Health-related quality of life prospectively evaluated by the 8-item short form after endovascular repair versus open surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms

Editor's Choice -- European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) 2024 Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Management of Abdominal Aorto-Iliac Artery Aneurysms

OBJECTIVE

The European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) has developed clinical practice guidelines for the care of patients with aneurysms of the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries in succession to the 2011 and 2019 versions, with the aim of assisting physicians and patients in selecting the best management strategy.

METHODS

The guideline is based on scientific evidence completed with expert opinion on the matter. By summarising and evaluating the best available evidence, recommendations for the evaluation and treatment of patients have been formulated. The recommendations are graded according to a modified European Society of Cardiology grading system, where the strength (class) of each recommendation is graded from I to III and the letters A to C mark the level of evidence.

RESULTS

A total of 160 recommendations have been issued on the following topics: Service standards, including surgical volume and training; Epidemiology, diagnosis, and screening; Management of patients with small abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), including surveillance, cardiovascular risk reduction, and indication for repair; Elective AAA repair, including operative risk assessment, open and endovascular repair, and early complications; Ruptured and symptomatic AAA, including peri-operative management, such as permissive hypotension and use of aortic occlusion balloon, open and endovascular repair, and early complications, such as abdominal compartment syndrome and colonic ischaemia; Long term outcome and follow up after AAA repair, including graft infection, endoleaks and follow up routines; Management of complex AAA, including open and endovascular repair; Management of iliac artery aneurysm, including indication for repair and open and endovascular repair; and Miscellaneous aortic problems, including mycotic, inflammatory, and saccular aortic aneurysm. In addition, Shared decision making is being addressed, with supporting information for patients, and Unresolved issues are discussed.

CONCLUSION

The ESVS Clinical Practice Guidelines provide the most comprehensive, up to date, and unbiased advice to clinicians and patients on the management of abdominal aorto-iliac artery aneurysms.

Multimodal Prehabilitation for Patients Undergoing Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair Surgery: A Feasibility Study

BACKGROUND

Elective treatment options for aortic abdominal aneurysms include open repair or the less-invasive endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Recovery from EVAR is generally considered easier and faster than open repair. Despite this, EVAR remains a major procedure, and average return to preoperative quality of life is at least 3 months. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and feasibility of multimodal prehabilitation, a multidisciplinary preoperative optimization intervention, in patients undergoing EVAR and its impact on perioperative functional capacity and quality of life.

METHODS

Candidates for EVAR with an infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm <7.5cm were invited to participate in a 6-week multimodal prehabilitation program that included (1) supervised and home-based exercise, (2) nutritional support, (3) psychosocial support, and (4) smoking cessation. Functional capacity and quality of life were assessed at baseline, before surgery and 6 weeks postoperatively. Recruitment rate, safety, and compliance were also assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 24 patients were included, 17 males (70%) and 7 females (30%). No adverse events occurred during the program. Compliance to each component of the program (median [Q1-Q3]) was 66% [67] for supervised training, 100% [67] for home-based training, and 100% [100] for nutrition. The multimodal prehabilitation program elicited a significant increase in functional capacity and quality of life preoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Multimodal prehabilitation for patients awaiting EVAR is feasible and safe. Multimodal prehabilitation improves both functional capacity and quality of life preoperatively. Further research is needed to assess the impact of multimodal prehabilitation on postoperative quality of life and functional capacity.

CLINICAL IMPACT

Multimodal prehabilitation is safe and feasible in patients awaiting endovascular aneurysm repair. The importance of this finding is that multimodal prehabilitation can be safely delivered preoperatively in patients awaiting EVAR. Although further research is needed, multimodal prehabilitation seems to improve preoperative functional capacity and quality of life. This could have an impact for the future implementation of prehabilitation interventions in order to increase functional reserve and quality of life preoperatively so that this high-risk population can cope better with the surgical stress and return to their normal life faster postoperatively.

