Persisting disparities between sexes in outcomes of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm hospitalizations

Sex-based disparities in ascending aortic aneurysm surgery outcomes: a comprehensive analysis of 1148 consecutive patients with propensity-score matching

BACKGROUND

Women undergoing cardiac surgery have been historically recognized to carry higher periprocedural mortality risk. We aimed to investigate the influence of sex on clinical presentation, perioperative, and long-term outcomes in patients who undergo surgery for ascending aortic aneurysm.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of 1148 consecutive patients (380 [33.1%] female) who underwent thoracic aortic surgery under moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest for ascending aortic aneurysms between 2001 and 2021. Baseline and operative characteristics, in-hospital mortality, and survival were compared between male and female patients before and after propensity-score-matched (PSM) analysis.

RESULTS

Women were significantly older (median age: 69 [IQR: 63-75] vs. 67 [IQR: 58-73]; P < 0.001), while men had a higher prevalence of aortic valve stenosis, bicuspid valve and coronary artery disease at the time of surgery (P < 0.05). After PSM, EuroSCORE II (4.36 [2.68; 6.87] vs. 3.22 [1.85; 5.31]; p < 0.001), and indexed aortic diameter were significantly higher in female patients (2.94 [2.68; 3.30] vs. 2.58 [2.38; 2.81] cm/m2, p < 0.001). In the matched cohort, men were more likely to experience postoperative delirium (18.1% vs. 11.5%; P = 0.002), and postoperative neurological deficits (6.7% vs. 3.0%, P = 0.044),. Female patients were more likely to receive postoperative packed red blood cells (p = 0.036) and fresh frozen plasma (p = 0.049). In-hospital and 30-day mortality was similar between both groups. Long-term survival was comparable between both groups with 88% vs. 88% at 5 years, 76% vs. 71% at 10 years, and 59% vs. 47% at 15 years.

CONCLUSION

Female patients required more transfusions, while males had a higher incidence of postoperative delirium and neurological deficits. Differences in preoperative age and timing of surgery between the sexes could be attributed to variations in comorbidity profiles and the greater prevalence of concomitant surgery indications in males.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of endovascular versus open repair in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm in Iran: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the most important cardiovascular diseases, especially in the elderly. People with this disease are at risk of rupture of the abdominal aorta and death. The present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the cost-effectiveness of endovascular repair compared to open surgery in AAA patients in Iran.

METHODS

A Markov chain model was developed based on the use of endovascular repair and open surgery. The base-case patient was defined as a 65-year-old man presenting with AAA diameter greater than 5 cm. The determination of costs was from the perspective of the public sector provider. QALY was used to calculate the effectiveness. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and TreeAge software were used for cost-effectiveness analysis. The follow-up period was 10 years and the willingness to pay (WTP) was determined as three times the Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.

RESULT

At the end of year 10, the endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) strategy gained 1 318 313 559 Iranian Rial (IRR) (67 885.29$) in cost and 3.57 QALYs in effectiveness. In contrast, the use of the open surgery repair (OSR) strategy gained 1 186 761 858 IRR (61 111.16$) in cost and 3·32 QALYs in effectiveness. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, comparing EVAR versus OSR, was 53, 346, 3757 IRR (178.36$) per QALYs, which is lower than the proposed WTP, indicating that EVAR is more expensive and more effective. Based on the Monte Carlo simulation test, EVAR is the preferred strategy in 58.6% of the population.

CONCLUSION

Endovascular repair has a relative superiority compared to open surgery, and the probability of the effectiveness of endovascular repair compared to open surgery does not change with increasing willingness to pay.

The association of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter with mortality in the International Consortium of Vascular Registries

BACKGROUND

The mortality after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair is high, despite improvements in perioperative care, centralization of emergency vascular surgical services, and the introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The diameter of intact AAA has been shown to be a predictor of short- and long-term survival. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of AAA diameter on mortality for rAAA repair using contemporary data collected from the International Consortium of Vascular Registries and compare outcomes by sex and the type of repair patients received.

