Association Between Age and Survival Following Major Amputation

AbstractObjectives:to determine whether age is associated with survival following major amputation and whether this association is independent or simply reflects selection bias in amputation level.Design and materials:computer linkage of routine discharge and death data on the 2759 patients undergoing major amputation in Scotland between 1989 and 1993 for peripheral arterial disease.Methods:Cox's proportional hazards model and multivariate logistic regression analysis using death as the outcome variable and age, sex, urgency, amputation level and recent arterial reconstructive surgery as predictor variables.Results:proximal amputation was more common in older patients. Survival was associated with both age (p<0.001) and amputation level (p<0.001). Age was an independent predictor of death at 30 days (p<0.0001), 6 months (p<0.001), 12 months (p<0.0001) and 2 years (p