Peripheral Endovascular Revascularization Trials: High Noon for Uniform Reporting Standards

Abstract

In the era of evidence based medicine, proof of clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness need to be firmly based on transparent comparisons between various therapeutic alternatives. Standards for reports are a prerequisite for comparisons across reports and should reflect the patient’s perspective. According standards have been successfully introduced in many fields of modern medicine, but not yet for peripheral endovascular interventions. Given the overwhelmingly increasing importance of endovascular revascularization in patients with chronic lower limb ischemia, this report provides an updated outline of the heterogeneity of current reporting practice and highlights the need for uniform reporting standards.

Key Words:

• Percutaneous angioplasty
• reporting standards
• endpoints
• claudication
• critical limb ischemia
• endovas-cular procedures

Additional information

Notes on contributors

N. Diehm

Dr. N. Diehm, M.D. Swiss Cardiovascular Center Division of Clinical and Interventional Angiology inselspital University Hospital Bern, Switzerland E-mail: [email protected]