Gender differences in health status and adverse outcomes among patients with peripheral arterial disease

Few studies have examined gender differences in health status and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). This study assessed (1) self-reported health status at PAD diagnosis and 12-months later, and explored (2) whether outcomes in women with PAD differ with regard to long-term major adverse events.

A total of 816 patients (285 women) with PAD were enrolled from 2 vascular clinics in the Netherlands. Baseline clinical data and subsequent adverse events were recorded and patients completed the Short Form-12 (SF-12, Physical Component Score [PCS] and Mental Component Score [MCS]) upon PAD diagnosis and 12-months later. Women had similar ages and clinical characteristics, but poorer socio-economic status and more depressive symptoms at initial diagnosis, as compared with men. Women also had poorer physical (PCS: 37±10 versus 40±10, P=0.004) and mental (

47±12 versus 49±11, P=0.005) health status at the time of presentation. At 12-months, women still reported a poorer overall PCS score (41±12 versus 46±11, P=0.006) and MCS score (42±14 versus 49±12, P=0.002). Female gender was an independent determinant of a poorer baseline and 12-month PCS and MCS scores. However, there were no significant differences by gender on either mortality (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR]=0.93, 95% CI 0.60;1.44, P=0.74) or major adverse events (unadjusted HR=0.90, 95% CI 0.63;1.29, P=0.57), after a median follow-up of 3.2 years.

Women's physical and mental health status is compromised both at initial PAD diagnosis and at 12-month follow-up, despite experiencing a similar magnitude of change in their health scores throughout the first 12-months after diagnosis.