Factors Predicting Outcome in Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia After Multidisciplinary Team Treatment: A 5-Year Single-Center Retrospective Review

Introduction: The global burden of peripheral arterial disease and related critical limb ischemia has been increasing, and with it an increased incidence of limb loss and mortality. Multidisciplinary teams appear to have a beneficial impact on managing these complex patients, but measuring success depends on the outcome chosen. Determining the risk/benefit of intervention can be difficult, and there has been increasing emphasis on using frailty measures to predict the likelihood of morbidity and mortality after vascular interventions. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients referred to a multidisciplinary team over a 5-year period who underwent intervention. Data included the modified Frailty Index (mFI), Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) WIfI wound score (0-2 vs 3), and pedal acceleration time (PAT) post-procedure. Outcomes analyzed were 1-year amputation-free survival (AFS-1), independence, and major complications. Results: There were 81 patients who underwent either open or endovascular revascularization. One-year amputation-free survival was positively correlated with post-procedure PAT (AFS-1 107.3 ± 25.5 vs non-AFS-1 174 ± 93; P = .025) and inversely related to wound score (SVS 3 AFS-1 5/17 [29%] vs SVS 0-2: 46/64 [72%]; P = .025). Independence was linked to wheelchair dependence prior to intervention with 6/16 (38%) patients patients spending more than 50% of their time in a wheelchair being independent versus 56/64 (88%) who were not wheelchair-dependent being independent (P = .005). An mFI ≥6 was associated with increased incidence of major complications at 1 year (mFI ≥6 11/31 [35%] vs mFI <6 5/50 [10%]; P = .018). Conclusion: One-year amputation-free survival was impacted by post-procedural success as measured by PAT, but negatively impacted by severity of wound at presentation. An mFI ≥6 was associated with greater incidence of complications. These findings may impact decision-making in determining the relative risk/benefit of revascularization in CLI. Vascular technologists can have an important role in development of limb salvage teams.