title: Low Rates of Revascularization and High In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Ischemic Lower Limb Amputation: Morbidity and Mortality of Ischemic Amputation.
abstract: To assess the nationwide contemporary burden of cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and in-hospital mortality in patients with lower limb amputation (LLA) due to peripheral arterial disease and critical limb ischemia (CLI) in Germany.
  
  
  
  German nationwide data for 2005 and 2009 were analyzed regarding in-hospital rates of major and minor ischemic LLA, risk factors, comorbidities, surgical and endovascular revascularizations, and in-hospital mortality.
  
  
  
  In 2005, a total of 22 479 major (7.8%) and 28 262 minor (9.8%) LLAs were performed with a relative decrease of -21.8% in major LLA, yet with a relative increase of +2% in minor LLA rate in 2009. The overall revascularization rate before amputation was 46% in 2005 and 57% in 2009. In-hospital mortality for non-CLI, minor, and major amputees was 3.3%, 4.6%, and 19.8%, respectively (P < .001 for major vs minor LLA and non-CLI).
  
  
  
  The total number of ischemic LLA and amputation-related in-hospital mortality remains high in Germany in the 21st century. The poor outcome of patients with CLI might in part be due to underuse of revascularizations prior to amputation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital of Muenster, Germany nasser.malyar@ukmuenster.de.
authors.forename: Nasser M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Malyar
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital of Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freisinger
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital of Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyborg
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital of Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lüders
authors.affiliation: IGES Institut GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fürstenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Angiology, Helios Klinikum Krefeld, Krefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.affiliation: Center for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital of Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torsello
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital of Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reinecke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality*; D015897:Comorbidity; D016638:Critical Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: critical limb ischemia; ischemic lower limb amputation; mortality; peripheral artery disease