Association of Health Care Utilization and Access to Care With Vascular Assessment Before Major Lower Extremity Amputation Among US Veterans

Infrainguinal bypass for limb salvage has comparable mortality and affords a better chance of home discharge than amputation among octogenarians

OBJECTIVE

Infrainguinal bypass for chronic limb-threatening ischemia in octogenarians is considered a high-risk procedure due to the presumed associated frailty of the patient population. However, the alternative, which is major amputation, may not be a better option. This study retrospectively compares the outcomes of bypass vs major amputation for functionally independent and partially dependent patients.

METHODS

Patients greater than and equal to 80 years old who underwent nonemergent infrainguinal bypasses for chronic limb-threatening ischemia presenting with rest pain/tissue loss were selected from the targeted American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database between 2011 and 2022. Patients with major amputations (Current Procedural Terminology codes 27,880, 27,882, 27,590, 27,592) for atherosclerosis by International Classification of Diseases-9/-10 codes were selected from the general database. We stratified the patients based on functional status (independent or partially dependent) and compared outcomes of bypass vs amputation within each group. Multivariable logistic regression was performed for 30-day mortality, major organ dysfunction, length of stay, and discharge destinations.

RESULTS

There were 2419 patients who underwent a bypass and 1326 patients who underwent an amputation in the independent functional group. Patients with bypass were generally healthier. Multivariable analysis revealed that having a bypass was associated with significantly higher major adverse cardiac events (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.7; P < .01), bleeding requiring transfusion (aOR, 4.3; P < .01), and wound complications (aOR, 1.7; P < .01). There was no significant difference in mortality, renal complications, or sepsis. Additionally, bypass patients had longer operation time (P < .01) and return to the operating room (aOR, 2.7; P < .01). However, bypass patients were more likely to be discharged to home rather than to a facility (aOR, 4.2; P < .01). Similar outcomes were observed for partially dependent patients, except that bypass patients had a longer length of stay (12.40 ± 9.86 vs 10.78 ± 9.94 days; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Bypass for limb salvage for octogenarians does incur higher morbidities than amputation but does not increase mortality. The immediate higher morbidities of bypass should be weighed against a better chance of home discharge, which could potentially imply less functional decline.

Descriptive Analysis of Types and Diagnoses Associated with Lower Extremity Amputation: Analysis of the US Veterans Health Administration Database 2019-2023

INTRODUCTION

Veterans in the US have higher rates of lower extremity amputation (LEA) compared to the general population and these rates have increased between 2008 and 2018. There is limited data which directly evaluate the potential underlying comorbidities associated with LEA in the veterans' population especially with the most recent data. Such information is critical to help inform clinical management strategies to reduce the risk of amputations among our veterans.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study of adults in the Veterans Health Administration database who underwent LEA from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2023. The date of the first LEA procedure was defined as the index date. Index LEA type, patient demographic at baseline, and clinical characteristics (including diagnoses for conditions associated with LEA and other comorbidities) 1 year before and 30 days after the index LEA procedure (except for bacterial infections which the identification period was 30 days before and 30 days after the index LEA procedure) were described.

RESULTS

Of the 27,134 Veterans with LEA, 67.3% were ≥ 65 years of age, 97.0% were male, and 65.3% were non-Hispanic white. The most common type of LEA was transmetatarsal (52.9%), followed by toe (21.9%), above-knee (15.4%), and below-knee (9.8%). The most prevalent diagnoses associated with LEA were diabetes (81.6%), bacterial infections (79.1%), and peripheral artery disease (PAD; 63.3%). Only 15 Veterans (< 0.1%) had a diagnosis for combat-related injuries to lower extremities.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes and PAD are highly prevalent and among the main conditions associated with LEA among US Veterans. Earlier and more effective preventative and clinical management of these conditions offer an opportunity to significantly reduce the rates of LEA in this population.

