Clinical Outcomes Based on High Bleeding Risk in Patients With Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease Who Have Undergone Endovascular Therapy.

Purpose: Endovascular therapies (EVTs) for symptomatic lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) are efficient and minimally invasive. However, patients with PAD tend to have high bleeding risk (HBR), and there are limited data regarding the HBR for patients with PAD after EVT. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and severity of HBR, as well as its association with clinical outcomes in the patients with PAD who underwent EVT.

Materials and methods: The Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria were applied to 732 consecutive patients with lower extremity PAD post-EVT to assess the prevalence of HBR, and its association with major bleeding events, all-cause mortality, and ischemic events. The ARC-HBR scores (1 point for each major criterion and 0.5 points for each minor criterion) were obtained and the patients were divided into four groups (score: 0-0.5; low risk, score: 1-1.5; moderate risk, score: 2-2.5; high risk, and score: ≥3; very high risk) according to the score. Major bleeding events were defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type-3 or type-5 bleeding, and ischemic events were defined as the composite of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and acute limb ischemia within 2 years.

Results: High bleeding risk occurred in 78.8% of the patients. Major bleeding events, all-cause mortality, and ischemic events occurred in 9.7%, 18.7%, and 6.4% of the study cohort, respectively, within 2 years. During the follow-up period, major bleeding events significantly increased with the ARC-HBR score. The severity of the ARC-HBR score was significantly associated with an increased risk of major bleeding events (high risk: adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 5.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.28, 24.62]; p=0.022; very high risk: adjusted HR: 10.37; 95% CI: [2.32, 46.30]; p=0.002). All-cause mortality and ischemic events also significantly increased with higher ARC-HBR score.

Conclusions: High bleeding risk patients with lower extremity PAD can be at a high risk of bleeding events, mortality, and ischemic events after EVT. The ARC-HBR criteria and its associated scores can successfully stratify HBR patients and assess the bleeding risk in patients with lower extremity PAD who undergo EVT.Clinical ImpactEndovascular therapies (EVTs) for symptomatic lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) are efficient and minimally invasive. However, patients with PAD tend to have high bleeding risk (HBR), and there are limited data regarding the HBR for patients with PAD after EVT. Post EVT, most of the patients with PAD were classified as having HBR using the Academic Research Consortium for HBR (ARC-HBR) criteria and the rate of bleeding events as well as mortality and ischemic events within 2 years increased as the ARC-HBR score increased in this retrospective study of 732 participants. HBR patients with PAD can be at high risk of not only bleeding events but also mortality and ischemic events in the mid-term. The ARC-HBR criteria and its associated scores can successfully stratify HBR patients and assess the bleeding risk in patients with PAD who underwent EVT.