Association of Age and Surgical Technique with the Quality of Life of Male Patients Treated for Abdominal Aorta Aneurysms: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

The achievement of a good health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become one of the primary objectives of medical-surgical interventions. The objective of this study is to determine the HRQoL of patients who underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery and to analyse the influence of age on HRQoL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is an observational cross-sectional study with 151 male patients who underwent an operation for AAAs between January 2013 and December 2020 in two hospital centres. HRQoL was assessed with the Spanish version of the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), starting in the month following the surgical intervention. Statistical analyses were performed using hypothesis tests and multivariate linear regression.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 73 years (SD: 7), and the mean interval between surgery and the interview was 37 months (SD: 27). The scores of the Physical Function (p = 0.001), Vitality (p = 0.016), Social Function (p = 0.014), and Mental Health (p = 0.007) dimensions of the SF-36 were significantly lower in the older age groups. In addition, the scores on the Physical Summary Component (p = 0.003) and the Mental Summary Component (p = 0.026) were significantly lower among individuals older than 70 years of age. The HRQoL in patients who underwent operations for AAAs was similar to that reported in the general population of Spain. Patients with an aorto-aortic shunt had better scores on the Physical Function (Beta: 10; p = 0.014) and Mental Health (Beta: 8.12; p = 0.040) dimensions than those who had an aorto-bi-iliac or bifemoral shunt, regardless of the age of the patients at operation.

CONCLUSION

Among patients who underwent an operation for an AAA, there was a negative association between the age at operation and scores on the Physical Function, Vitality, Social Function, and Mental Health dimensions of the SF-36. The type of surgical technique influences the evolution of Physical Function and Mental Health scores, regardless of age.

Quality of Life of Patients Treated for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Open Surgery and Endoprosthesis

OBJECTIVES

To determine the degree of long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients undergoing surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and to analyze the results according to the type of treatment, namely, open abdominal repair (OAR) or endoprosthesis (EVAR).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a prospective cross-sectional observational study. Patients receiving intervention for AAA between January 2013 and December 2020 were included. The Spanish version of the SF-36 questionnaire was used. A single survey was performed on all patients, and the time elapsed since the intervention was recorded.

RESULTS

On all health scales and in the two groups of patients, the highest scores were recorded at six months postoperatively. At that time, the EVAR and OAR groups had similar values. Between 13 and 16 months postoperatively, EVAR patients presented a transient but significant decrease in their scores for physical function (p = 0.016), vitality (p = 0.035) and social function (p = 0.041). From that moment, there were progressive decreases in the scores of the two groups of patients on all the scales of the SF-36 questionnaire, although this trend was less pronounced in the OAR group. At 60 months after the intervention, the latter group showed significantly higher values than EVAR for physical function (p = 0.01), vitality (p = 0.032) and mental health (p = 0.029). Additionally, at 60 months after the intervention, the Sum of the psychological component (MCS) and Sum of the physical component (PCS) scores were significantly higher in the OAR group (p = 0.040 and p = 0.039, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In the short term, patients treated for AAA by EVAR or OAR showed similar results on the SF-36 questionnaire. In the long term, patients treated by EVAR had lower scores on the physical function, vitality and mental health scales.

Towards Patient Centred Outcomes for Elective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: A Scoping Review of Quality of Life Scales

OBJECTIVE

In order to better incorporate the patient's perspective in medical decision making, core outcome sets (COS) are being defined. In the field of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), efforts to capture the patient's perspective focus on generic quantitative quality of life (QoL) scales. The question arises whether these quantitative scales adequately reflect the patient's perspective on QoL, and whether they can be included in the QoL aspect of COS. A scoping review of QoL assessment in the context of elective AAA repair was undertaken.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library.

