Endothelial function indicators in patients with critical limb ischemia compared to patients with limb claudication – one-year follow-up period after endovascular revascularisation

Abstract

Abstract Background Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the most advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease. Limb revascularization is considered the first line of treatment. Purpose The aim of the study was to compare endothelial function and clinical outcomes in CLI and non-CLI patients during a 12-month follow-up period after endovascular treatment (PTA). Methods The study was conducted as a prospective, single-centre, follow-up evaluation. The authors recruited 30 CLI and 40 non-CLI patients. The following markers of endothelial dysfunction were evaluated: flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), reactive-hyperaemia index (RHI), arterial pulse-waveform analysis (aPWA) indices and clinical markers such as ankle-brachial index, toe-brachial index and Rutherford scale. Results Better clinical improvement may be observed in patients with CLI - the mean Rutherford grade significantly decreased in the CLI group (p<0.001). These patients also have better endothelial response to revascularization – CLI patients continue to have improved RHI up to 6 months after PTA, where in non-CLI patients, improvement was only noted during the first month. The mean FMD value did not change significantly during the follow-up in either of the groups. When comparing selected intervals, the FMD values in the CLI and non-CLI groups improved during the first month of observation and then decreased between the 1st and 6th month of follow-up. Finally, in CLI patients, baseline intima-media thickness predicts the number of reinterventions and major adverse events. Conclusions Patients with CLI differ significantly from patients with claudication based on clinical response and endothelial changes after revascularization. Figure 1. A) Kaplan-Meier survival curves according to CLI and non-CLI status for all study endpoints. B) Kaplan-Meier survival curves according to CLI and non-CLI status for reinterventions. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Collegium Medicum of Jagiellonian University - internal grant