METHODS

Prospective registry data on repair of rAAA from seven countries were collected from 2010 to 2016. The primary outcome was perioperative mortality after EVAR and open surgical repair (OSR). Data were stratified by type of repair and sex. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratio (OR) for the association between AAA diameter and perioperative mortality and the association between type of repair and mortality. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to adjust for differences in patient characteristics.

RESULTS

The study population consisted of 6428 patients with a mean age ranging from 70.2 to 75.4 years; the mean AAA diameter was 7.7 ± 1.8 cm. Females had a significantly smaller AAA diameter at presentation compared with males (6.9 ± 1.6 cm vs 7.9 ± 1.8 cm; P < .001). who underwent OSR had larger AAA diameters compared with those who underwent EVAR (P < .001). Females who underwent repair were significantly older (P < .001). Males were more likely to have cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus, and renal impairment. Overall, AAA diameter was a predictor of mortality in univariate and multivariate analysis. When analyzing EVAR and OSR separately, the impact of AAA diameter per cm increase on mortality was apparent in both males and females undergoing EVAR, but not OSR (EVAR: male OR, 1.09 [95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.16] and EVAR: female OR, 1.17 [95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.35]). The early mortality rate for males and females who underwent EVAR was 18.9% and 25.9% (P < .001), respectively. The corresponding mortality for males and females who underwent OSR was 30.2% and 38.6% (P < .001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In these real-world international data, there is a significant association between rAAA diameters and early mortality in males and females. This association was more evident in patients undergoing EVAR, but not shown in OSR. Despite improvements in overall AAA repair outcomes, the risk of mortality after rAAA repair is consistently higher for females.

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.

Sex differences in outcomes among adults undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

OBJECTIVE

Although the differences in short-term outcomes between male and female patients in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have been well studied, it remains unclear if these sex disparities extend to other long-term adverse outcomes after AAA repair, such as reintervention and late rupture.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 13,007 patients who underwent either endovascular (EVAR) or open AAA repair (OAR) between 2003 and 2015 using data from the Vascular Quality Initiative registries. Eligible patients were linked to fee-for-service Medicare claims to identify late outcomes of rupture and aneurysm-specific reintervention.

RESULTS

The mean age of our cohort was 76 ± 6.7 years, 22% were female, 94% were White, and 77% underwent EVAR. The 10-year rupture incidence was slightly higher for women at 4.8 per 1000 person-years, vs 3.9 for men, but this difference was not statistically significant after risk adjustment (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74-1.73). Likewise, we found no sex difference in reintervention rates (5.1 vs 4.8 in women per 1000 person-years) even after risk adjustment (HR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.83-1.09). Regression models suggest effect modification by repair type for reintervention, where women who underwent index EVAR had a higher risk of reintervention than men (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.93-1.26), whereas women who underwent OAR were at a lower risk of reintervention than men (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.58-1.08); however, neither effect reached statistical significance within each subgroup. In addition, we found that the risk of reintervention for women vs men varied by clinical presentation, where women were less likely to undergo reintervention after an elective or symptomatic AAA repair but were more likely to undergo reintervention after a repair for AAA rupture (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.05-2.75).

CONCLUSIONS

Male and female patients who underwent AAA repair had similar rates of reintervention and late aneurysm rupture in the 10 years after their procedure. However, our findings suggest that repair type and clinical presentation may affect the role of sex in clinical outcomes and warrant further exploration in these subgroups.

Pre-operative predictors of mortality in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: is the Harborview Medical Center mortality risk score enough?

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the reliability of the Harborview Medical Center (HMC) mortality risk scoring system in predicting post-operative in-hospital mortality after open repair (OR) of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) and to inves-tigate the presence of other possible mortality risk factors.

METHODS

Patients who underwent OR for rAAA between January 01, 2004, and December 31, 2021, were retrospectively included in this single-center cohort study. The 30-day hospital mortality risk was calculated using the HMC risk scoring system. We as-sessed the relationship between mortality and other perioperative variables. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors affecting mortality. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was utilized to obtain the predictive value of the HMC mortality risk score.

