Evaluation and management of patients with peripheral artery disease by interventional radiologists: current practices.
OBJECTIVE
Traditionally, surgeons have served as primary consultants for patients with peripheral vascular disease for whom revascularization is considered. An important component of care for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) is risk factor management. The present study was undertaken to determine current management practices of interventional radiologists for patients with PAD and compare them to published data for vascular surgeons. If PAD patient management practices are similar, this would support direct referral of PAD patients who are considered for revascularization from primary care doctors to interventional radiologists.


METHODS
An online survey was administered to full members of the Society of Interventional Radiology with e-mail addresses on file. Filtering was done to examine and compare interactions among several responses. The margin of error for the survey was +/-2%, based on 95% CIs for the entire surveyed population (N=2,371).


RESULTS
Seventy-five percent of respondents see PAD patients in ambulatory office settings. Only eight percent see themselves as the physician responsible for risk factor management, similar to reported results of vascular surgeons (10%). Other variables examined, such as frequency of inquiring about Framingham risk factors, indicate similar practices to those previously reported for vascular surgeons.


CONCLUSIONS
For interventional radiologists who accept direct referrals for medical management of patients with PAD, disease management by interventional radiologists is similar to that previously reported for vascular surgeons. This supports the role of interventional radiologists who accept direct referrals of patients with PAD as primary consultants to primary care doctors.
Prince
Ethan A
EA
Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Vascular Disease Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital/The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 593 Eddy Street, Gerry 337, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
Murphy
Timothy P
TP
Dhangana
Raj
R
Soares
Gregory M
GM
Ahn
Sun H
SH
Dubel
Gregory J
GJ
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012308:Risk Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States