Black or African American patients undergo great saphenous vein ablation procedures for advanced venous disease and have the least improvement in their symptoms after these procedures.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic venous insufficiency is an increasingly prevalent problem in the United States, with >25 million individuals currently affected. Previous work has shown that racial minorities and low socioeconomic status are associated with a worse clinical presentation and response to treatment. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between race, patient variables, hospital outcomes, and response to treatment for patients presenting for chronic venous insufficiency intervention. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent endovenous ablation (radiofrequency or laser) of the great saphenous vein to treat symptomatic, chronic venous insufficiency using Vascular Quality Initiative data from 2014 to 2020. Patient characteristics and outcomes were analyzed stratified by patient race. The χ2 test and the Kruskal-Wallis equality-of-populations rank test were used to measure the study outcomes. The primary outcomes were an improved venous clinical severity score and improvement in patient-reported outcomes. Patient characteristics, CEAP (clinical, etiologic, anatomic, pathophysiologic) classification, prior venous interventions, length of stay, and time to follow-up were compared between races. RESULTS: The database consisted of 9009 predominantly female patients (n = 6041; 67.1%), with a mean age distribution of 56 years. Of the 9009 patients, 7892 are White (87.6%), 627 Hispanic (6.9%), and 490 Black or African American (18.3%). The Hispanic cohort was younger than their White and Black/African American counterparts. Black/African American patients presented with more advanced clinical stages than did the White and Hispanic groups. The clinical stage according to race was as follows: C3-Black/African American, 32.9%; Hispanic, 38.9%; White, 46%; C5-Black/African American, 4.7%; Hispanic, 2.1%; White, 2.3%; and C6-Black/African American, 12.7%; Hispanic, 3.2%; White, 6.2%. Black/African American patients were more likely to present as overweight or obese (66%; P < .001) and less likely to be taking anticoagulation medication preoperatively (11%; P < .001). Non-White race was associated with a higher probability of treatment in the hospital setting (Black/African American, 63.6%; Hispanic, 87.5%; P < .001). Black/African American patients (3.25 ± 4.4; P < .001) demonstrated lower mean improvement postoperatively in both the venous clinical severity score and patient-reported outcomes than their White (4.25 ± 4.13, P <.001) and Hispanic (4.42 ± 3.78; P < .001) counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Differences exist in the clinical severity and symptom presentation based on race. Black/African American patients present with more advanced chronic venous insufficiency than do their White and Hispanic counterparts. Furthermore, the postprocedural analysis showed inferior clinical and self-reported improvement in chronic venous insufficiency for the Black/African American patients. Although the Hispanic population was younger, the White and Hispanic patients experienced similar responses to treatment.

Association of Preoperative Frailty with Inferior Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Lower Extremity Bypass for Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a risk factor associated with adverse postoperative outcomes following lower extremity bypass (LEB) surgery in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) represents the worst form of PAD, and frailty is common among patients presenting with CLTI. Multiple frailty assessment scores have been developed for the past 2 decades; however, a universal clinical assessment tool for measuring frailty has not yet been established due to the complexity of the concept. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the use of a frailty index as a predictor of postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing LEB. METHODS: The review protocol was registered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) database (CRD42022358888). A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed and Scopus databases. The review followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and metaanalyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. A total of 3,929 studies were initially selected originally and were eventually left with 6 studies that met the inclusion criteria of this systematic review. RESULTS: Six studies were examined that assessed the relationship between frailty index and long-term mortality following LEB for CLTI were screened. All analyses were published between 2017 and 2020 and included a broad spectrum of patients who underwent LEB. The results of these studies showed inconsistencies in the reporting of postoperative outcomes and the time endpoint of these events. However, all correlated with higher frailty index and increased mortality rate. CONCLUSIONS: Higher frailty index preoperatively is associated with an increased likelihood of postoperative comorbidities after undergoing LEB. Identifying and addressing the preoperative frailty index of these patients may be a practical approach to reducing postoperative adverse outcomes. A thorough review of the frailty spectrum and standardized reporting of outcomes in the context of frailty could be helpful to have a more comprehensive understanding of this subject.

The implications of surgeon case volume and hospital volume on outcomes of aortobifemoral bypasses in obese patients.