RESULTS

A total of 91 patients were included in this study. A statistically significant difference existed between the patients who survived and those who died. Univariate logistic regression analysis of the pre-operative patient data revealed that the hematocrit, lactate, shock index values, admission type, loss of consciousness, and HMC risk score significantly affected post-operative mortal-ity. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the HMC risk score was associated with post-operative mortality (P<0.001). The HMC risk score could predict 30-day mortality, with an AUC of 0.912 for all patients.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that the HMC risk score could reliably predict in-hospital mortality, but it did not reveal any other parameters that further increased the reliability of this scoring system without compromising on its straightforward and practical calculation.

Elective Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) for the Treatment of Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms of 5.0-5.5 cm: Differences between Men and Women

BACKGROUND

There is significant debate regarding the existence of sex-related differences in the presentation, treatment, and outcomes of men versus women affected by abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The purpose of this study is to compare endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of infrarenal AAAs with the current sex-neutral 5.0-5.5 cm-diameter threshold for intervention between the two sexes.

METHODS

Retrospective review of consecutive cases from a single teaching institution over a period of five years of patients who had undergone elective EVAR for AAAs between 5.0 and 5.5 cm in diameter. Outcomes of interest were compared according to sex.

RESULTS

Ninety-four patients were included in the analysis, with a higher prevalence of men (53%). Females were older at the time of repair, 78 ± 5.1 years, versus 71.7 ± 7 years (p < 0.01), and had higher incidence of underlying comorbidities, namely, arrhythmia, chronic kidney disease, and previous carotid revascularization. Women had higher incidence of immediate systemic complications (p = 0.021), post-operative AMI (p = 0.001), arrhythmia (p = 0.006), pulmonary oedema (p < 0.001), and persistent renal dysfunction (p = 0.029). Multivariate analysis for post-operative factors associated to mortality and adjusted for sex confirmed that AMI (p = 0.015), arrhythmia (p = 0.049), pulmonary oedema (p = 0.015), persistent renal dysfunction (p < 0.001), cerebral ischemia (p < 0.001), arterial embolism of lower limbs (p < 0.001), and deep-vein thrombosis of lower limbs (p < 0.001) were associated to higher EVAR-related mortality; a higher incidence of post-operative AMI (p = 0.014), pulmonary edema (p = 0.034), and arterial embolism of lower limbs (p = 0.046) were associated to higher 30-days mortality. In females there was also a higher rate of suprarenal fixation (p = 0.026), insertion outside the instruction for use (p = 0.035), and a more hostile neck anatomy with different proximal aortic diameter (p < 0.001) and angle (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

A similar threshold of size of AAA for elective surgery for both males and females might not be appropriate for surgical intervention, as females tend to have worse outcomes. Further population-based studies are needed to guide on sex-related differences and intervention on AAA.

Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease Increases Risk of Perioperative Following Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

BACKGROUND

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with worse survival following abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. However, little is known about the impact of PAD and sex on outcomes following open infrarenal AAA repair (OAR).

METHODS

All elective open infrarenal AAA cases were queried from the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative from 2003 to 2022. PAD was defined as history of non-cardiac arterial bypass, non-coronary percutaneous vascular intervention (PVI), or non-traumatic major amputation. Cohorts were stratified by sex and history of PAD. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox Proportional Hazards models were constructed to assess the primary endpoints: 30-day and five-year mortality, respectively.

RESULTS

Of 4,910 patients who underwent elective OAR, 3,421 (69.7%) were men without PAD, 298 (6.1%) were men with PAD, 1,098 (22.4%) were women without PAD, and 93 (1.9%) were women with PAD. Men with PAD had prior bypass (45%), PVI (62%), and amputation (6.7%). Women with PAD had prior bypass (32%), PVI (76%), and amputation (5.4%). Thirty-day mortality was significantly higher in men with PAD compared to men without PAD (4.4% vs 1.7%, p=0.001) and in women with PAD compared to women without PAD (7.5% vs 2.4%, p=0.01). After risk adjustment, when compared to men without PAD, women with PAD had nearly four-times the odds of 30-day mortality (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.55-9.64, p=0.004) and men with PAD had almost three-times the odds of 30-day mortality (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.42 - 5.40, p=0.003). Five-year survival was 87.8% in men without PAD, 77.8% in men with PAD, 85% in women without PAD and 76.2% in women with PAD, p<0.001. After risk adjustment, only men with PAD had an increased hazard of death at 5 years (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.07-2.17, p=0.019) compared to men without PAD.

