Trends in peripheral vascular procedures in the Veterans Health Administration, 1989-1998

Objective: To assess trends in peripheral vascular procedures performed in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. Methods: All discharges with peripheral vascular procedures recorded for 1989-1998 were analyzed. The VHA user population was used to calculate age-specific rates. Trends were evaluated using frequency tables and Poisson regression. Results: The VHA had 55,916 discharges with peripheral vascular procedures performed almost exclusively in men. Indications included peripheral vascular disease (53.7%), gangrene (19.3%), surgical complications (13.3%), and ulcers and infection (9.6%). The VHA age- specific rates were higher than US population rates for persons 45 to 64 years, similar for those 65 to 74 years, and lower for those 75 years and older. The age-specific rates declined slightly over the 10 years of observation, with the greatest decline noted in men age 45 to 65. Conclusion: The VHA provides almost 8% of all US peripheral vascular procedures in males. The WA age-specific rates differ from the US rates with a shift to younger patients. The rates decreased for all age groups between 1989-1998.