Medical care
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Lower extremity nontraumatic amputation among veterans with peripheral arterial disease: is race an independent factor?
To determine if race/ethnicity is independently associated with an increased risk for nontraumatic lower extremity amputation versus lower extremity bypass revascularization among patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). ⋯ Hispanic race and black race were independent risk factors for lower extremity amputation in patients with PAD. Although the burden of certain atherosclerotic risk factors (eg, diabetes and hypertension) is higher in minority patients, the impact of this burden does not account for the increased risk for the outcome of lower extremity amputation in these two populations. Further research is needed to better understand the reason(s) why race/ethnicity is independently associated with poor outcomes in PAD.