artery revascularization, classifying these features as high-risk limb presentations. The 30-month incidence risk of MACE or MALE, including major amputation, was 14.1% (n = 118) in those with kidney dysfunction, 13.5% (n = 67) in those with heart failure, 13.4% (n = 199) in those with diabetes, and 12.8% (n = 222) in those with polyvascular disease, classifying these features as high-risk comorbidities. Among patients with either high-risk limb presentations or high-risk comorbidities, treatment with rivaroxaban and aspirin compared with aspirin alone was associated with an estimated 4.2% (95% CI, 1.9%-6.2%) absolute risk reduction for MACE or MALE, including major amputation, at 30 months. Although the estimated absolute risk increase of major bleeding was higher with rivaroxaban and aspirin in combination than aspirin alone (2.0% [95% CI, 0.5%-3.9%]) for patients with either high-risk limb presentation or high-risk comorbidity, the estimated absolute risk increase of fatal or critical organ bleeding was low in this high-risk group (0.4% [95% CI, 0.2%-1.8%]), such that the net clinical benefit was estimated to be 3.2% (95% CI, 0.6%-5.3%). Conclusions and Relevance: Patients with LE-PAD with high-risk limb presentations or high-risk comorbidities had a high incidence of major vascular events. For these patients, treatment with rivaroxaban and aspirin in combination compared with aspirin alone led to a large absolute reduction in vascular risk.

Asia-Pacific Consensus Statement on the Management of Peripheral Artery Disease: A Report from the Asian Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Disease Asia-Pacific Peripheral Artery Disease Consensus Statement Project Committee.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is the most underdiagnosed, underestimated and undertreated of the atherosclerotic vascular diseases despite its poor prognosis. There may be racial or contextual differences in the Asia-Pacific region as to epidemiology, availability of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, and even patient treatment response. The Asian Pacific Society of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Diseases (APSAVD) thus coordinated the development of an Asia-Pacific Consensus Statement (APCS) on the Management of PAD. OBJECTIVES: The APSAVD aimed to accomplish the following: 1) determine the applicability of the 2016 AHA/ACC guidelines on the Management of Patients with Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease to the Asia-Pacific region; 2) review Asia-Pacific literature; and 3) increase the awareness of PAD. METHODOLOGY: A Steering Committee was organized to oversee development of the APCS, appoint a Technical Working Group (TWG) and Consensus Panel (CP). The TWG appraised the relevance of the 2016 AHA/ACC PAD Guideline and proposed recommendations which were reviewed by the CP using a modified Delphi technique. RESULTS: A total of 91 recommendations were generated covering history and physical examination, diagnosis, and treatment of PAD-3 new recommendations, 31 adaptations and 57 adopted statements. This Asia-Pacific Consensus Statement on the Management of PAD constitutes the first for the Asia-Pacific Region. It is intended for use by health practitioners involved in preventing, diagnosing and treating patients with PAD and ultimately the patients and their families themselves.

Long-term ticagrelor for secondary prevention in patients with prior myocardial infarction and no history of coronary stenting: insights from PEGASUS-TIMI 54.

AIMS: PEGASUS-TIMI 54 demonstrated that long-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and ticagrelor reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), with an acceptable increase in bleeding, in patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI). While much of the discussion around prolonged DAPT has been focused on stented patients, patients with prior MI without prior coronary stenting comprise a clinically important subgroup. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a pre-specified analysis from PEGASUS-TIMI 54, which randomized 21 162 patients with prior MI (1-3 years) and additional high-risk features to ticagrelor 60 mg, 90 mg, or placebo twice daily in addition to aspirin. A total of 4199 patients had no history of coronary stenting at baseline. The primary efficacy outcome (MACE) was the composite of cardiovascular death, MI, or stroke. Patients without history of coronary stenting had higher baseline risk of MACE [13.2% vs. 8.0%, adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-1.73, in the placebo arm]. The relative risk reduction in MACE with ticagrelor (pooled doses) was similar in patients without (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.68-0.99) and with prior stenting (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75-0.96; P for interaction = 0.76). CONCLUSION: Long-term ticagrelor reduces thrombotic events in patients with prior MI regardless of whether they had prior coronary stenting. These data highlight the benefits of DAPT in prevention of spontaneous atherothrombotic events and indicate that long-term ticagrelor may be considered in high-risk patients with prior MI even if they have not been treated with stenting. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01225562.

