Efficacy of C ilost A zol for B elow-the-Knee Artery Disease after B alloon A n G ioplasty in Pati E nts with Severe Limb Ischemia (CABBAGE Trial)

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Cilostazol Prescription in Patients With Femoropopliteal Peripheral Artery Disease After Endovascular Therapy

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of cilostazol prescription in patients with femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease (PAD) after endovascular therapy (EVT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all studies reporting the outcomes of cilostazol after femoropopliteal EVT of PAD up to September 2022. Clinical outcomes of interest included primary patency, in-stent restenosis (ISR), vessel re-occlusion, freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR), repeat revascularization, all-cause mortality, amputation, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and major adverse limb events (MALEs), and bleeding complication.

RESULTS

A total of 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 8 observational studies containing a total of 4898 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. We found that the use of cilostazol was associated with higher primary patency after femoropopliteal artery EVT (odds ratio [OR]=1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.50-1.87, p<0.001, I2=33.2%), a lower risk of ISR (OR=0.43, 95% CI=0.29-0.63, p<0.001, I2=37.6%), repeat revascularization (OR=0.43, 95% CI=0.24-0.76, p<0.005, I2=27.4%), and vessel re-occlusion (OR=0.59, 95% CI=0.38-0.93, p<0.05, I2=0%). There was an increase in freedom from TLR rate (OR=2.19, 95% CI=1.58-3.05, p<0.001, I2=0%), as well as a reduction in the occurrence of MALEs (OR=0.50, 95% CI=0.29-0.85, p<0.05, I2=0%). However, there was no significant difference in amputation, MACEs, all-cause mortality, and major bleeding complications. Subgroup analysis showed that cilostazol treatment in patients with femoropopliteal drug-eluting stents (DES) implantation remained associated with higher primary patency and a lower risk of ISR.

CONCLUSIONS

After EVT of femoropopliteal artery lesions, additional oral cilostazol enhances primary patency, reduces the occurrences of ISR and vessel re-occlusion, diminishes the risks associated with MALEs, lowers the need for repeat revascularization, and increases freedom from TLR rates. However, it does not impact amputation, MACEs, all-cause mortality, or major bleeding complications. These findings suggest cilostazol as a potentially safe and effective adjunct therapy in patients with femoropopliteal PAD after EVT.

CLINICAL IMPACT

After undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT) for femoropopliteal artery lesions, the addition of cilostazol to antiplatelet therapy can significantly improve primary patency, reducing the incidence of in-stent restenosis, repeat revascularization, vessel re-occlusion, and major adverse limb events while increasing freedom from target lesion revascularization rate. The simultaneous use of drug-eluting stents in the femoropopliteal artery lesions, combined with cilostazol, potentially results in a synergistic anti-stenotic effect. This therapeutic approach does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of major bleeding events or all-cause mortality. These findings provide additional evidence supporting the treatment of anti-stenosis in patients with femoropopliteal artery lesions after EVT.

Antithrombotic Therapy for Symptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

High-quality evidence from trials directly comparing single antiplatelet therapies in symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) to dual antiplatelet therapies or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) plus low-dose rivaroxaban is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a network meta-analysis on the effectiveness of all antithrombotic regimens studied in PAD.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major bleedings. Secondary endpoints were major adverse limb events (MALE) and acute limb ischaemia (ALI). For each outcome, a frequentist network meta-analysis was used to compare relative risks (RRs) between medication and ASA. ASA was the universal comparator since a majority of studies used ASA as in the reference group.

