Demographic Traits, Clinical Status, and Comorbidities of Patients With Thromboangiitis Obliterans in Japan

Abstract

Japan (published in 1993 20 and 2009 18 ). Moreover, several studies report limb loss outcomes, but little is known about the patients' clinical and living conditions. 19,21 The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (JMHLW) holds an official nationwide database of patients with TAO to survey this disease. For registered patients, JMHLW covers part of the medical expenses. Using this database, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of the demographic parameters, clinical status, and living conditions of contemporary patients with TAO in Japan. Methods Study Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by T hromboangiitis obliterans (TAO, Buerger's disease) is an inflammatory segmental thrombotic condition of medium-and small-sized arteries and veins in the distal extremities. It is a rare but intractable disease and mainly affects young smokers. 1-5 Although the use of tobacco products is considered the most significant risk factor for the initiation and progression of TAO, 6-11 its exact pathogenesis is obscure, and currently there are no curative treatments. 7,9,12-17 Furthermore, arterial revascularization is often challenging due to the small diameter and poor runoff of the vessels. Hence, many patients suffer from lifelong extremity ischemia and occasionally amputation of digits or limbs. Recent reports have shown that patients with TAO have a long life expectancy, 2,10,11,18,19 but demographic information is limited, 4,5 including from