Background
In appropriately selected patients with severe carotid stenosis, carotid revascularization reduces ischemic stroke. Prior clinical research has focused on the efficacy and safety of carotid revascularization, but few investigators have considered readmission as a clinically important outcome.
Objectives
To examine frequency, timing, and diagnoses of 30-day readmission following carotid revascularization; to assess differences in 30-day readmission between patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS); to describe hospital variation in risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRR); and to examine whether hospital variation in procedural choice (CEA vs. CAS) was associated with differences in RSRRs.
Methods
We used Medicare fee-for-service administrative claims data to identify acute care hospitalizations for CEA and CAS from 2009–2011. We calculated crude 30-day all-cause hospital readmissions following carotid revascularization. To assess differences in readmission after CAS compared with CEA, we used Kaplan-Meier survival curves and fitted mixed-effect logistic regression. We estimated hospital RSRRs using hierarchical generalized logistic regression. We stratified hospitals into 5 groups by their proportional CAS use and compared hospital group median RSRRs.
Results
Of 180,059 revascularizations from 2,287 hospitals, CEA and CAS were performed in 81.5% and 18.5% of cases, respectively. The unadjusted 30-day readmission rate following carotid revascularization was 9.6%. Readmission risk after CAS was higher than after CEA. There was modest hospital-level variation in 30-day RSRRs (Median: 9.5%, Range: 7.5%–12.5%). Variation in proportional use of CAS was not associated with differences in hospital RSRR (range of median RSRR across hospital quartiles: 9.49%–9.55%, P 0.771).
Conclusions
Almost 10% of Medicare patients undergoing carotid revascularization were readmitted within 30-days of discharge. Compared with CEA, CAS was associated with higher readmission risk. However, hospitals’ RSRR did not differ by their proportional CAS use.
Extracranial carotid artery stenosis accounts for up to 12 % of stroke, the third leading cause of death in industrialized nations. Carotid stenoses leading to transient or permanent neurologic or retinal symptoms within the preceding 6 months are deemed symptomatic and require prompt noninvasive evaluation and treatment. Preventive medical therapy is standard for symptomatic carotid stenosis and continues to evolve. Landmark trials have proven carotid endarterectomy (CEA) superior to medical therapy for stroke prevention in symptomatic lesions. Modern investigations have proven carotid artery stenting (CAS) non-inferior to CEA, and the strength of the combined data has led to a class I recommendation for CEA or CAS in patients with high grade symptomatic carotid stenosis, provided the risk of perioperative events is acceptable. Evidence-based modern management of symptomatic carotid stenosis is reviewed here.
CAS represents a safe and effective stroke prevention strategy in high surgical risk patients when compared with CEA. The inconsistent results from the RCTs and the improved outcomes in the prospective clinical trials are likely related to variability in operator experience, use of embolic protection devices, and patient selection strategies.
The endovascular management of obstructive disease of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) is challenging due to unique anatomical and biomechanical forces. Obstructive lesions of the SFA make up the largest proportion of lesions leading to symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. Accordingly, endovascular treatment of SFA disease is becoming increasingly common and, in many cases, is the preferred initial therapy. The use of self-expanding nitinol stents have proven superior to percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty in the treatment of intermediate length SFA stenosis. However, achieving durable results, as well as attaining adequate therapy for long occlusions typically seen in clinical practice, remains problematic. Newer technologies, such as paclitaxel eluting stents, seem promising in improving outcomes.
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