RESULTS

Twenty-four randomized controlled trials were identified including 48,759 patients. With regard to reducing MACE, clopidogrel [RR 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66-0.93], ticagrelor (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65-0.97), ASA plus ticagrelor (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.97), and ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.93) were more effective than ASA, and equally effective to one another. As compared to ASA, major bleedings occurred more frequently with vitamin K antagonists, rivaroxaban, ASA plus vitamin K antagonists, and ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban. All regimens were similar to ASA concerning MALE, while ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban was more effective in preventing ALI (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.55-0.80). Subgroup analysis in patients undergoing peripheral revascularization revealed that ≥ 3 months after intervention, evidence of benefit regarding clopidogrel, ticagrelor, and ASA plus ticagrelor was lacking, while ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban was more effective in preventing MACE (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.97) and MALE (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.97) compared to ASA. ASA plus clopidogrel was not superior to ASA in preventing MACE ≥ 3 months after revascularization. Evidence regarding antithrombotic treatment strategies within 3 months after a peripheral intervention was lacking.

CONCLUSION

Clopidogrel, ticagrelor, ASA plus ticagrelor, and ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban are superior to ASA monotherapy and equally effective to one another in preventing MACE in PAD. Of these four therapies, only ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban provides a higher risk of major bleedings. More than 3 months after peripheral vascular intervention, ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban is superior in preventing MACE and MALE compared to ASA but again at the cost of a higher risk of bleeding, while other treatment regimens show non-superiority. Based on the current evidence, clopidogrel may be considered the antithrombotic therapy of choice for most PAD patients, while in patients who underwent a peripheral vascular intervention, ASA plus low-dose rivaroxaban could be considered for the long-term (> 3 months) prevention of MACE and MALE.

Release of basic fibroblast growth factor from acoustically-responsive scaffolds promotes therapeutic angiogenesis in the hind limb ischemia model

Pro-angiogenic growth factors have been studied as potential therapeutics for cardiovascular diseases like critical limb ischemia (CLI). However, the translation of these factors has remained a challenge, in part, due to problems associated with safe and effective delivery. Here, we describe a hydrogel-based delivery system for growth factors where release is modulated by focused ultrasound (FUS), specifically a mechanism termed acoustic droplet vaporization. With these fibrin-based, acoustically-responsive scaffolds (ARSs), release of a growth factor is non-invasively and spatiotemporally-controlled in an on-demand manner using non-thermal FUS. In vitro studies demonstrated sustained release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) from the ARSs using repeated applications of FUS. In in vivo studies, ARSs containing bFGF were implanted in mice following induction of hind limb ischemia, a preclinical model of CLI. During the 4-week study, mice in the ARS + FUS group longitudinally exhibited significantly more perfusion and less visible necrosis compared to other experimental groups. Additionally, significantly greater angiogenesis and less fibrosis were observed for the ARS + FUS group. Overall, these results highlight a promising, FUS-based method of delivering a pro-angiogenic growth factor for stimulating angiogenesis and reperfusion in a cardiovascular disease model. More broadly, these results could be used to personalize the delivery of therapeutics in different regenerative applications by actively controlling the release of a growth factor.

Cilostazol: a Review of Basic Mechanisms and Clinical Uses

Primarily used in the treatment of intermittent claudication, cilostazol is a 2-oxyquinolone derivative that works through the inhibition of phosphodiesterase III and related increases in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels. However, cilostazol has been implicated in a number of other basic pathways including the inhibition of adenosine reuptake, the inhibition of multidrug resistance protein 4, among others. It has been observed to exhibit antiplatelet, antiproliferative, vasodilatory, and ischemic-reperfusion protective properties. As such, cilostazol has been investigated for clinical use in a variety of settings including intermittent claudication, as an adjunctive for reduction of restenosis after coronary and peripheral endovascular interventions, and in the prevention of secondary stroke, although its widespread implementation for indications other than intermittent claudication has been limited by relatively modest effect sizes and lack of studies in western populations. In this review, we highlight the pleiotropic effects of cilostazol and the evidence for its clinical use.

Do we have a unified consensus on antithrombotic management of PAD?

