title: The influence of gender difference on the outcomes of infrainguinal bypass for critical limb ischaemia in Chinese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to investigate the influence of gender difference on the outcomes of infrainguinal bypass operations performed in Chinese patients with critical limb ischaemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  we prospectively studied the results of 191 consecutive infrainguinal bypass operations (98 men, 93 women) for critical lower limb ischaemia in Chinese patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the women were older than men (median 75 vs 70 years, p=0.001) and cigarette smoking was commoner in men (83% vs 37% p<0.001). The calibre of run-off arteries at the level of distal anastomosis was smaller in women (median 2.5 mm vs 2.0 mm, p=0.03). The 30-day mortality was 3% (five men vs one woman, p=0.09) and early graft failure occurred in 19 patients (12 women vs seven men, p=0.28). At 3 months limb loss occurred in 16 (10 women vs six men, p=0.35) patients. Survival (38% vs 60% at 4 years, p=0.12) was similar in men and women. However, women suffered from poorer primary (33% vs 49% at 3 years, p=0.03) secondary graft patency rates (35% vs 64% at 3 years, p=0.02) than men. Limb survival rate in two groups (75% vs 85% at 4 years, p=0.18) was comparable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  following infrainguinal bypass for critical limb ischaemia, early results were similar in both gender groups. In the long-term, women patients suffered from significantly higher graft failure rate. However, their long-term survival and limb salvage rate remained comparable to those of men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kwong Wah Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: AhChong
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Yip
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery*; D007902:Length of Stay; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology