Long-term outcomes of patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing percutaneous intervention for popliteal and infrapopliteal peripheral arterial disease.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of diabetes mellitus (DM) with clinical and angiographic characteristics and outcomes of patients with popliteal and infrapopliteal peripheral arterial disease (PAD) undergoing peripheral vascular intervention (PVI).

BACKGROUND: Clinical features and outcomes in patients with DM and popliteal or infrapopliteal PAD undergoing PVI are not well described.

METHODS: Using the data from the laser in popliteal and infrapopliteal stenosis study, we retrospectively examined the association of diabetes with clinical and angiographic characteristics and risk adjusted short- and intermediate term outcomes (all cause death, major adverse events (MAE) [composite of death, ipsilateral major amputation, or repeat revascularization]) in patients with popliteal and infrapopliteal PAD undergoing PVI for critical limb ischemia treated either with laser-assisted balloon angioplasty or balloon angioplasty alone.

RESULTS: Of 714 patients, 418 had DM (58.5%). Patients with DM were younger with higher prevalence of history of coronary artery disease, heart failure, end-stage renal disease, and prior contralateral limb amputation compared to those without DM. At 5 years, mean event free survival for all cause mortality (39.9 vs. 45.5 months; P = 0.001), MAE (29.3 vs. 36.8 months; P < 0.001), ipsilateral major amputation (55.3 vs. 57.4 months; P = 0.001), and repeat revascularization (42.0 vs. 45.8 months; P = 0.03) were significantly lower in DM patients. On multivariate analysis, DM was associated with significantly higher all cause mortality (HR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.33-2.52), MAE (HR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.35-2.23), and ipsilateral major amputation (HR = 5.52, 95% CI 1.82-16.71).

CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with popliteal and infrapopliteal PAD undergoing PVI, DM was associated with higher mortality, major amputations and MAE that was independent of baseline comorbidities. Our data suggested the need for future studies evaluating existing and/or novel therapies to improve the poor long-term outcomes in diabetic patients with popliteal and infrapopliteal PAD.