Abstract
Introduction
Diabetes (DM) is the leading cause of induction of hemodialysis (HD), and both are major prognostic factors in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, the prognostic importance of baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in PAD patients with and without HD is yet to be elucidated.
Purpose
We hypothesized that baseline HbA1c levels had different prognostic impacts after endovascular therapy (EVT) in between PAD patients with and those without regular HD.
Methods
This observational study included 643 consecutive patients who received EVT between 2013 and 2017. Each of 313 HD patients and 330 Non-HD patients was respectively divided into 2 groups by the comorbidity of diabetes, and DM patients were further divided into 3 subgroups depending on HbA1c level at the time of EVT; DM-Low (HbA1c: <6.0%), DM-Mid (6.1–7.0%), and DM-High (>7.1%) groups. The primary endpoint of this study was major amputation-free survival (AFS).
Results
HD group included significantly more patients presenting critical limb ischemia than Non-HD group (46.6% vs. 30.0%, p<0.001). During the observation period after EVT, there were 81 events (25.9%), including 55 death and 26 major amputations in HD group, and 45 events (13.6%), including 30 death and 15 major amputations in Non-HD group. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that DM patients had a significantly higher AFS rate in HD group (Log-rank: p=0.003, Figure A). In contrast, in Non-HD group, there was no statistical difference in AFS between DM and Non-DM patients (p=0.36). In Cox regression analysis in HD group, the higher HbA1c-DM group showed the higher hazard ratio (HR) for AFS (p=0.039, Figure B), and DM patients with HbA1c >6.0% had significantly higher HR than Non-DM patients. Whereas, in Non-HD group, HbA1c-DM class adversely associated with HR for AFS (p=0.003), even any classes did not reach statistical differences from Non-DM patients.
Figure 1
Conclusions
Comorbidity of diabetes at the time of EVT worsened long-term prognosis in PAD patients receiving regular HD, but not in those without HD. Additionally, baseline HbA1c levels oppositely affected prognosis in PAD patients with and without HD.
Peripheral artery disease in the lower limbs: The importance of secondary risk prevention for improved long-term prognosis
