Gender differences in interventional management of peripheral vascular disease: evidence from a blood flow laboratory...

Recent studies of gender differences in the treatment of coronary artery disease have concluded that female patients often receive less aggressive care than male patients. This study compares rates of lower extremity surgical and endovascular procedures by gender for peripheral vascular disease patients seen in the blood flow laboratory at our institution in 1987. Revascularization rates were compared for 192 female and 218 male patients with abnormal blood flow examinations and no prior lower extremity procedures. Female patients were older (3.3 years; p < 0.02), had a lower prevalence of ankle/brachial indices greater than 0.5 (64.2% of males vs. 51.8% of females; p < 0.01), a higher prevalence of hypertension (p < 0.03), and a lower prevalence of smoking (p < 0.02). No significant baseline differences were found for the prevalence of limb salvage indications or other comorbid conditions. A total of 41 women (21.4%) and 64 men (29.4%) underwent subsequent lower extremity surgical or endovascular procedures in 1987 (p = 0.08). Men had a significantly higher procedure rate among the 311 patients without limb salvage indications (p = 0.03). When statistically significant covariates such as limb salvage, age, ankle/brachial index, comorbidity, and smoking are controlled for in logistic regression analysis, men were found to have more than twice the chance of being selected for procedures (p = 0.009). Although limited to practice patterns at one institution, these results suggest that other centers should examine criteria for interventional therapy in mild-to-moderate peripheral vascular disease.