Infectious Aortitis with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in a 47-Year-Old Female with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Aortic aneurysms are not commonly reported among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report a case of a 47-year-old Filipino female diagnosed with SLE 17 years ago maintained on prolonged oral steroids, azathioprine, and hydroxychloroquine. She also had lupus nephritis, secondary hypertension, and dyslipidemia. She initially presented with a week-long watery nonbloody diarrhea with associated diffuse crampy abdominal pain and generalized weakness. She was admitted for a week at a provincial hospital and was given an unrecalled antibiotic with resolution of symptoms. Upon discharge, however, she experienced two weeks of severe right lower quadrant pain radiating to the back and left lower quadrant, with no history of diarrhea, vomiting, dysuria, and fever. Complete blood count showed slight leukocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein. Abdominal imaging revealed a saccular infrarenal aneurysm with dissection. An atherosclerotic mechanism was primarily considered, but a vasculitic process was likewise considered due to elevated acute phase reactants. The initial plan was Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) but due to financial limitations, an exploratory laparotomy with infrarenal endoaneurysmorrhaphy was eventually performed. Intraoperative findings were a saccular infrarenal aneurysm with dissection up to the proximal right common iliac artery and an abscess compartment within the false lumen in the anterior aortic wall. Abscess culture yielded high growth of Salmonella group B. Micrographs of the aortic wall biopsy showed fibrin deposition necrosis and calcification with peripheral viable cellular infiltrates consisting of neutrophils and foamy macrophages. Inadvertently placing an endovascular graft in an infected aortic aneurysm would have led to graft infection and catastrophic morbidity. We highlight the significance of having a high index of suspicion for infectious causes of aortitis among immunocompromised patients presenting with aneurysm prior to pursuing an endovascular versus an open approach for repair.

Major Adverse Limb Events and Mortality in Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease: The COMPASS Trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) are at increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major adverse limb events (MALE). There is limited information on the prognosis of patients who experience MALE. OBJECTIVES: Among participants with lower extremity PAD, this study investigated: 1) if hospitalizations, MACE, amputations, and deaths are higher after the first episode of MALE compared with patients with PAD who do not experience MALE; and 2) the impact of treatment with low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin compared with aspirin alone on the incidence of MALE, peripheral vascular interventions, and all peripheral vascular outcomes over a median follow-up of 21 months. METHODS: We analyzed outcomes in 6,391 patients with lower extremity PAD who were enrolled in the COMPASS (Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategies) trial. COMPASS was a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study of low-dose rivaroxaban and aspirin combination or rivaroxaban alone compared with aspirin alone. MALE was defined as severe limb ischemia leading to an intervention or major vascular amputation. RESULTS: A total of 128 patients experienced an incident of MALE. After MALE, the 1-year cumulative risk of a subsequent hospitalization was 61.5%; for vascular amputations, it was 20.5%; for death, it was 8.3%; and for MACE, it was 3.7%. The MALE index event significantly increased the risk of experiencing subsequent hospitalizations (hazard ratio [HR]: 7.21; p < 0.0001), subsequent amputations (HR: 197.5; p < 0.0001), and death (HR: 3.23; p < 0.001). Compared with aspirin alone, the combination of rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily and aspirin lowered the incidence of MALE by 43% (p = 0.01), total vascular amputations by 58% (p = 0.01), peripheral vascular interventions by 24% (p = 0.03), and all peripheral vascular outcomes by 24% (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with lower extremity PAD, the development of MALE is associated with a poor prognosis, making prevention of this condition of utmost importance. The combination of rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily and aspirin significantly lowered the incidence of MALE and the related complications, and this combination should be considered as an important therapy for patients with PAD. (Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategies [COMPASS]; NCT01776424).

