The Comorbidity-Polypharmacy Score as a Predictive Tool of Survival and Limb Salvage in Patients Undergoing Lower Limb Revascularization Procedures for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

Background: The comorbidity-polypharmacy score (CPPS) was created to evaluate the clinical burden of comorbidities in geriatric patients. It represents an objective tool to stratify patients' risk in different settings. The study aimed to evaluate CPPS in predicting mortality and amputation in patients undergoing elective revascularization procedures in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) patients. Methods: This is a 2-year retrospective single-center study. We included all patients undergoing elective lower-limb revascularization procedures admitted with CLTI diagnosis. Four CPPS groups were defined: mild, moderate, severe, and morbid. The primary early and long-term outcomes were 30-day overall mortality, 30-day amputation rate, and overall survival and limb salvage, respectively. Results: A total of 442 patients were enrolled in the study. Mean age was 76.5 +/- 9.9 years, and 61.5% (272/442) were male. CPPS was calculated: 22.6% (100/442) have mild CPPS, 54.3% (240/442) moderate, 21.9% (97/442) severe, and 1.2% (5/442) morbid. Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival stratified by CPPS grade highlighted a strong statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001) among the 4 CPPS classes. Mild CPPS has a significantly higher limb salvage rate among moderate, severe, and morbid CPPS groups (P < 0.0001). Limb salvage for mild and severe CPPS, at 36 months was 95% vs. 85.1%, respectively. Stepwise multivariable Cox-analysis revealed that mortality was independently associated with dialysis, Rutherford Classification V, age, and CPPS. Male sex, multilevel arterial disease, and hybrid surgical repair were independently associated with amputations. Conclusions: CPPS is a straightforward tool to evaluate the patient's complexity and could be used as an adjuvant tool to stratify early- and long-term outcomes in CLTI patients undergoing elective revascularization procedures.