The impact of diabetes on the outcomes of lower extremity arterial disease in patients with vascular surgical interventions in Kosovo

The study aims to enhance understanding of the link between type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) outcomes in patients treated with vascular surgical interventions to improve clinical practice and management. It includes patients with DM who underwent surgery for LEAD from November 2023 to April 2024 at the Vascular Surgery Clinic, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Pristina. Data were collected from medical records and included demographics, comorbidities, smoking status, laboratory values, procedural details, outcomes, prior surgeries, and hospitalization duration. Categorical variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, bivariate, and chi-square tests. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was secured. The largest patient group was aged 62-71 years (48.15%), predominantly male (62.96%), and mostly insulin-managed (96.3%). Ischemic toe gangrene requiring amputation occurred in 25.93% of cases; arterial ischemia with thrombosis was the most common preoperative complication (33.33%). Hospitalization was typically 6-10 days (40.74%), with combined anti-aggregation, anti-diabetic, and antibiotic therapy used in 81.48% of cases. LEAD remains a major global health concern, requiring personalized care strategies and ongoing patient education to reduce complications and amputations.