Four-year clinical outcomes of Filipino patients with or at risk for atherothrombotic events from the REACH registry

INTRODUCTION: Patients with established atherothrombotic disease (EAD) or those with only atherothrombotic risk factors are at high risk for cardiovascular events and death. There are scant data on the clinical profile of stable Filipino patients with or at risk for atherothrombosis and their long-term outcomes. The authors'objective is to present the baseline clinical profile and four-year cardiovascular outcomes in Filipino outpatients with EAD and those with multiple atherothrombotic risk factors in comparison to the Asian and Global populations METHODS: The Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) registry is an international, prospective cohort of 68,236 patients aged at least 45 years old with either EAD or at least three atherothrombotic risk factors enrolled from 44 countries in 2003-2004. The Philippine cohort consists of 1040 outpatients with EAD (N=913) or at least three atherothrombotic risk factors (N=127) consecutively enrolled and followed up for at least one to four years for the occurrence of cardiovascular death (CVD), myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. RESULTS: Nine hundred fifty-five Filipino outpatients (96)% completed the four-year follow-up. Mean age is 65.5 years with similar sex distribution. Common risk factors included diabetes (46%), hypertension (87.4%), hypercholesterolemia (62.9%), and smoking history (29.7%). Ninety-two percent had EAD-- 43% with coronary artery disease, 45% with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and four percent with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The combined primary endpoint of CVD/MI/stroke was 14.7%, but higher (19.8%) among those with polyvascular disease. Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) patients had the highest CVD/MI/stroke rates (17.6%); PAD patients had the highest CVD/MI/stroke and hospitalization rate (33.2%). Baseline medication usage is 81.1% for antiplatelet agents, 62.6% for statins and 69% for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker but four-year follow-up medication usage rates were lower. CONCLUSION: Filipino outpatients with or at risk for atherothrombosis experienced high long-term rates of CV events. This is the first report of long-term cardiovascular outcomes of stable Filipino outpatients with this high-risk profile.

Ticagrelor for Prevention of Ischemic Events After Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with heightened ischemic and bleeding risk in patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI). OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor on major cardiovascular (CV) events and major adverse limb events in patients with PAD and a prior MI. METHODS: PEGASUS-TIMI 54 (Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Prior Heart Attack Using Ticagrelor Compared to Placebo on a Background of Aspirin-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 54) randomized 21,162 patients with prior MI (1 to 3 years) to ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily, ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily, or placebo, all on a background of low-dose aspirin. History of PAD was obtained at baseline. Occurrences of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (defined as CV death, MI, or stroke) and major adverse limb events (MALE) (defined as acute limb ischemia or peripheral revascularization for ischemia) were recorded in follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 1,143 patients (5%) had known PAD. In the placebo arm, those with PAD (n = 404) had higher rates of MACE at 3 years than those without (n = 6,663; 19.3% vs. 8.4%; p < 0.001), which persisted after adjusting for baseline differences (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.60; 95% confidence interval: 1.20 to 2.13; p = 0.0013), and higher rates of acute limb ischemia (1.0% vs. 0.1%) and peripheral revascularization procedures (9.15% vs. 0.46%). Whereas the relative risk reduction in MACE with ticagrelor was consistent, regardless of PAD, patients with PAD had a greater absolute risk reduction of 4.1% (number needed to treat: 25) due to their higher absolute risk. The absolute excess of TIMI major bleeding was 0.12% (number needed to harm: 834). The 60-mg dose had particularly favorable outcomes for CV and all-cause mortality. Ticagrelor (pooled doses) reduced the risk of MALE (hazard ratio: 0.65; 95% confidence interval: 0.44 to 0.95; p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Among stable patients with prior MI, those with concomitant PAD have heightened ischemic risk. In these patients, ticagrelor reduced MACE, with a large absolute risk reduction, and MALE. (Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Prior Heart Attack Using Ticagrelor Compared to Placebo on a Background of Aspirin [PEGASUS-TIMI 54]; NCT01225562).

Prediction of Symptomatic Embolism in Filipinos With Infective Endocarditis Using the Embolic Risk French Calculator.