BACKGROUND: Aortobifemoral (ABF) bypass is the gold standard for treating symptomatic aortoiliac occlusive disease. In the era of heightened interest in the length of stay (LOS) for surgical patients, this study aims to investigate the association of obesity with postoperative outcomes at the patient, hospital, and at surgeon levels. METHODS: This study used the Society of Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative suprainguinal bypass database from 2003 to 2021. The selected study cohort was divided into obese patients (body mass index ≥30) (group I) and nonobese patients (body mass index <30) (group II). Primary outcomes of the study included mortality, operative time, and postoperative LOS. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to study the outcomes of ABF bypass in group I. Operative time and postoperative LOS were transformed into binary values by median split for regression analysis. A P value of .05 or less was deemed statistically significant in all the analyses of this study. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 5392 patients. In this population, 1093 were obese (group I) and 4299 were nonobese (group II). Group I was found to have more females with higher rates of comorbid conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and congestive heart failure. Patients in group I had increased odds of prolonged operative time (≥250 minutes) and an increased LOS (≥6 days). Patients in this group also had a higher chance of intraoperative blood loss, prolonged intubation, and required vasopressors postoperatively. There was also an increased odds of postoperative decline in renal function in the obese population. Patients with prior history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and urgent or emergent procedures were found to be risk factors for a LOS of more than 6 days in obese patients. An increase in the surgeons' case volume was associated with lesser odds of an operative time of 250 minutes or more; however, no significant impact was found on postoperative LOS. Hospitals where 25% or more of ABF bypasses were performed on obese patients were also more likely to have LOS of less than 6 days after ABF operations, compared with hospitals where less than 25% of ABF bypasses were performed on obese patients. Patients undergoing ABF for chronic limb-threatening ischemia or acute limb ischemia had a longer LOS and increased operative times. CONCLUSIONS: ABF bypass in obese patients is associated with prolonged operative times and a longer LOS than in nonobese patients. Obese patients operated by surgeons with more cases of ABF bypasses have shorter operative times. A hospital's increasing proportion of obese patients was related to a decreased LOS. These findings support the known volume-outcome relationship that, with a higher surgeon case volume and increased proportion of obese patients in a hospital, there is an improvement in outcomes of obese patients undergoing ABF bypass.

Patients from distressed communities are more likely to be symptomatic at endovascular aneurysm repair and have an increased risk of being lost to long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become the preferred modality to repair abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). However, the effect of the distressed communities index (DCI) on the outcomes of EVAR is still unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of DCI on the postoperative outcomes after EVAR. METHODS: The Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative database was used for the present study. Patients who had undergone EVAR from 2003 to 2021 were selected for analysis. The study cohort was divided into two groups according to their DCI score. Patients with DCI scores ranging from 61 to 100 were assigned to group I (DCI >60), and those with DCI scores ranging from 0 to 60 were assigned to group II (DCI ≤60). The primary outcomes included the 30-day and 1-year mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events at 30 days. Regression analyses were performed to study the postoperative outcomes. P values ≤ .05 were deemed statistically significant for all analyses in the present study. RESULTS: A total of 60,972 patients (19.5% female; 80.5% male) had undergone EVAR from 2003 to 2021. Of these patients, 18,549 were in group I (30.4%) and 42,423 in group II (69.6%). The mean age of the study cohort was 73 ± 8.9 years. Group I tended to be younger (mean age, 72.6 vs 73.7 years), underweight (3.5% vs 2.5%), and African American (10.8% vs 3.5%) and were more likely to have Medicaid insurance (3.6% vs 1.9%; P < .05 for all). Group I had had more smokers (87.3% vs 85.3%), a higher rate of comorbidities, including hypertension (84.5% vs 82.9%), diabetes (21.7% vs 19.7%), coronary artery disease (30.3% vs 28.6%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (36.9% vs 31.8%), and moderate to severe congestive heart failure (2.6% vs 2%; P < .05 for all). The group I patients were more likely to undergo EVAR for symptomatic AAAs (11.1% vs 7.9%; P < .001; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-1.37; P < .001) with a higher risk of mortality at 30 days (aOR, 3.98; 95% CI, 2.23-5.44; P < .001) and 1 year (aOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.43-2.13; P < .001). A higher risk of being lost to follow-up (28.9% vs 26.3%; P < .001) was also observed in group I. CONCLUSIONS: Patients from distressed communities who require EVAR tended to have multiple comorbidities. These patients were also more likely to be treated for symptomatic AAAs, with a higher risk of mortality. An increased incidence of lost to long-term follow-up was also observed for this population. Surgeons and healthcare systems should consider these outcomes and institute patient-centered approaches to ensure equitable healthcare.