Socioeconomic Status Based on Area Deprivation Index Does Not Affect Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair in the VA Health-Care System

BACKGROUND

Living conditions and socioeconomic status are known to impact individual health and access to medical care. Prior research has validated the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) tool as a measure of socioeconomic disadvantage for a given locality. Living in a neighborhood with a higher ADI score has been associated with increased rates of hospital readmission due to complications following surgery. We set forth to identify the possible associations between a patient's ADI score and postoperative endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) outcomes in the Veterans Health Care Administration (VHA).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of patients who underwent EVAR from January 2010 to December 2021 at a level 1A VHA Hospital. Patient demographics and intraoperative variables were obtained. ADI score was calculated based on home addresses and resulted in a local score on a scale of 1-10 and a national percentile on a scale of 1-100. We then further stratified these patients into local and national quintile groups. Local ADI 1 included scores of 1-2, and local ADI 5 included scores of 9-10. National ADI 1 comprised scores 1-20, and national ADI 5 scored 81-100. The other scores were equally divided into ADI 2, 3, and 4. Higher ADI scores were associated with lower socioeconomic status. We identified clinical outcomes, including wound infection, respiratory failure, urinary tract infection, acute kidney injury, limb stenosis, readmission, length of stay, and subsequent reintervention rates.

RESULTS

241 patients underwent EVAR over the time period examined. 57.3% (n = 138) of patients were in quintiles 4 and 5 for local ADI; when national ADI percentiles organized these same patients, 47.3% (n = 114) were in quintiles 4 and 5. Patient demographics did not vary between the local and national groups. We saw no statistically significant difference in intraoperative variables, postoperative complications, readmission, loss to follow-up, or 1-year mortality rates across ADI quintiles at the local or national level. Binary Logistic Regression showed no statistical significance for local and national ADI quintiles for hospital readmission and overall postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that there was no statistical significance between hospital readmission rates or worse surgical outcomes across local and national ADI quintiles. This suggests that the VHA resources and multidisciplinary support may improve care across neighborhoods. This comprehensive care provided at VHA may mitigate postoperative complications in patients undergoing EVARs. Further research is warranted to investigate the role of area deprivation in health care and EVAR outcomes in a veteran population.

The Effect of Social Determinants of Health in Treating Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

Social determinants of health (SDOHs) are broadly defined as nonmedical factors that impact the outcomes of one's health. SDOHs have been increasingly recognized in the literature as profound and modifiable factors on the outcomes of vascular care in peripheral artery disease (PAD) and chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) despite surgical and technological advancements. In this paper, we briefly review the SDOH and its impact on the management and outcome of patients with CLTI. We highlight the importance of understanding how SDOH impacts our patient population so the vascular community may provide more effective, inclusive, and equitable care.

Outcomes for Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers Following Transition from Medicaid to Commercial Insurance

Objective

This study investigates the outcomes of Medicaid beneficiaries with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) who had transitioned to commercial insurance.

Methods

We utilized the PearlDiver claims database to identify adult patients diagnosed with a new DFU between 2010 and 2019. The study cohort comprised 8856 Medicaid beneficiaries who had at least three years of continuous enrollment after DFU diagnosis. Medicaid beneficiaries who transitioned to Medicare during follow-up were excluded. Adjusted comparisons of outcomes were performed by propensity matching the two groups for age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) in a 1:1 ratio. We used logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier estimate to evaluate the association between insurance change (from Medicaid to commercial insurance) and major amputation.

Results

Among the 8856 Medicaid beneficiaries with DFUs, 66% (n = 5809) had transitioned to commercial insurance coverage during follow-up. The overall major amputation rate was 2.8% (n = 247), with a lower rate observed in patients who transitioned to commercial insurance compared to those with continuous Medicaid coverage (2.6% vs. 3.2%, p < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, Medicaid beneficiaries who transitioned to commercial insurance had a 27% lower risk of major amputation (study cohort: odds ratios [OR] 0.75, 95% CI 0.56-0.97, p = 0.03; matched cohort: OR 0.65, 95% 0.22, 0.55, p = 0.01) compared to those with continuous Medicaid coverage.

Conclusions

Transitioning from Medicaid to commercial insurance may be associated with a lower risk of major amputation among Medicaid beneficiaries with DFUs.

Risks and Benefits of the Proposed Amputation Reduction and Compassion Act for Disadvantaged Patients

Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in the major risk factors for vascular disease and access to vascular specialist care are well-documented.1-3 The higher incidence of diabetes, peripheral artery disease (PAD), and related nontraumatic lower extremity amputation among racial and ethnic minority groups, those of low socioeconomic status, and those with poor access to care based on geography (together, referred to below as disadvantaged groups) are particularly pervasive.1,4-9 Practitioners of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy are uniquely positioned to address health inequities in lower extremity screening, medical management, intervention, and limb preservation among the population of adults at the highest risk for limb loss.