2019 JAPAN Critical Limb Ischemia Database (JCLIMB) Annual Report

Since 2013, the Japanese Society for Vascular Surgery has started the project of nationwide registration and tracking database for patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) who are treated by vascular surgeons. The objective of this project is to elucidate the current status of the medical practice for CLI patients to contribute to the improvement of the quality of medical care. This database, called JAPAN Critical Limb Ischemia Database (JCLIMB), is created on the National Clinical Database (NCD) and collects data of patients’ background, therapeutic measures, early results, and long-term prognosis as long as 5 years after the initial treatment. The limbs managed conservatively are also registered in JCLIMB, together with those treated with surgery and/or endovascular treatment (EVT). In 2019, 1070 CLI limbs (male: 725 limbs, 68%) were registered by 83 facilities. Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) accounted for 98% of the pathogenesis of these limbs. In this manuscript, the background data and the early prognosis of the registered limbs are reported. Although the registration format for the simultaneous surgery of bilateral limbs in NCD was changed to one patient and two limbs, JCLIMB still counted two patients and two limbs to eliminate discrepancy with the past annual reports. (This is a translation of Jpn J Vasc Surg 2022; 31: 157–185.)