2021 JAPAN Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia Database (JCLIMB) Annual Report

Since 2013, the Japanese Society for Vascular Surgery has started the project of nationwide registration and tracking database for patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) who are treated by vascular surgeons. The purpose of this project is to clarify the current status of the medical practice for patients with CLI to contribute to the improvement of the quality of medical care. This database is created on the National Clinical Database (NCD) and collects data on patients' backgrounds, therapeutic measures, early results, and long-term prognoses as long as 5 years after the initial treatment. The name of this database was changed from the JAPAN Critical Limb Ischemia Database to the JAPAN Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia Database in 2021 because of the alteration of the definition of registered patients. The abbreviation remains JCLIMB. The limbs managed conservatively are also registered in JCLIMB, together with those treated by surgery and/or endovascular treatment (EVT). In 2021, 1338 CLTI limbs (male 916 limbs: 68%) were registered by 78 facilities. Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) has accounted for 99% of the pathogenesis of these limbs. In this manuscript, the background data and the early prognosis of the registered limbs of the ASO cohort are reported. (This is a translation of Jpn J Vasc Surg 2024; 33: 229-250.).