Advanced age and disease predict lack of symptomatic improvement after endovascular iliac treatment in male veterans.
BACKGROUND
Endovascular angioplasty and stent placement is currently the most frequent treatment for iliac artery occlusive disease. However, despite a successful endovascular procedure, some patients do not experience symptomatic improvement and satisfaction with their care. This study seeks to identify patient-related factors associated with lack of symptomatic improvement after endovascular iliac artery treatment in male veterans.


METHODS
Retrospective review of patients treated with endovascular methods for iliac artery occlusive disease between January 2008 and July 2012 at VA Connecticut Healthcare System. Symptomatic improvement on the first post-operative visit was evaluated, with bilateral treatments counted separately.


RESULTS
Sixty-two patients had 91 iliac arteries treated with angioplasty and stent placement. Forty-seven (52 percent) legs had critical limb ischemia, and 77 (85 percent) had at least two-vessel distal runoff. Angiographic success was 100 percent. Patient-reported symptomatic improvement at the first post-operative visit was 55 percent (50/91). Lack of symptomatic improvement correlated with older age (OR 1.09 [1.03-1.17], p = 0.008), presence of critical limb ischemia (OR 3.03 [1.09-8.65], p = 0.034), and need for additional surgical intervention (OR 5.61 [1.65-17.36], p = 0.006). Survival, primary and secondary patency, and freedom from restenosis were comparable between patients who reported symptomatic improvement and those who did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite angiographically successful revascularization, patients who are older or have critical limb ischemia who are treated with isolated endovascular iliac artery intervention are more likely to require additional interventions and less likely to experience symptomatic improvement. These patients may need more extensive infra-inguinal revascularization than isolated iliac angioplasty and stent placement, despite a preserved ankle-brachial index. Quality of life needs to be measured with formal instruments after iliac artery endovascular treatment, especially to determine long term outcomes.
Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut ; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Roland
R
Assi
Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut ; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Kirstyn E
KE
Brownson
Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut ; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Michael R
MR
Hall
Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Go
G
Kuwahara
Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut.
Penny
P
Vasilas
Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut ; Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Alan
A
Dardik
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D003710:Demography; D018450:Disease Progression; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014728:Veterans
critical limb ischemia; endovascular treatment; iliac artery, stenosis; peripheral artery disease; quality of life; satisfaction; stent