CONCLUSION

PAD is a potent risk factor for increased perioperative mortality in both men and women following OAR. In women, this equates to nearly four times the odds of perioperative mortality compared to men without PAD. Future study evaluating risk/benefit is needed to determine if women with PAD reflect a high-risk cohort that may benefit from a more conservative OAR threshold for treatment.

Gender Differences in Aortic Anatomic Severity Grade and Long-Term Survival Following Elective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair at a Single Tertiary Center

BACKGROUND

Anatomic severity grade (ASG) score is utilized to assess preoperative abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and provide a quantitative data on its anatomic complexity. The aim of this study is to determine the anatomical differences and long-term survival between male and female patients undergoing elective AAA repair.

METHODS

All patients undergoing intact AAA repair from 2007 to 2014 were included. ASG scores were calculated based on preoperative anatomical characteristics including aortic neck, aneurysm, and iliac artery. Standard univariate analysis was used to evaluate patient and anatomical characteristics. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to evaluate long-term survival at 1 and 5 years.

RESULTS

A total of 379 patients were identified, of which, majority of them were males (80%). Females were on average 3 years older (mean [SD]: 74.32 [8.63] vs. 71.92 [8.64] years) and were more likely to undergo open repair (29.7% vs. 17.5%) (both P < 0.05). Both groups had similar comorbidities. The mean long-term follow-up (S.D.) was 6.21 (3.81) years. No significant difference was seen between males versus females in long-term survival at both 1 year (86.3% vs. 92.8, P = 0.06) and 5 year (68.5% vs. 72.7%, P = 0.38). In regard to the anatomical characteristics, females had shorter aortic neck length (mean in mm [S.D.]: 17.67 [1.41] vs. 27.20 [15.76]), increased tortuosity index [mean (S.D.): 1.11 (0.07) vs. 1.09 (0.07)]) and higher calcification [mean % (S.D.): 17.12 (21.17) vs. 10.59 (16.82)] (All P < 0.05). In contrast, males had larger aortic neck (mean in mm (S.D.): 23.81 (4.17) vs. 22.41 (4.16)] and iliac artery [mean in mm (S.D.): 7.70 (1.91) vs. 6.28 (1.67)] diameter (both P < 0.05). The mean total ASG score was significantly higher among females versus males [mean (S.D.): 17.23 (4.01) vs. 15.67 (3.96), P = 0.003]. After stratifying by ASG score ≥15, females had significantly lower survival at 1 year compared to males (82.6% vs. 92.1%, P = 0.04). However, this difference disappeared at 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The data demonstrate that females present at an older age with more complex AAA anatomy than males. Based on anatomical complexities, females were more likely to undergo open repair, with a corresponding increase in 1-year mortality, but not at 5 year. The data suggest that care processes for optimization of aortic surgery in females are needed to improve 1-year survival.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (Etiology, Epidemiology, and Natural History)

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a potentially lethal condition that is decreasing in frequency as tobacco use declines. The exact etiology remains unknown, but smoking and other perturbations seem to trigger an inflammatory state in the tunica media. Male sex and advanced age are clear demographic risk factors for the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The natural history of this disease varies, but screening remains vital as it is rarely diagnosed on physical examination, and elective repair (most commonly done endovascularly) offers significant morbidity and mortality advantages over emergent intervention for aortic rupture.