Implementation of Transitional Care Planning is Associated with Reduced Readmission Rates in Patients Undergoing Lower Extremity Bypass Surgery for Peripheral Arterial Disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing lower extremity bypasses (LEB) are at a high risk of developing post-discharge complications requiring readmission. Health systems have developed several strategies to mitigate this risk. One such measure is developing comprehensive Transitional Care Program (TCP), which includes phone calls to patients after being discharged from the hospital. Our study aimed to assess short-term readmission, mortality, and amputation rates of patients who participated in TCP by completing at least one post-discharge follow-up phone call after undergoing LEB for revascularization of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). METHODS: A retrospective review was completed for patients who underwent LEB surgery between January 2010 and January 2020 to treat PAD at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Immediate discharge follow-up was done via telephone calls using a standardized script. Patients were then divided into two groups, those who did not have a successful follow-up call (Group I) and those who had at least one successful follow-up call within seven days after discharge (Group II). Univariate analysis was used to compare preoperative demographics, intraoperative variables, and postoperative outcomes. The probability of readmission and risk factors contributing to it were computed using multiple stepwise forward regression analyses. Epidemiological analysis was done to evaluate the risk of readmission in the group receiving post-discharge follow-up calls. RESULTS: A total of 457 patients underwent LEB from 2010 to 2020 and qualified for inclusion in the study. Among these patients, 126 (27.6%) did not have a successful post-discharge follow-up call (Group I), whereas, 331 (72.4%) patients did complete a successful call (Group II). The mean age of patients was 66.7 years. There were no significant differences in preoperative baseline patient characteristics or intraoperative factors. Patients who completed a successful call had lower readmission rates within thirty days of the operation (8.8 vs. 17.5%, P = 0.008), and this was sustained in multivariate analysis (adjusted odds ratio AOR: 0.18, [confidence interval CI: 0.05-0.66], P = 0.009). However, no differences were observed for thirty-day mortality (Group-I: 3.2% versus Group-II: 1.2%, P = 0.152) or amputation (Group-I: 9.6% versus Group II 5.9%, P = 0.162). Among those who had a successful call, patients with a history of smoking (AOR: 4.05 [CI: 1.21, 17.12] P = 0.025), diabetes mellitus (AOR: 3.42 [CI: 1.35, 8.7] P = 0.01) and myocardial infarction (AOR: 7.15 [CI: 1.76, 20.1] P = 0.006) had a much higher chances of readmission. Risk analysis using epidemiological methods showed that by receiving a call, the risk of readmission could be dropped to half (RR: 0.50 [CI: 0.30, 0.84]), with an attributable risk reduction of -8.7% (CI: -15.9%, -1.4%). CONCLUSIONS: This single-institution retrospective study demonstrates the importance of immediate discharge follow-up phone calls in patients who undergo open lower extremity revascularization to reduce thirty-day readmissions. Our analysis showed patients who received immediate follow-up phone calls were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital. The development of reliable and efficient systems to enhance immediate discharge follow-up in vascular surgery patients is pivotal to improving quality of care, preventing readmissions, and reducing healthcare costs.

Postoperative decline in ambulatory function after lower extremity bypass is associated with higher short- and long-term mortality.

OBJECTIVE: Although the importance of preexisting functional and ambulatory status among patients undergoing lower extremity bypass (LEB) has been increasingly recognized, a paucity of reported data is available on the significance of a postoperative decline in ambulatory status after LEB surgery. The purpose of the present analysis was to determine the effects of a new decline in ambulatory status after LEB surgery on the postoperative short- and long-term outcomes. METHODS: The Vascular Quality Initiative infrainguinal bypass dataset was queried from 2003 to 2021 for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) who had undergone LEB. Information on ambulatory status at admission and discharge from the hospital was recorded. Patients with a decline in ambulatory status at discharge from the hospital were included in group I, and those who had maintained their ambulatory status at discharge were included in group II. The primary outcomes were mortality, amputation, and a composite outcome of mortality or amputation at 30 days and 1 year postoperatively. The secondary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke, dysrhythmia, pneumonia, and the need for prolonged ventilation. RESULTS: A total of 40,478 patients were included in the present study, of whom 16,032 (39.6%) were included in group I and 24,446 (60.4%) were included in group II. The patients in group I were more often aged >70 years, women, African American, transferred from another hospital or rehabilitation facility, prior or current smokers, or had an American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of III or IV compared with those with unchanged ambulatory status (P < .05 for all). Patients with a decline in ambulatory status had had a greater incidence of mortality at 30 days (2.4% vs 0.6%; P < .001) and 1 year (9.7% vs 7%; P < .001) postoperatively. Patients with a decline in ambulatory status had had a greater occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction, stroke, dysrhythmia, and the need for prolonged ventilation. The following factors were associated with a decline in postoperative ambulatory status: older age (70-79 years: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.34; P = .001; and ≥80 years: aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35; P = .007), female sex (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.00-1.11; P = .019), African-American race (aOR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07-1.21; P < .001), transfer from another hospital or rehabilitation unit (aOR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.18-1.41; P < .001), and a history of diabetes mellitus (aOR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.06-1.17; P = .004). The magnitude of decline in ambulatory function was associated with worse primary outcomes. Patients whose ambulatory function had declined from ambulatory to bedridden after LEB surgery had had the highest mortality (aOR, 21 at 30 days and 15 at 1 year). CONCLUSIONS: A new decline in ambulatory function at discharge from the hospital after LEB surgery was associated with increased short- and long-term mortality and the composite outcome of mortality or amputation. It was also associated with reduced amputation-free survival at 30 days and 1 year postoperatively.

