Scope of our work

The scope of the Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group is broad, and includes prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for all diseases of the arteries and veins, but excludes the heart (remit of the Heart Group), carotid vessels (remit of the Stroke Group), venous ulcers (remit of the Wounds Group) and peripheral vascular diseases in wholly diabetic populations (remit of the Metabolic & Endocrine Disorders Group). Predominantly, evidence from randomised trials is used for reviewing health care interventions. Outcomes of importance to both clinicians and patients are included in the reviews. Guidelines on outcome measures have been developed within the Group following wide consultation.

(T): Title   (P): Protocol   (R): Review
  
Acute limb ischemia
Fibrinolytic agents for acute arterial occlusion  (P)
Infusion techniques for peripheral arterial thrombolysis  (R)
Surgery versus thrombolysis for acute limb ischaemia: initial management  (R) 

Amputation
Type of skin incision for below knee amputation  (R)
Prosthetic rehabilitation for older dysvascular people following a unilateral transfemoral amputation (R)

Aortic dissection
Endovascular stenting versus conventional treatment for type B aortic dissection (P)
Stent placement versus surgery for coarctation of the aorta (T)

Aneurysms
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm  (P)
Endovascular treatment for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (R)
Endovascular repair versus open repair for inflammatory aneurysms (T)
General versus loco-regional anaesthesia for endovascular aneurysm repair (P)
Graft materials for open abdominal aortic repair (P)
Interventions for preventing deep vein thrombosis following abdominal aortic surgery (R)
Intravenous fluids for abdominal aortic surgery  (R)
Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm  (R)
Stent graft type for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic surgery (T)
Surgery for small asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms  (R)

Femoral aneurysm
Surgery versus non-surgical treatment for femoral pseudoaneursyms (R)

Thoracic aortic aneurysm
Cerebrospinal fluid drainage for thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery  (R)
Stent graft type for endovascular repair of thoracic aortic surgery (T)
Thoracic stent graft versus surgery for thoracic aneurysm (R)
Thoracic stent graft versus surgery for traumatic thoracic aneurysm (P)

Arterio-venous fistulae
Autologous versus prosthetic arteriovenous fistulae for vascular access (P)
Medical adjuvant treatment to increase patency of arteriovenous fistulae and grafts (R)

Bypass surgery
Endovascular assisted in situ vein bypass versus conventional in situ vein bypass for peripheral artery bypass surgery (T)
Graft type for femoro-popliteal bypass surgery  (R)
Interposition vein for infragenicular prosthetic bypass graft (P) 
 Prevention of infection in arterial reconstruction  (R)
Surgical versus endoscopic harvesting of veins for arterial bypass surgery (T)

Cannulization/Catherization
Clinically indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters (P)
Heparin bonded catheters for prolonging the patency of central venous catheters in children (R)
Low molecular weight heparin for prevention of central venous catherization related thrombosis in children (P)

Chronic venous insufficiency
Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency  (R)
Phlebotonics for venous insufficiency  (R)
Physical treatments for non-complicated chronic venous insufficiency (P)
Prevention of venous insufficiency in a standing workers population (P)
Surgery for deep venous incompetence  (R)
Treatment for venous insufficiency in standing workers (T)

Critical limb ischemia
Fibrinolytic agents for acute arterial occlusion (P)
Intravascular brachytherapy for peripheral vascular disease  (R)
Intravenous naftidrofuryl for critical limb ischaemia  (R) 
Prostanoids for critical limb ischaemia (P)
Spinal cord stimulation for non-reconstructable chronic critical leg ischaemia (R)
Sympathectomy for acute and chronic lower limb ischaemia  (P)

Hypertension
Balloon angioplasty versus medical therapy for hypertensive patients with renal artery obstruction (R)
Treatment of hypertension in peripheral vascular disease  (R)

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease
Angioplasty (versus non surgical management) for intermittent claudication  (R)
Angioplasty versus stenting for superficial femoral and popliteal artery occlusions (R)
Anticoagulants (heparin, low molecular weight heparin and oral anticoagulants) in the treatment of intermittent claudication  (R)
Anti-platelet agents for intermittent claudication  (P)
Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs for preention of restenosis/reocclusion following peripheral endovascular treatment (R)
Atherectomy for peripheral vascular disease (P)
Beta blockers for peripheral arterial disease (R)
Buflomedil for intermittent claudication  (R)
Bypass surgery for chronic lower limb ischaemia  (R)
Chelation therapy for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease  (R) 
Cilostazol for peripheral arterial disease  (R)
Cryoplasty for peripheral vascular disease (R)
Endoluminal stents for superficial artery occlusions in patients with lower limb peripheral artery disease (P)
Endovascular stents for intermittent claudication  (R)
Exercise for intermittent claudication (R)
Garlic for peripheral arterial occlusive disease (R)
Gene therapy for peripheral arterial disease  (P)
Ginkgo biloba for intermittent claudication (R)
Homocysteine lowering interventions for peripheral arterial disease and bypass grafts (R)
Lipid-lowering for lower limb atherosclerosis  (R)
Naftidrofuryl for intermittent claudication (R)
New methods for angiogenesis for peripheral arterial disease (T)
Omega-3 fatty acids for intermittent claudication (R)
Padma 28 for intermittent claudication (P)
Primary stenting versus angioplasty in for stenotic and occlusive lesions of the iliac artery (P)
Pentoxifylline for intermittent claudication (P)
Prostanoids for intermittent claudication   (R)
Sarpogrelate for peripheral arterial disease (P)
Steroid sex hormones for lower limb atherosclerosis  (R)
Supervised exercise therapy versus non-supervised exercise therapy for patients with intermittent
claudication (R)
Surgical bypass versus percutaneous transluminal angioplsty with or without stenting for aortoiliac occlusive disease (T)
Sympathectomy for peripheral arterial disease (P)
Vitamin E for intermittent claudication (R)