A novel effect of PDLIM5 in α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor upregulation and surface expression

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are widespread throughout the central nervous system. Signaling through nAChRs contributes to numerous higher-order functions, including memory and cognition, as well as abnormalities such as nicotine addiction and neurodegenerative disorders. Although recent studies indicate that the PDZ-containing proteins comprising PSD-95 family co-localize with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and mediate downstream signaling in the neurons, the mechanisms by which α7nAChRs are regulated remain unclear. Here, we show that the PDZ-LIM domain family protein PDLIM5 binds to α7nAChRs and plays a role in nicotine-induced α7nAChRs upregulation and surface expression. We find that chronic exposure to 1 μM nicotine upregulated α7, β2-contained nAChRs and PDLIM5 in cultured hippocampal neurons, and the upregulation of α7nAChRs and PDLIM5 is increased more on the cell membrane than the cytoplasm. Interestingly, in primary hippocampal neurons, α7nAChRs and β2nAChRs display distinct patterns of expression, with α7nAChRs colocalized more with PDLIM5. Furthermore, PDLIM5 interacts with α7nAChRs, but not β2nAChRs in native brain neurons. Knocking down of PDLIM5 in SH-SY5Y abolishes nicotine-induced upregulation of α7nAChRs. In primary hippocampal neurons, using shRNA against PDLIM5 decreased both surface clustering of α7nAChRs and α7nAChRs-mediated currents. Proteomics analysis and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) results show that PDLIM5 interacts with α7nAChRs through the PDZ domain, and the interaction between PDLIM5 and α7nAChRs can be promoted by nicotine. Collectively, our data suggest a novel cellular role of PDLIM5 in the regulation of α7nAChRs, which may be relevant to plastic changes in the nervous system.

Sex-Based Disparities in Outcomes With Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Although abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are more common in men, women with AAA have increased morbidity and mortality. Additionally, there are discrepancies among professional society guidelines for AAA screening in women. In this retrospective study from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2003 to 2014, we compared rates of AAA repair (rupture and elective) and AAA-related mortality in men vs. women to identify predictors of death among men and women with AAA. We divided the population into 1) AAA rupture 2) elective AAA repair. The main outcomes included temporal trends in AAA rupture, rupture-related death, AAA repair, in-hospital death, and predictors of AAA-related death. There were 570,253 discharge records for AAA admissions between 2003 and 2014, including 22.8% women and 77.2% men. Women had a higher proportion of rupture (18.4% vs 12.6%, p <0.01). A smaller proportion of women underwent endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) compared with men in the ruptured AAA (13.9% vs. 20.3%, p <0.01) and elective repair (55.7% vs. 67.4%, p <0.01) cohorts. Within the ruptured cohort, a higher proportion of women did not receive repair (46.4% vs. 26.1%, p <0.01). On multivariable analysis, female gender was a significant predictor of death with rupture (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.66) and elective repair (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.36 to 2.22), with both elective EVAR (OR 2.52, 95% CI 2.06 to 3.09) and elective open aortic repair (OAR; OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.33 to 1.68). Propensity score matching confirmed a higher risk of death in women in both the rupture (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.30) and elective repair (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.35 to 1.67) cohorts. In conclusion, AAA poses significant morbidity and mortality, especially in women. Women were more likely to die before repair with AAA rupture and female gender was an independent predictor of mortality in both the rupture and elective repair groups.

Gender-Based Differences in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture: A Retrospective Study

Background

Annually, 5% of sudden deaths are due to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture. There is evidence suggesting that AAA ruptures have worse outcomes in females than males and the aneurysms rupture at a smaller size in females than in males. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends a one-time ultrasound screening for males aged 65 - 75 years who ever smoked. There is insufficient evidence to screen females aged 65 - 75 years who ever smoked though there is evidence suggesting that AAAs rupture at a smaller size and have worse outcomes in females. The objective of this study is to compare the characteristics, mortality and morbidity of ruptured AAAs in females and males.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of 117 patients from two teaching institutions over a period of 6 years. A total of 39 parameters were compared between males and females including demographic variables, comorbidities like hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases; previous history of AAA; medications, characteristics of aneurysm, type of surgery and its outcome; postoperative complications and long-term survival.

