This study investigates whether ethnic minorities presenting with critical limb ischemia (CLI) are more likely to undergo major limb amputation compared to white patients. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to identify all patients admitted with CLI; lower extremity revascularization; and major lower extremity amputation from 1998 to 2005. The NIS identified 240 139 patients presenting with CLI--68.2% white, 19.5% black, 9.0% Hispanic, and 1.24% Asian. In all, 83 328 patients underwent revascularization--73.7% white, 15.9% black, 7.4% Hispanic, and 1.1% Asian. The majority of the interventions were open. In all, 111 548 patients underwent a major lower extremity amputation--61% white, 25.4% black, 10.1% Hispanic, and 1.1% Asian. The mean Charlson comorbidity scores for amputation were 2.1 for whites, 2.0 for blacks, 2.3 for Hispanics, and 2.5 for Asians (for all data, P < .05). Blacks make up a disproportionately higher proportion of patients admitted for CLI and undergoing amputation, with a lower proportion undergoing revascularization.
Keywords: amputation; comorbidities; limb ischemia; racial disparity; revascularization.