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is one of the most frequent manifestations of atherosclerosis with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Platelets and coagulation are involved in the progression of atherosclerosis and thromboembolic complications. PAD patients have increased prothrombotic potential, which includes platelet hyperaggregability and increased pro-coagulant state. Therefore, antithrombotic treatment is of utmost importance for the prevention of cardiovascular events in this group of patients. Aspirin is the basic antiplatelet drug, but with limited efficacy in PAD. In contrast to coronary artery disease, its effect on the prevention of cardiovascular events in PAD has been limited proven. Particularly in asymptomatic PAD, there is no evidence for risk reduction with aspirin. Clopidogrel and ticagrelor are more effective than aspirin. Clopidogrel is thus an effective alternative to aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular events in symptomatic PAD. In patients who are non-responders to clopidogrel, ticagrelor is indicated. Dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT) with aspirin and ticagrelor in patients with coronary artery disease and concomitant PAD significantly decreased the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events, including adverse limb events. However, in the CHARISMA Trial, aspirin and clopidogrel were not more effective than aspirin alone and increased bleeding complications. Therefore, DAPT seems effective only in PAD accompanied by coronary artery disease. Anticoagulant treatment for symptomatic PAD with vitamin K antagonists alone or in combination with aspirin is not more effective than single antiplatelet treatment but increases the rate of major bleeding. Low dose rivaroxaban combined with aspirin in PAD patients significantly reduces cardiovascular events, including limb-threatening ischemia and limb amputations. Anticoagulation and antiplatelet treatment after percutaneous or surgical revascularization of PAD improve the patency of treated vessels. Aspirin with or without dipyridamole improved patency of infra-inguinal by-pass grafts at one year. The combination of clopidogrel with aspirin was more effective than aspirin alone in the prevention of prosthetic graft occlusions in patients undergoing below-knee by-pass-grafting. Oral vitamin K antagonists were not more effective than aspirin in the prevention of infra-inguinal by-pass occlusion. The combination of low dose rivaroxaban and aspirin was effective in preventing major adverse cardiovascular events and adverse limb events after infrainguinal endovascular or surgical revascularization in patients with intermittent claudication. However, the data on antithrombotic treatment after revascularization for limb-threatening ischemia is scanty and inconclusive. In conclusion: Antithrombotic treatment of PAD is a cornerstone for the management of these patients. Antiplatelet drugs prevent the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis and are effective also in the prevention of thromboembolic events. Simultaneous use of antiplatelet and anticoagulation drugs is accompanied by an increased risk of bleeding. However, combined treatment with aspirin and low-dose rivaroxaban is more effective than single antithrombotic treatment and safer than full-dose combined treatment.

Efficacy and Safety of Antiplatelet Therapies in Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Clopidogrel monotherapy is guideline-recommended in symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). The advent of new antithrombotic strategies prompts an updated analysis of available evidence on antiplatelet therapy for PAD.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL through January 2019 for randomised controlled trials and observational studies comparing antiplatelet therapies as monotherapy, dual therapy, or combination with anticoagulants. Efficacy (major adverse cardiovascular events, acute or chronic limb ischaemia, vascular amputation, peripheral revascularisation) and safety (all-cause mortality and overall bleeding) outcomes were evaluated via Bayesian network meta-analyses.

RESULTS

We analysed 26 randomised controlled trials. Clopidogrel (hazard ratio, HR, 0.78; 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.65-0.93) and ticagrelor (HR 0.80; 95% CrI 0.65-0.98) significantly reduced major adverse cardiovascular events risk compared with aspirin. No significant difference was observed for dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin. Vorapaxar significantly reduced limb ischaemia and revascularisation compared with placebo, while dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin showed a trend for reduced risk of amputation compared with aspirin (risk ratio 0.68; 95% CrI 0.43-1.04). For all-cause mortality, picotamide, vorapaxar, dipyridamole with aspirin, and ticlopidine showed a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality vs aspirin. Clopidogrel and ticagrelor showed similar overall bleeding risk vs aspirin, while dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin significantly increased bleeding risk.

