Modifiable patient factors are associated with reverse vein graft occlusion in the era of duplex scan surveillance

AbstractObjective: Modifiable patient factors that contribute to graft occlusion may be addressed after surgery. To determine risk factors associated with reverse vein graft (RVG) occlusion, we examined the characteristics and duplex scan surveillance (DS) patterns of patients with RVGs. Methods: Patients treated with RVG from January 1996 through December 2000 were identified from a prospective registry. The study population consisted of all patients with RVGs performed during the study period with grafts that subsequently occluded. Patients whose grafts remained patent served as age-matched and gender-matched control subjects. The prescribed DS regimen was every 3 months for the first postoperative year and every 6 months thereafter. Early DS failure was defined as having no DS within the first 3 months. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to compare the two groups. Hazard ratios were calculated. Results: During the study period, 674 patients underwent RVG. Fifty-five patients with occluded RVGs were compared with 118 with patent RVGs. The follow-up period for occluded grafts was 13.40 ± 12.59 months and for patent grafts was 32.40 ± 15.61 months. Dialysis therapy, a known hypercoagulable state, continued smoking, and DS failure were independent factors associated with RVG occlusion. The hazards ratio for dialysis was 6.45 (95% CI, 3.07 to 13.51; P <.001), for current smoking was 4.72 (95% CI, 2.5 to 8.85; P <.001), for hypercoagulable state was 2.99 (95% CI, 1.47 to 6.10; P =.003), and for early DS failure was 2.43 (95% CI, 1.29 to 4.59; P =.006). Conclusion: Continued smoking and failure to undergo DS within the first three postoperative months are modifiable factors associated with RVG occlusion. Smoking cessation and graft surveillance must be stressed to optimize patency of infrainguinal RVGs. (J Vasc Surg 2003;37:47-53.