BACKGROUND: Cardioembolic events are life-threatening complications of infective endocarditis (IE). The embolic risk French calculator estimates the embolic risk in IE computed on admission. Variables in this tool include age, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, prior embolism, vegetation length, and Staphylococcus aureus on culture. A computed risk of > 7% was considered high in the development of this tool. Knowledge of this risk applied in our local setting is important to guide clinicians in preventing such catastrophic complications. Among patients with IE, we aim to determine the efficacy of the embolic risk French calculator, using a computed score of > 7%, in predicting major embolic events. METHODS: All adults admitted from 2013 to 2016 with definite IE were included. The risk for embolic events was computed on admission. All were monitored for the duration of admission for the occurrence of the primary outcome (any major embolic event: arterial emboli, intracranial hemorrhage, pulmonary infarcts, or aneurysms). Secondary outcomes were: 1) composite of death and embolic events; and 2) death from any cause. RESULTS: Eighty-seven adults with definite IE were included. Majority had a valvular heart disease and preserved ejection fraction (EF). The mitral valve was most commonly involved. Embolic events occurred in 25 (29%). Multivariate analysis identified a high embolic score > 7% (relative risk (RR): 15.12, P < 0.001), vegetation area ≥ 18 mm2 (RR: 6.39, P < 0.01), and a prior embolism (RR: 5.18, P = 0.018) to be independent predictors of embolic events. For the composite of embolic events and death, independent predictors include a high score of > 7% (RR: 13.56, P < 0.001) and a prior embolus (RR: 13.75, P = 0.002). Independent predictors of death were a high score > 7% (RR: 6.20, P = 0.003) and EF ≤ 45% (RR: 9.91, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Cardioembolic events are more prevalent in our study compared to previous data. The embolic risk French calculator is a useful tool to estimate and predict risk for embolic events and in-hospital mortality. The risk of developing embolic events should be weighed against the risks of early preventive cardiac surgery, as to institute timely and appropriate management.

Endovascular coil embolization of multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in Osler-Weber-Rendu disease: A challenging pursuit

Pulmonary arterionevous malformation (PAVMs) are a rare disorder with an incidence of 2-3/1,000,000 population. Approximately 70% of cases are associated with Osler-Weber-Rendu Disease. This intrapulmonary malformation causes hypoxemia and dyspnea largely attributed to the right to left shunting. We present a case of 25-year-old male who was admitted for fever and headaches with chronic history of epistaxis, hemoptysis, cyanosis and clubbing. Central cyanocis and clubbing were evident with hypoxemia of 65%. Heart sounds and peripheral pulses were normal. There was no systolic bruit noted in the lung bases. Multiple telangiectasias were seen in the truncal area and abdomen. Chest x-ray revealed multi-chambered cardiomegaly with no opacifications. CBC showed erythrocytosis with hematocrits of 0.68-0.78. Transthoracic echocardiography showed intact interatrial and interventricular septum, with contrast study suggestive of intrapulmonary shunting. CT angiography revealed PAVMs in bilateral lung fields. Pulmonary angiography demonstrated diffuse PAVMS in the left lung with 3 large PAVMs with multiple feeders > 7mm and smaller PAVMs in the Right lower lobe. The diagnosis was Multiple Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation, Osler-Weber-Rendu Disease, Brain Abscess Left Temporoparietal area. Craniotomy with brain abscess evacuation was done. Left pneumonectomy or Right lobectomy was considered but was deemed unacceptable due to high morbidity and mortality. Endovascular coil embolization was done on the 3 large fistulas on the Left lobe. Post procedure, his arterial oxygenation improved to 96%. He has no recurrence of hemoptysis, no headaches and with less episodes of shortness of breath 2 months on follow-up. Diagnosing the complex diffuse intrapulmonary malformations requires a high index of suspicion among patients with chronic cyanosis, chronic history of bleeding, and brain abscess. Treatment of this condition and its associated complications remain a big challenge and should be highly individualized.

Acquired arteriovenous fistula of the right common iliac artery and left common iliac vein and bilateral lower extremity deep venous thrombosis in a woman presenting as high output heart failure

Acquired intraabdominal arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a rare disorder where the communication most commonly occurs between the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava. Ilioiliac AVF has been reported previously, but is exceedingly rare. We present a case of acquired arteriovenous fistula of the right common iliac artery and left common iliac vein with extensive collateralization (ilioiliac AVF) in a 36-year-old female who presented with symptoms of high output congestive heart failure 18 years after sustaining an abdominal gunshot wound.