CONCLUSION

This updated network meta-analysis confirms that clopidogrel significantly decreases the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared with aspirin, without increasing bleeding risk. Clopidogrel should remain a mainstay of PAD treatment, at least in patients at higher bleeding risk.

Antithrombotic therapy for postinterventional management of peripheral arterial disease

PURPOSE

Evidence on the use of antithrombotic pharmacotherapy in patients undergoing revascularization of lower extremities for symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is reviewed.

SUMMARY

Individuals with PAD can experience leg pain, intermittent claudication, critical limb ischemia, and acute limb ischemia. In such patients, revascularization may be indicated to improve the quality of life and to prevent amputations. Antithrombotic therapy is often intensified in the postrevascularization period to prevent restenosis of the index artery and to counteract the prothrombotic state induced by the intervention. Therapeutic modalities include dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), anticoagulation, a combination of antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy, and addition of cilostazol to single antiplatelet therapy. Subgroup analyses of data from randomized clinical trials provided low-quality evidence for the use of DAPT in patients with a below-knee prosthetic bypass graft and anticoagulation for those with a venous bypass graft. Cilostazol, when added to aspirin therapy, has been shown to prevent index vessel reocclusion after an endovascular intervention in patients at low risk for thrombosis in several small randomized trials.

CONCLUSION

There is a considerable paucity of high-quality evidence on the optimal antithrombotic regimen for patients undergoing lower extremity revascularization, with no particular therapy shown to consistently improve patient outcomes. The decision to initiate intensified antithrombotic therapy should include a close examination of its risk-benefit profile. The demonstrated benefit of such treatment is restricted to the prevention of index artery reocclusion, while an increased risk of bleeding may lead to significant morbidity and mortality.

Literature review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of cilostazol on limb salvage rates after infrainguinal endovascular and open revascularization

BACKGROUND

Current clinical guidelines recommend the use of cilostazol in the treatment of patients with infrainguinal peripheral artery disease (PAD) who experience intermittent claudication. However, the role of cilostazol therapy in patients with advanced PAD and critical limb ischemia (CLI) remains unclear. To conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies that evaluated the effect of cilostazol vs standard antiplatelet therapy on limb-related and arterial patency-related outcomes. We also reviewed literature pertinent to the effect of cilostazol on wound healing in patients with advanced PAD.

METHODS

We performed a MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE (CENTRAL), SCOPUS, and US Clinical Trials database search for all trials and studies since 1999 that compared cilostazol with standard antiplatelet therapy in the setting of infrainguinal PAD revascularization procedures (endovascular or open). Aggregate data was collected from four randomized control trials and six retrospective cohort studies. The end point incidence ratios and treatment effects were generated from each study and reported as hazard ratios (HR) using a random-effect model. We also reviewed 10 studies that evaluated the effect of cilostazol on wound healing in patients with advanced PAD.

RESULTS

From more than 25,000 total patients, 3136 patients met our inclusion criteria. All patients had at least lifestyle-impacting intermittent claudication, and more than 50% met the definition of CLI (Rutherford class ≥4). Patient age range was 53 to 83 years, and the majority were male (66%). The mean follow-up time averaged 2 years across all studies. Meta-analysis revealed that cilostazol treatment favored amputation-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.91), limb salvage rate (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.27-0.66), decreased repeat revascularization (risk ratio [RR], 0.44; 95% CI, 0.37-0.52), and decreased restenosis (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.61-0.76). Cilostazol treatment also increased freedom from target lesion revascularization (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.21-1.53) with no difference in all-cause mortality. Effective wound healing was found to be an inconsistent outcome measure in patients receiving cilostazol therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed that cilostazol therapy has a beneficial impact on all limb-related and arterial patency-related outcomes, but no effect on all-cause mortality in patients with advanced PAD and CLI undergoing revascularization procedures. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the effect of cilostazol therapy on wound healing in patients with advanced PAD.

