A conservative approach to select patients with ischemic wounds is safe and effective in the setting of deferred revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: The Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection classification system has been validated to predict benefit from inmediate revascularization and major amputation risk among patients with peripheral arterial disease. Our primary goal was to evaluate wound healing, limb salvage, and survival among patients with ischemic wounds undergoing revascularization when intervention was deferred by a trial of conservative wound therapy. METHODS: All patients with peripheral arterial disease and tissue loss are prospectively enrolled into our Prevention of Amputation in Veterans Everywhere limb preservation program. Limbs are stratified into a validated pathway of care based on predetermined criteria (immediate revascularization, conservative treatment, primary amputation, and palliative care). Limbs allocated to the conservative strategy that failed to demonstrate adequate wound healing and were candidates, underwent deferred revascularization. Rates of wound healing, freedom from major amputation, and survival were compared between patients who underwent deferred revascularization with those who received immediate revascularization by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Between January 2008 and December 2017, 855 limbs were prospectively enrolled into the Prevention of Amputation in Veterans Everywhere program. A total of 203 limbs underwent immediate revascularization. Of 236 limbs stratified to a conservative approach, 185 (78.4%) healed and 33 (14.0%) underwent deferred revascularization (mean, 2.7 ± 2.6 months). The mean long-term follow-up was 51.7 ± 37.0 months. Deferred compared with immediate revascularization demonstrated similar rates of wound healing (66.7% vs 57.6%; P = .33), freedom from major amputation (81.8% vs 74.9%; P = .39), and survival (54.5% vs 50.7%; P = .69). After adjustment for overall Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection stratification stages, deferred revascularization remained similar to immediate revascularization for wound healing (hazard ratio [HR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-3.2), freedom from major amputation (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.3-1.7) and survival (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.6-2.4). CONCLUSIONS: Limbs with mild to moderate ischemia that fail a trial of conservative wound therapy and undergo deferred revascularization achieve similar rates of wound healing, limb salvage, and survival compared with limbs undergoing immediate revascularization. A stratified approach to critical limb ischemia is safe and can avoid unnecessary procedures in selected patients.

An integrative review of interventions to reduce peripheral arterial disease risk factors in African Americans.

The purpose of this integrative review is to describe and assess randomized controlled trials of interventions to reduce peripheral arterial disease (PAD) risk factors among African Americans, given the high morbidity and mortality associated with PAD and the poorer outcomes in African Americans with PAD. The reviewed studies include non-pharmacological interventions aimed at the reduction of hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure and lipids in African-American patients with the causal PAD risk factors of diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Database searches identified 21 studies that met the inclusion criteria for the review. These studies included interventions utilizing four different strategies: education/enhanced care, diet, physical activity and meditation. Though between-group differences were seen in a minority of the studies, changes within groups was demonstrated more frequently. Overall, the interventions with the education/enhanced care focus had the greatest effects. The review highlighted the need for additional research involving younger patients, the need for enrolling more African-American males in these types of interventional studies and the need to increase recruiting among African Americans who do not have primary healthcare. Given the limited knowledge about PAD and associated risk factors, African Americans' efforts to increase knowledge about PAD risk factors and risk reduction aimed at these factors is extremely important in an aging American population.