Post thrombotic syndrome
Compression therapy for stage I and II (WIDMER) post thrombotic syndrome (R)
Non-pharmaceutical measures for prevention of post thrombotic syndrome (R)
Rutosides for prevention of post-thrombotic syndrome (P)
Rutosides for treatment of post-thrombotic syndrome (P)

Thromboembolism (Prevention)
Anticoagulant prophylaxis for medical diagnostic and speciality subgroups (T)
Anticoagulants (extended duration) for prevention of venous thromboembolism following hip or knee replacement or hip fracture repair   (P)
Antithrombotics for preventing thrombosis after infrainguinal arterial bypass surgery  (R)
Antiplatelet agents for preventing thrombosis after peripheral arterial bypass surgery  (R)
Combined intermittent pneumatic leg compression and pharmacological prophylaxis for prevention of deep venous thrombosis in high risk patients (R)
Compression stockings for preventing deep vein thrombosis in airline passengers (R)
Direct factor Xa inhibitors versus low molecular weight heparins or vitamin K antagonists for prevention of venous thromboembolism in elective primary hip or knee replacement (T)
Direct thrombin inhibitors versus vitamin K antagonists or low molecular weight heparins for prevention of venous thromboembolism following total hip or knee replacement or hip repair (P)
Elastic compression stockings for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (R)
Generic warfarin versus branded warfarin for patients at risk of thromboembolic events (T)
Heparin for prevention of venous thromboembolism in general medical patients (excluding stroke and MI)  (R)
Interventions for implementation of thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized medical and surgical patients at risk of venous thromboembolism (T)
Interventions for preventing deep vein thrombosis following abdominal aortic surgery (R)
Interventions for preventing venous thromboembolism in adults undergoing knee arthroscopy (R)
Knee length versus thigh length graduated compression stockings for the prevention of deep venous thrombosis (P)
Low molecular weight heparin for prevention of venous thrombosis in patients with lower leg immobilization (R)
Pentasaccharides for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (P)
Pharmacological anticoagulation versus mechanical prophylaxis for post-operative neurosurgical patients (P)
Physiotherapeutic interventions for prevention of deep vein thrombosis in patients at risk of haemorrhage (P)
Rosuvastatin for prevention of venous thromboembolism (T)
The role of twice and three times daily heparin dosing for thromboembolism prophylaxis in the general medical population (P)
Thrombophilia testing for prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism (R)
Unfractionated heparin versus low molecular weight heparin for avoiding heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in high-risk patients (P)
Vena caval filters for the prevention of pulmonary embolism (R)

Thromboembolism (Treatment)
Anticoagulants versus non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or placebo for treatment of venous thromboembolism (R)
Duration of treatment with vitamin K antagonists in symptomatic venous thromboembolism (R)
Fixed dose subcutaneous low molecular weight heparins versus adjusted dose unfractionated heparin for venous thromboembolism  (R)
Home versus in-patient treatment for deep vein thrombosis (R)
Once versus twice daily low molecular weight heparin for the initial treatment of venous thromboembolism  (R)
Pentasaccharides for the treatment of deep venous thrombosis (T)
Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator plus heparin verus heparin alone for stable pulmonary embolism (T)
Subcutaneous unfractionated heparin for the treatment of acute venous thromboembolism (P)
Subcutaneous unfractionated heparin for the long term treatment of venous thromboembolism (T)
Subcutaneous versus intravenous unfractionated heparin for the initial treatment of venous thomboembolism (T)
Thrombolysis for acute deep vein thrombosis  (R)
Thrombolytic therapy for pulmonary embolism (R)
Thrombolytics for massive pulmonary embolism in normotensive patients with right heart strain (T)
Vitamin K antagonists or LMWH for the long term treatment of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (R)
Warfarin initiation nomograms for venous thromboembolism (P)

Thrombophlebitis
Slow versus fast subcutaneous heparin injections for prevention of bruising and site pain (T)
Treatment for superficial thrombophlebitis of the leg (R)

Ulcers
Dressings and topical agents for arterial ulcers (R)

Varicose veins
Endovenous ablation (radiofrequency and laser) and foam sclerotherapy versus conventional surgery for long saphenous vein varices (P)
Injection sclerotherapy for varicose veins (R)
Stripping of the long saphenous vein for the treatment of varicose veins (P)
Surgery for varicose veins: use of tourniquet (R)
Surgery versus sclerotherapy for the treatment of varicose veins (R)

Vascular surgery
Beta-adrenergic blockers for perioperative cardiac risk reduction in patients undergoing vascular surgery (R)
Radiological versus surgical placement for tunneled central venous lines (T)
Thoracic stent graft versus surgery for traumatic thoracic transection (T)

Vasculitis
Intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of Kawasaki disease in children (R)
Intravenous immunoglobulin as adjuvant therapy for Wegener’s granulomatosis (R)
Salicylate for the treatment of Kawasaki disease in children  (R)
Steroid hormone treatment for Kawasaki disease in children (P)

Vasospastic disorders
Alternative and complementary medicine for Raynaud’s phenomenon (T)
Calcium channel blockers for primary Raynaud’s phenomenon  (P)
Oral vasodilators for the treatment of Raynaud’s disease  (R)

Additional peripheral vascular problems including:

Reviews of Diagnostic Accuracy

Accuracy of duplex ultrasonography versuscomputed tomography for endoleak detection after endoluminal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (T)