Long-Term Outcome of Lower Extremity Bypass Surgery in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Critical Limb Ischemia in Germany

Abstract

The aim of this study is to present short- and long-term outcomes after lower extremity bypass (LEB) surgery in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), differentiated by peripheral artery disease (PAD) Fontaine stage III and IV. Methods: Retrospective analysis of anonymized data from a nationwide German health insurance company (AOK). Data from 22,633 patients (14,523 men) who underwent LEB from 2010 to 2015, were analyzed, presenting 18,271 with CKD stage 1/2, 2,483 patients with CKD stage 3 and 1,879 with CKD stage 4/5. Results: Perioperative mortality (60-day mortality) was 7.2% for CKD stage 1/2, 12.4% for CKD stage 3, and 18.0% for CKD stage 4/5. Patients with PAD stage IV had a significantly higher perioperative mortality (43.2%) than patients with PAD stage III (22.7%). The perioperative major amputation rate depended significantly on PAD stage IV (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.57 CI: 2.16 – 3.05, p < .001), the LEB level below the knee and crural/pedal (OR: 2.49 CI: 2.14 – 2.90, p < .001), CKD stage 4/5 (OR: 1.28, CI: 1.06 – 1.54, p = .009), and the presence of diabetes mellitus type 2 (OR: 1.19, CI: 1.05 – 1.36, p = .007). Kaplan-Meier estimated long-term survival of up to 9 years after surgery was 31.7% for patients with CKD stage 1 and 2, 14.3% for CKD stage 3, and only 10.1% for CKD stage 4 and 5 (p < .001). PAD Fontaine stage IV vs. III (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.64, CI: 1.56 – 1.71, p < .001), but not bypass level had an independent adverse influence on long-term survival. Conclusion: CKD and PAD stage were equally significant independent predictors of patient survival and MACE with higher PAD and CKD stages associated with less favorable long-term outcomes.