Asymptomatic Preoperative Leukocytosis Before Carotid Endarterectomy is Associated With Increased Risk of Stroke: A Study From NSQIP Database.

BACKGROUND: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is the gold standard operation for treating carotid artery stenosis in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis of more than 50% and asymptomatic carotid stenosis of more than 80%. Asymptomatic leukocytosis before CEA represents a clinical dilemma for surgeons about the management options. The objectives of this study are to identify the relationship between asymptomatic preoperative leukocytosis and postoperative complications in patients undergoing CEA and to assess the relationship between asymptomatic preoperative leukocytosis and postoperative complications in the cohort of patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis. METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for the years 2011-2019 was utilized for this analysis. Patients with preoperative sepsis, septic shock, pneumonia, wound infections, disseminated cancer, renal failure, and history of chronic steroid use were excluded. The remaining patients were sub-grouped based on white blood cell (WBC) count: Normal WBC (<11k/µL) and High WBC (≥11k/µL). Bivariate analysis between the patient characteristics and preoperative WBC levels was performed following simple and multiple regression analysis. A P-value of <0.05 was set as significant. RESULTS: Of the 26,332 patients in the study cohort, 7.4% (n =1,946) had preoperative leukocytosis. Patients with preoperative leukocytosis were relatively younger (mean age: 41.5 +/- 9.7 vs 44.3 +/- 9.1; P< 0.001) and more likely to be females (43% vs. 38.5; P< 0.001) than patients with normal WBC count. Patients with preoperative leukocytosis were also more likely to have DM, COPD, a bleeding disorder, be smokers, and be functionally dependent. The analysis revealed that patients with preoperative leukocytosis had a significantly higher rate of stroke, length of stay (LOS)>1- week, acute occlusion or revision, acute renal failure, and return to OR when compared to patients with normal WBC count. Furthermore, patients with high WBC count also experienced higher occurrences of infectious complications, such as wound dehiscence, wound infections, pneumonia, and sepsis. However, there was no difference in the overall 30-day mortality. Multivariate regression analysis showed patients with preoperative leukocytosis had anincreased risk of stroke (AOR 1.5, CI: 1.1-1.9, P = 0.009), LOS>1 week (AOR 1.3, CI: 1.1-1.5, P = 0.003), and return to OR (AOR 1.3, CI: 1.0-1.8, P = 0.030). The increased LOS was especially more pronounced in symptomatic carotid stenosis patients with preoperative leukocytosis. The occurrence of LOS>1 week was 4.91% in asymptomatic stenosis patients with high WBC count compared to 21.5% in symptomatic stenosis patients with high WBC count (P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with asymptomatic preoperative leukocytosis undergoing CEA have a significantly higher risk of stroke and infectious complications in the postoperative period. Furthermore, patients with symptomatic carotid disease are especially at an increased risk of prolonged LOS. A routine preoperative hematological evaluation may be recommended as a risk assessment tool for patients undergoing CEA, and postponing the elective operation in patients with asymptomatic CEA may be advised unless a thorough preoperative infectious workup is completed.

Preoperative Dependent Functional Status Is Associated With Poor Outcomes After Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Stenting in Both Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Patients.