A Review of Antithrombotic Treatment in Critical Limb Ischemia After Endovascular Intervention

Endovascular intervention is often used to treat critical limb ischemia (CLI). Post-intervention treatment with antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant therapy has reduced morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular complications. The purpose of this review is to shed light on the various pharmacologic treatment protocols for treating CLI following endovascular procedures. We reviewed the literature comparing outcomes after antithrombotic treatment for patients with CLI. We characterized antithrombotic therapies into three categories: (1) mono-antiplatelet therapy (MAPT) vs. dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), (2) MAPT vs. antiplatelet (AP) + anticoagulant (AC) therapy, and (3) AC vs. AP + AC therapy. Relevant results and statistics were extracted to determine differences in the rates of the following outcomes: (1) re-stenosis, (2) occlusion, (3) target limb revascularization (TLR), (4) major amputation, (5) major adverse cardiac events, (6) all-cause death, and (7) bleeding. Studies suggest that DAPT reduces post-surgical restenosis, TLR, and amputation for diabetic patients, without increasing major bleeding incidences, compared to MAPT. Also, AP + AC therapy provides overall superior efficacy, with no difference in bleeding incidences, compared to antiplatelet alone. Additionally, the effects were significant for restenosis, limb salvage, survival rates, and cumulative rate of above ankle amputation or death. These results suggest that treatment with DAPT and AP + AC might provide better outcomes than MAPT following the endovascular intervention for CLI, and that the ideal treatment may be related to the condition of the individual patient. However, the studies were few and heterogenous with small patient populations. Therefore, further large controlled studies are warranted to confirm these outcomes.

The Impact of Antithrombotic Regimens on Clinical Outcomes After Endovascular Intervention and Bypass Surgery for Infrapopliteal Artery Disease

Endovascular intervention and bypass surgery are the main options of treatments for infrapopliteal artery disease. Although post-intervention treatment with antiplatelet (AP) and/or anticoagulant (AC) drugs has reduced morbidity and mortality rates from cardiovascular complications; the ideal antithrombotic treatment regimen is unknown. The aim of this review was to compare the efficacy and safety of various anticoagulation and/or AP therapy regimens in patients undergoing below-knee endovascular treatment for infrapopliteal artery disease. We reviewed published literature in PubMed and Google Scholar, and Cochrane, evaluating efficacy and safety outcomes after antithrombotic treatment following endovascular intervention or bypass surgery in patients with infrapopliteal artery disease. We extracted relevant efficacy and safety data with related statistics from each study. We found that AP treatment should be administered to patients receiving endovascular therapy or bypass. We did not find superior effects for dual AP treatment (DAPT) over mono-AP therapy (MAPT) for endovascular intervention or bypass surgery with venous graft, suggesting that MAPT suffices for these groups. Also, aspirin + clopidogrel was effective over aspirin alone for prosthetic, but not venous graft, albeit higher non-severe bleeding incidences, suggesting a potential benefit of this regime for below-knee prosthetic graft. AP + AC yielded superior results compared to AP following endovascular procedure and bypass surgery, suggesting the potential benefit of this regime in the absence of contraindications. More prospective studies with large number of patients are warranted to identify the best treatment for infrapopliteal artery diseases.

Global Vascular Guidelines on the Management of Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

