Angiologia e Cirurgia Vascular (Mar 2024)
Characteristics of lower-limb peripheral arterial disease in women
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) affects more than 200 million people. Its estimated prevalence in women ranges from 3% to 29%. Asymptomatic PAD is more common in women than in men. However, when symptomatic, females present a more complex disease, severe critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), and worse outcomes. This study aims to characterize PAD in hospitalized women, evaluating risk factors, clinical presentation, therapeutic strategies, and outcomes. METHODS: An observational, retrospective, longitudinal study of a single institution was conducted. The study included consecutive patients admitted with a clinical diagnosis of PAD (intermittent claudication or CLTI), confirmed by the ankle-brachial index (ABI), between January 2018 and December 2019. Recorded data comprised: clinical presentation, comorbidities, chronic medication, length of stay, type of admission, type of treatment (medical; surgical revascularization; endovascular treatment; major amputation; minor amputation), outcomes: discharge destination, successful revascularization, 30-day mortality, and amputation-free survival. RESULTS: We analyzed 158 patients (51 females). Women had a higher mean age (76.5±10.4 years vs 69.5±10.6 years; p0.99). Regarding 30-day mortality for CLTI, we found that 6 women (12.0%) and 5 men (5.3%) died. No statistically significant differences were found (p=0.191). No significant differences were found between genders, concerning the outcomes: length of stay, discharge destination, and amputation-free survival. CONCLUSION: Females were older, more dependent, and more frequently admitted with CLTI, with a consequently higher major amputation rate. Besides prompt diagnosis, and intervention, public and social health measures are needed to improve functional status in elderly women to reduce female amputation rates.
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