BACKGROUND: Both Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are the most common procedures to treat patients with symptomatic, and asymptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis. Poor preoperative functional status (FS) is increasingly being recognized as predictor for postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of preoperative functional status on the outcomes of patients who undergo CEA or CAS. METHODS: Data was obtained from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database from the years 2011-2018. All patients in the database who underwent CEA or CAS during this time period were identified. Patients were then further divided into 2 subgroups: FS-Independent and FS-dependent. Bivariate and multivariate analyses was performed for pre, intra and post-operative variables with functional status. Outcomes for treatment of symptomatic carotid disease were compared to those with asymptomatic disease among the cohort of functionally dependent patients. RESULTS: A total of 27,163 patients (61.2% Males, 38.8% Females) underwent CEA (n = 26,043) or CAS (n = 1,120) from 2011-2018. Overall, primary outcomes were as follows: mortality 0.77% (n = 210) and stroke 1.87% (n = 507).Risk adjusted multivariate analysis showed that FS-D patients undergoing CEA had higher mortality (AOR 3.06, CI 1.90-4.92, P < 0.001), longer operative times (AOR 1.36, CI 1.17-1.58, P< 0.001) higher incidence of unplanned reoperation (AOR 1.68, CI 1.19-2.37, P = 0.003), postoperative pneumonia (AOR 5.43, CI 1.62 - 18.11, P = 0.006) and ≥3 day LOS (AOR 3.05, CI 2.62-3.56, P < 0.001) as compared to FS-I patients. FS-D patients undergoing CAS had higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (AOR 20.81, CI 1.66-261.54, P = 0.019) and higher incidence of LOS ≥3 days (AOR 2.18, CI 1.21-3.93, P < .01) as compared to FS-I patients. Survival analysis showed that the best 30-day survival was observed in FS-I patients undergoing CEA, followed by FS-I patients undergoing CAS, followed by FS-D patients undergoing CEA, followed by FS-D patients undergoing CAS. FS-D status increased mortality after CEA by 2.11%. When the outcomes of CAS and CEA were compared to each other for the cohort of FS-D patients, CAS was associated with higher incidence of stroke (AOR 3.46, CI 0.32-1.97, P= 0.046), shorter operative times (AOR 0.25, CI 0.12-0.52, P < 0.001) and higher incidence of pneumonia (AOR 11.29, CI 1.32-96.74, P = 0.027). Symptomatic patients undergoing CEA had higher LOS as compared to symptomatic patients undergoing CAS, and asymptomatic patients undergoing CEA or CAS. CONCLUSIONS: FS-D patients, undergoing CEA have higher mortality as compared to FS-I patients undergoing CAS. FS-D patients undergoing CAS have higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia and longer LOS as compared to FS-I patients. For the cohort of FS-D patients undergoing either CEA or CAS, CAS was associated with higher risk of stroke and reduced operative times. Risk benefit ratio for any carotid intervention should be carefully assessed before offering it to FS-D patients. Preoperative Dependent Functional Status Is Associated with Poor Outcomes After Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Stenting in Both Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Patients.

Evaluation of Factors Associated with, and Outcomes for Patients with Nonhome Discharge Destinations Following Carotid Endarterectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Following a carotid endarterectomy (CEA) procedure, patients are discharged to their homes or other locations than home such as an acute care facility or skilled nursing facility based on their functional status and level of medical attention needed. Decision-making for discharge destination following a CEA to home or nonhome locations is important due to the differences in survival and postoperative complications. While primary outcomes such as mortality and occurrence of stroke following CEA have been extensively studied, there is a paucity of information characterizing outcomes of discharge destination and the factors associated. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors associated with discharge to nonhome destinations after CEA, and outcomes after discharge. METHODS: Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database, we identified patients who underwent CEA from 2011 to 2018. Patients were divided into two groups based on their discharge destination (home versus nonhome). Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed for preoperative and intraoperative factors associated with different discharge destinations. Postoperative complications associated with discharge to nonhome destinations were analyzed and mortality after discharge from hospital was compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 25,094 patients met the criteria for inclusion in the study, of which 39% were females and 61% were males; median age was 71 years. Twenty four thousand one hundred twenty-five patients (93.13%) were discharged to home (Group I) and 1,779 (6.87%) were discharged to nonhome destinations (Group II). Following preoperative and intraoperative factors were associated with discharge to nonhome locations: older age, diabetes mellitus, functional independent status, transfer from other hospitals, symptomatic status, need for preoperative blood transfusions, severe ipsilateral carotid stenosis, elective CEA, need for intraoperative shunt and general anesthesia (all P< 0.05). Following postoperative complications had statistically significant association with discharge to nonhome destinations: postoperative blood transfusion, pneumonia, unplanned intubation, longer than 48 hours on ventilator, development of stroke, myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, and sepsis (all P< 0.05). Mortality after discharge from hospital was 0.39% (n = 100). Mortality among those who were discharged to home was 0.29% vs. 1.63% for those who were discharged to nonhome locations (P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the patients after CEA are discharged back to their homes. This study identifies the factors which predispose patients discharged to locations, other than home. Patients who are not discharged home have higher mortality as compared to those who are discharged to their homes.