Danish Trends in Major Amputation After Vascular Reconstruction in Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease 2002-2014

Abstract

Objective: Contemporary information on major amputations after revascularisation in Denmark is sparse. This population based national study aimed to determine outcomes following revascularisation for PAD and to identify predictors of major amputation after revascularisation, including geographical variation.

Methods: Data on patients with PAD undergoing revascularisation (endovascular, open, and hybrid procedures) from 2002 to 2014 were obtained from the Danish Vascular Registry and linked with information from population based healthcare and administrative databases. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the relationship between major amputation and the various associated factors.

Results: In all 25,982 first time vascular reconstructions for PAD were performed between 2002 and 2014 and major amputations were performed in 2883 (11.1%) of the patients. The total number of revascularisations increased up to 2010 and thereafter numbers decreased slightly. A trend towards endovascular revascularisation as first time revascularisation was seen (36.6% in 2002 vs. 59.0% in 2014, p < .001). Median time from first revascularisation to major amputation was 4.66 months (range 0.03-146.88 months), and 63.1% of major amputations were performed within one year following revascularisation. No change in the number of amputations performed within one year after revascularisation was found during the study (p = .251). The strongest predictor for major amputations was ulcers/gangrene (HR 8.06, CI 7.11-9.13, p < .001) at the time of revascularisation. Geographic variation for intensity of revascularisation was observed and geographic differences in amputation free survival for patients with intermittent claudication and ulcers/gangrene were found.

Conclusion: Although more patients with PAD undergo revascularisation, one in 10 still ends up with a major amputation of the lower limb. The risk of amputation was highly associated with the severity of the vascular disease at the time of revascularisation, with ulcers/gangrene as the strongest predictor. Geographic differences in vascular treatment intensity were found, but these failed to explain the differences in risk of major amputation after revascularisation across catchment areas.

Keywords: Amputation; Peripheral arterial disease; Revascularisation; Treatment intensity.