Hemodialysis patients have worse outcomes after infrageniculate revascularization procedures.

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) has been shown to be an independent predictor of poor outcomes after femoropopliteal revascularization procedures in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia. However, HD patients tend to have isolated infrageniculate disease, an anatomic risk factor for inferior patency. We aimed to compare outcomes for HD versus non-HD patients after infrageniculate open lower extremity bypass (LEB) and endovascular peripheral vascular interventions (PVIs).

Methods: Data from the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative database (2008-2014) were analyzed. All patients undergoing infrageniculate LEB or PVI for rest pain or tissue loss were included. One-year primary patency (PP), secondary patency (SP), and major amputation outcomes were analyzed for HD versus non-HD patients stratified by treatment approach using both univariable and multivariable analyses.

Results: A total of 1688 patients were included, including 348 patients undergoing LEB (HD = 44 versus non-HD = 304) and 1340 patients undergoing PVI (HD = 223 versus non-HD = 1117). Patients on HD more frequently underwent revascularization for tissue loss (89% versus 77%, P < 0.001) and had ≥2 comorbidities (91% versus 76%, P < 0.001). Among patients undergoing LEB, 1-y PP (66% versus 69%) and SP (71% versus 78%) were similar for HD versus non-HD (P ≥ 0.25) groups, but major amputations occurred more frequently in the HD group (27% versus 14%; P = 0.03). Among patients undergoing PVI, 1-y PP (70% versus 78%) and SP (82% versus 90%) were lower and the frequency of major amputations was higher (27% versus 10%) for HD patients (all, P ≤ 0.02). After correcting for baseline differences between the groups, outcomes were similar for HD versus non-HD patients undergoing LEB (P ≥ 0.21) but persistently worse for HD patients undergoing PVI (all, P ≤ 0.006).

Conclusions: HD is an independent predictor of poor patency and higher risk of major amputation after infrageniculate endovascular revascularization procedures for the treatment of chronic limb-threatening ischemia. The use of endovascular interventions in these higher risk patients is not associated with improved limb salvage outcomes and may be an inappropriate use of healthcare resources.