Gender Differences in Amputation Rates Studied

January 18, 2010—Study results presented by Tejas Shah, MD, at the 22nd Annual International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET) suggest that women who are at risk of lower leg amputation have better outcomes than men when they undergo endovascular treatment to open the blocked arteries. The study showed that 2 years after undergoing endovascular treatment—including angioplasty, stenting, and atherectomy—88% of women versus 83% of men avoided amputation.

“This study is the first to compare the outcomes of men and women being treated for blocked lower leg arteries with endovascular therapy,” commented Dr. Shah. “The results suggest that endovascular therapy should be strongly considered in women with blocked arteries below the knee.”

Dr. Shah reported that the retrospective study involved a review of all such procedures that took place at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City between July 1999 and November 2009 and included 152 men and 125 women. In the study, 104 men and 102 women had angioplasty alone, 29 men and 20 women had angioplasty and stenting, and 48 men and 26 women had atherectomy. Some patients had more than one blockage treated. There was no difference in results between the various forms of endovascular therapy.

After 2 years, 46% of treated leg arteries in women remained open compared to 30% in men. However, women experienced higher rates of blood clots forming at the access site of the treatment; 9% of women versus 0.6% of men experienced clotting.