ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

International Angiology 2000 Dicembre;19(4):354-7

Copyright © 2001 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Weekly and seasonal variation of hospital admissions and outcome in patients with acute lower limb ischaemia treated by surgical and endovascular means

Kuukasjärvi P. ¹, Salenius J. P. ¹, Lepäntalo M. ², Luther M. ³, Ylönen K. ⁴ Finnvasc Study Group

¹ From the Department of Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere; ² Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki; ³ Department of Surgery, Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa; ⁴ Department of Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate weekly and seasonal variation of hospital admissions, major amputations and mortality in patients treated for acute leg ischaemia by surgical and endovascular procedures.
Methods. Experimental design: Retrospective study. Setting: University (5), central (16) and district (4) hospitals participating in the Finnish national vascular registry Finnvasc. Patients: 1550 patients treated for acute leg ischaemia on the basis of the registry. Interventions: Surgical or endovascular revascularisation. Measures: Day of the week of hospital admission, major amputation and death.
Results. The weekly pattern of the hospital admissions was significantly non-uniform with a Monday peak and a weekend nadir. A tendency towards more hospital admissions in the winter season was found. Patients hospitalised on Thursday or Friday tended to have a lower amputation rate compared to those hospitalised in any other day of week. The highest amputation and mortality rates were observed in the summer season.
Conclusions. Patients with acute leg ischaemia seek medical help in a non-uniform weekly and seasonal pattern with varying outcomes.