Burden of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet drug use in Asia: a multidisciplinary working party report.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We established a working group to examine the burden of atherothrombotic and musculoskeletal diseases in Asia and made recommendations for safer prescribing of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and low-dose aspirin. METHODS: By using a modified Delphi process, consensus was reached among 12 multidisciplinary experts from Asia. Statements were developed by the steering committee after a literature review, modified, and then approved through 3 rounds of anonymous voting by using a 6-point scale from A+ (strongly agree) to D+ (strongly disagree). Agreement (A+/A) by ≥ 80% of panelists was defined a priori as consensus. RESULTS: We identified unique aspects of atherothrombotic and musculoskeletal diseases in Asia. Asia has a lower prevalence of degenerative arthritis and coronary artery disease than Western countries. The age-adjusted mortality of coronary artery disease is lower in Asia; cerebrovascular accident has higher mortality than coronary artery disease. Ischemia has replaced hemorrhage as the predominant pattern of cerebrovascular accident. Low-dose aspirin use is less prevalent in Asia than in Western countries. Traditional Chinese medicine and mucoprotective agents are commonly used in Asia, but their efficacy is not established. For Asian populations, little is known about complications of the lower gastrointestinal tract from use of NSAIDs and underutilization of gastroprotective agents. Our recommendations for preventing ulcer bleeding among users of these drugs who are at high risk for these complications were largely derived from Asian studies and are similar to Western guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: By using an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach, we have identified unique aspects of musculoskeletal and atherothrombotic diseases and strategies for preventing NSAID-related and low-dose aspirin-related gastrointestinal toxicity in Asia.

Fate of individuals with ischemic amputations in the REACH Registry: three-year cardiovascular and limb-related outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate systemic and limb ischemic event rates of PAD patients with prior leg amputation and determine predictors of adverse outcomes. METHODS: The REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry provided a prospective multinational cohort of 7996 outpatients with PAD enrolled from primary medical clinics in 44 countries in 2003-2004. 1160 patients (14.5%) had a prior leg amputation at any level. Systemic (myocardial infarction [MI], stroke, cardiovascular death) and limb (angioplasty, surgery, amputation) ischemic event rates were determined in a 3-year follow-up. RESULTS: PAD patients with leg amputations on entry had a 5-fold higher rate of a subsequent amputation (12.4% vs. 2.4%, P<.001), lower rate of peripheral angioplasty (8.3% vs. 10.7%, P = .005), and similar rates of surgical revascularization procedures compared with PAD patients without amputation. A nearly 2-fold increase in rates of cardiovascular death (14.5% vs. 7.7%, P<.001) and all-cause mortality (21.8% vs. 12.6%, P<.001) and an increase in the composite outcome of MI, stroke, cardiovascular death, or hospitalization (48.7% vs. 40.0%, P<.001) were noted. Recent (≤ 1 year) amputation was associated with higher rates of worsening PAD, subsequent lower extremity surgical revascularization procedures, re-amputation, non-fatal MI, and the composite outcome, including hospitalization. Adverse systemic and limb ischemic outcomes were similar regardless of amputation level. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with a history of leg amputations have markedly elevated rates of systemic and limb-related outcomes. PAD patients with recent ischemic amputation have the highest risk of adverse events. A history of "minor" ischemic amputation may confer an identical systemic risk as "major" leg amputation.

Cardiovascular risk factor control and outcomes in peripheral artery disease patients in the Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry.

OBJECTIVES: To examine differences in risk factor (RF) management between peripheral artery disease (PAD) and coronary artery (CAD) or cerebrovascular disease (CVD), as well as the impact of RF control on major 1-year cardiovascular (CV) event rates. METHODS: The REACH Registry recruited >68000 outpatients aged >or=45 years with established atherothrombotic disease or >or=3 RFs for atherothrombosis. The predictors of RF control that were evaluated included: (1) patient demographics, (2) mode of PAD diagnosis, and (3) concomitant CAD and/or CVD. RESULTS: RF control was less frequent in patients with PAD (n=8322), compared with those with CAD or CVD (but no PAD, n=47492) [blood pressure; glycemia; total cholesterol; smoking cessation (each P<0.001)]. Factors independently associated with optimal RF control in patients with PAD were male gender (OR=1.9); residence in North America (OR=3.5), Japan (OR=2.5) or Latin America (OR=1.5); previous coronary revascularization (OR=1.3); and statin use (OR=1.4); whereas prior leg amputation was a negative predictor (OR=0.7) (P<0.001). Optimal RF control was associated with fewer 1-year CV ischemic symptoms or events. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PAD do not achieve RF control as frequently as individuals with CAD or CVD. Improved RF control is associated with a positive impact on 1-year CV event rates.