COVID-related acute limb ischemia: The Indian data

Abstract

Introduction and Objective: The reported incidence of COVID-related acute limb ischemia (CRALI) ranged from 3.7% to 9.6% in the literature. We report on consolidated data of patients with CRALI from 21 centers across India, which spanned the first two waves of COVID-the period of May 2020 to June 2021. Materials and Methods: Study design: Multicenter study from May 2022 to June 2021. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was done. Inclusion criteria: All patients who presented with signs and symptoms of acute limb ischemia or acute on chronic limb ischemia and who also tested positive for COVID through rapid antigen test or real time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Data for 268 patients from 21 centers across India was available for analysis. 71% were males and 85% were >45 years of age. Majority of patients (n = 191) presented with acute symptoms. Best medical management with antiplatelets and anticoagulants was the only treatment in 34% of patients. Open embolectomy was attempted in 42%, endovascular procedures in 8% and amputation as primary procedure in 14.5%. Higher grades of ischemia were associated with significantly poorer limb salvage, amputation and mortality in the immediate and 14 days follow up (P < 0.001). At 14 days 173 limbs were salvaged (64.5%). Eighty patients underwent amputations (29.8%); 26 of the 80 (32%) were minor amputations (trans-metatarsal and less), so the major amputation rate was 20.1%. Maximum number of deaths were in the group that had undergone medical management (23%), while the least number of deaths were seen in the patients that had undergone some form of intervention, open surgical (2%) or endovascular procedure (4%). Looking at 14-day outcomes, the numbers of deaths in the patients managed with medical methods increased to 30%, open surgical to 7% and endovascular procedures to 8%. Conclusion: CRALI presented both as a primary presentation or developed later during the disease. Early surgical and endovascular interventions in these patients can help in achieving decent limb salvage rates.