REVIEW METHODS

A scoping review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Articles reporting QoL assessment in the context of elective AAA repair were identified. Quantitative studies (i.e., traditional QoL scales) were aligned (triangulation approach) with qualitative studies (i.e., patient perspective) to identify parallels and discrepancies. Mean Short Form 36 item survey (SF-36) scores were pooled using a random effects model to evaluate sensitivity to change.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies were identified, of which 29 (88%) were quantitative and four (12%) qualitative. The 33 studies reported a total of 54 quantitative QoL scales; the most frequently used were the generic SF-36 (16 studies) and five dimension EuroQol (EQ-5D; eight studies). Aneurysm specific scales were reported by one study. The generic quantitative scales showed poor alignment with the patient's perspective. The aneurysm specific scales better aligned but missed "concerns regarding symptoms" and "the impact of possible outcomes/complications". "Self control and decision making", which was brought forward by patients in qualitative studies, was not captured in any of the current scales.

CONCLUSION

There is no established tool that fully captures all aspects of the patient's perspective appropriate for a COS for elective AAA repair. In order to fulfil the need for a COS for the management of^, AAA disease, a more comprehensive overview of the patient's perspective is required.

Effects of circulating levels of Th17 cells on the outcomes of acute Stanford B aortic dissection patients after thoracic endovascular aortic repair: A 36-month follow-up study a cohort study

T helper 17 (Th17) cells are related to the progression of aortic dissection. This study aimed to determine whether circulating Th17 levels are associated with the prognosis of acute Stanford type B aortic dissection (STBAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).A cohort study was performed and STBAD patients (n = 140) received TEVAR were enrolled, the circulating Th17 levels were measured and the patients were divided into low and high Th17 groups, and 36 months of follow-up was performed. The data for mortality, survival outcomes, heart structure and function changes, aortic regurgitation prevalence, and aortic remodeling outcomes were recorded.Lower mortality and fewer complications were observed in the low Th17 group than in the high Th17 group in the third year of follow-up. In addition, the low Th17 group exhibited better cardiac remodeling and cardiac function when compared with that in the high Th17 group in the second to third year after TEVAR. Aortic reflux was improved in both groups but was more pronounced in the low Th17 group. During follow-up, the true lumen of the proximal thoracic aorta at the level of the celiac trunk in both the low and high Th17 groups continuously enlarged and was more pronounced in the low Th17 group.Circulating Th17 cells were related to cardiac and aortic remodeling and prognosis during STBAD after TEVAR. Anti-inflammatory therapy may be useful for STBAD patients who have undergone TEVAR.

Reporting of Complications and Mortality in Relation to Risk Communication in Patients with an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

High-quality reporting of surgical risks is necessary for evidence-based risk communication in clinical practice. Risk communication is defined as the process of discussing benefits and harms of treatment options with patients. This review addressed the current quality of reporting of complications and mortality in publications on abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment, with a focus on items relevant to risk communication.

DESIGN

A systematic review.

MATERIALS

Randomised clinical trials, comparative observational studies and registries from 2010 onwards were eligible if they reported complications and/or mortality in patients with an asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms who received primary treatment.

METHODS

Quality of reporting was assessed by scoring items relevant to risk communication from the reporting standards of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) and the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement. Screening, quality assessment and data extraction were independently undertaken by two authors.

RESULTS

Forty-seven publications were included. Nine of 47 publications (19%) provided no definition of complications. In 14 of 47 publications (30%), it was unclear whether the number of adverse events or the number of patients with adverse events were presented. Absolute risk differences were provided in 1 of 32 publications (3.1%) that compared complications between two treatment options. Forty-six of 47 publications reported mortality, of which 42 reported overall mortality rates (91%). Absolute risk differences were given in 2 of the 31 publications (6.5%) that compared mortality between two treatment options.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of reporting of complications and mortality following primary abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment varied considerably. Better adherence to the SVS reporting standards and the CONSORT statement, as well as stating absolute risk differences may improve the quality of reporting and facilitate evidence-based risk communication.