Results

The overall incidence of AAA rupture was higher in males (68%) than in females (32%). Females die from AAA rupture at a later age. There was a significant difference in the size of AAA rupture between females (mean = 7.4 cm, standard deviation (SD) = 2.0) and males (mean = 8.2 cm, SD = 1.8; P = 0.04). The probability to undergo surgery for ruptured AAA was significantly lower for females as compared to males (P = 0.03). Females had higher overall mortality (P = 0.001), postoperative mortality (P = 0.02), higher length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, incidence of postoperative complications, use of vasopressors and use of ventilator.

Conclusions

Using a similar threshold of size of AAA for elective surgery for both males and females might not be appropriate. Further population-based studies are needed to warrant AAA screening for high-risk females owing to the higher morbidity and mortality.

Sex Differences in Management and Outcomes of Critical Limb Ischemia in the Medicare Population

BACKGROUND

Evidence about sex differences in management and outcomes of critical limb ischemia (CLI) is conflicting.

METHODS

We identified Fee-For-Service Medicare patients within the 5% enhanced sample file who were diagnosed with new incident CLI between 2015 and 2017. For each beneficiary, we identified all hospital admissions, outpatient encounters and procedures, and pharmacy prescriptions. Outcomes included 90-day mortality and major amputation.

RESULTS

Incidence of CLI declined from 2.80 (95% CI, 2.72-2.88) to 2.47 (95% CI, 2.40-2.54) per 1000 person from 2015 to 2017, P<0.01. Incidence was lower in women compared with men (2.19 versus 3.11 per 1000) but declined in both groups. Women had a lower prevalence of prescription of any statin (48.4% versus 52.9%, P<0.001) or high-intensity statins (15.3% versus 19.8%, P<0.01) compared with men. Overall, 90-day revascularization rate was 52%, and women were less likely to undergo revascularization (50.1% versus 53.6%, P<0.01) compared with men. Women had a similar unadjusted (9.9% versus 10.3%, P=0.5) and adjusted 90-day mortality (adjusted rate ratio, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.85-1.12], P=0.7) compared with men. Over the study period, unadjusted 90-day mortality remained unchanged for men (10.4% in 2015 to 9.9% in 2017, Pfor trend=0.3), and women (9.5% in 2015 to 10.6% in 2017, Pfor trend=0.2). Men had higher unadjusted (12.9% versus 8.9%, P<0.001) and adjusted risk of 90-day major amputation (adjusted rate ratio, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.14-1.48], P<0.001). One-third of patients with CLI underwent major amputation without a diagnostic angiogram or trial of revascularization in the preceding 90 days regardless of the sex.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with new incident CLI are less likely to receive statin or undergo revascularization at 90 days compared with men. However, the differences were small. There was no difference in risk of 90-day mortality between both sexes. Graphic Abstract: A graphic abstract is available for this article.

Palliative Care in Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm in the United States: A Retrospective Analysis of Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database

We assessed the trend of palliative care (PC) referrals and its effect on hospitalization cost and length of stay (LOS) in ruptured aortic aneurysm (rAA). The Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2014 was used to identify admissions with age ≥50 and rAA. A total of 54 134 rAA admissions were identified and 5019 (9.3%) had PC referrals. During the study period, PC referral rate increased from 0.97% to 15.3% ( P trend < .0001). Length of stay (1.7 vs 2.8 days, adjusted mean ratio [aMR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58-0.66), and cost (US$7778 vs US$13 575, aMR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.52-0.63) were significantly lower in rAA admissions that did not undergo interventions. In the percutaneous repair group, LOS was similar but the cost was higher (US$61 759 vs US$52 260, aMR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05-1.30), whereas in surgical repair group, LOS was shorter (4.6 vs 5.9 days, aMR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.73-0.82) but the cost was higher (US$59 755 vs US$52 523, aMR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02-1.28). Palliative care could shorten LOS and save hospitalization cost in rAA admissions not a candidate for repair. Further studies are required to investigate the variable effects of PC on rAA.