GUIDELINE SUMMARY

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is associated with mortality, amputation, and impaired quality of life. These Global Vascular Guidelines (GVG) are focused on definition, evaluation, and management of CLTI with the goals of improving evidence-based care and highlighting critical research needs. The term CLTI is preferred over critical limb ischemia, as the latter implies threshold values of impaired perfusion rather than a continuum. CLTI is a clinical syndrome defined by the presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in combination with rest pain, gangrene, or a lower limb ulceration >2 weeks duration. Venous, traumatic, embolic, and nonatherosclerotic etiologies are excluded. All patients with suspected CLTI should be referred urgently to a vascular specialist. Accurately staging the severity of limb threat is fundamental, and the Society for Vascular Surgery Threatened Limb Classification system, based on grading of Wounds, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) is endorsed. Objective hemodynamic testing, including toe pressures as the preferred measure, is required to assess CLTI. Evidence-based revascularization (EBR) hinges on three independent axes: Patient risk, Limb severity, and ANatomic complexity (PLAN). Average-risk and high-risk patients are defined by estimated procedural and 2-year all-cause mortality. The GVG proposes a new Global Anatomic Staging System (GLASS), which involves defining a preferred target artery path (TAP) and then estimating limb-based patency (LBP), resulting in three stages of complexity for intervention. The optimal revascularization strategy is also influenced by the availability of autogenous vein for open bypass surgery. Recommendations for EBR are based on best available data, pending level 1 evidence from ongoing trials. Vein bypass may be preferred for average-risk patients with advanced limb threat and high complexity disease, while those with less complex anatomy, intermediate severity limb threat, or high patient risk may be favored for endovascular intervention. All patients with CLTI should be afforded best medical therapy including the use of antithrombotic, lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, and glycemic control agents, as well as counseling on smoking cessation, diet, exercise, and preventive foot care. Following EBR, long-term limb surveillance is advised. The effectiveness of nonrevascularization therapies (eg, spinal stimulation, pneumatic compression, prostanoids, and hyperbaric oxygen) has not been established. Regenerative medicine approaches (eg, cell, gene therapies) for CLTI should be restricted to rigorously conducted randomizsed clinical trials. The GVG promotes standardization of study designs and end points for clinical trials in CLTI. The importance of multidisciplinary teams and centers of excellence for amputation prevention is stressed as a key health system initiative.

Global vascular guidelines on the management of chronic limb-threatening ischemia

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is associated with mortality, amputation, and impaired quality of life. These Global Vascular Guidelines (GVG) are focused on definition, evaluation, and management of CLTI with the goals of improving evidence-based care and highlighting critical research needs. The term CLTI is preferred over critical limb ischemia, as the latter implies threshold values of impaired perfusion rather than a continuum. CLTI is a clinical syndrome defined by the presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in combination with rest pain, gangrene, or a lower limb ulceration >2 weeks duration. Venous, traumatic, embolic, and nonatherosclerotic etiologies are excluded. All patients with suspected CLTI should be referred urgently to a vascular specialist. Accurately staging the severity of limb threat is fundamental, and the Society for Vascular Surgery Threatened Limb Classification system, based on grading of Wounds, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) is endorsed. Objective hemodynamic testing, including toe pressures as the preferred measure, is required to assess CLTI. Evidence-based revascularization (EBR) hinges on three independent axes: Patient risk, Limb severity, and ANatomic complexity (PLAN). Average-risk and high-risk patients are defined by estimated procedural and 2-year all-cause mortality. The GVG proposes a new Global Anatomic Staging System (GLASS), which involves defining a preferred target artery path (TAP) and then estimating limb-based patency (LBP), resulting in three stages of complexity for intervention. The optimal revascularization strategy is also influenced by the availability of autogenous vein for open bypass surgery. Recommendations for EBR are based on best available data, pending level 1 evidence from ongoing trials. Vein bypass may be preferred for average-risk patients with advanced limb threat and high complexity disease, while those with less complex anatomy, intermediate severity limb threat, or high patient risk may be favored for endovascular intervention. All patients with CLTI should be afforded best medical therapy including the use of antithrombotic, lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, and glycemic control agents, as well as counseling on smoking cessation, diet, exercise, and preventive foot care. Following EBR, long-term limb surveillance is advised. The effectiveness of nonrevascularization therapies (eg, spinal stimulation, pneumatic compression, prostanoids, and hyperbaric oxygen) has not been established. Regenerative medicine approaches (eg, cell, gene therapies) for CLTI should be restricted to rigorously conducted randomizsed clinical trials. The GVG promotes standardization of study designs and end points for clinical trials in CLTI. The importance of multidisciplinary teams and centers of excellence for amputation prevention is stressed as a key health system initiative.