Age and ageing
Systematic review and meta-analysis of impact of 'Vascular Geriatrics' interventions on short-term outcomes for vascular surgery inpatients
By Power Foley M, Young C, Canavan M and 1 others.
Abstract
Introduction
Vascular surgeons are treating more older, frail and multimorbid patients. Integrated care models including both surgeons and geriatricians have improved peri-operative outcomes in orthopaedics. This meta-analysis investigated the impact of 'Vascular Geriatrics' services on short-term outcomes for vascular surgery inpatients.
Methods
PubMed, Scopus, Embase and recent conference abstracts were searched for studies of all methodologies comparing outcomes before and after the introduction of 'Vascular Geriatrics' service. Risk of bias was assessed using Methodological Index for Non-Randomised Studies criteria for non-randomised studies and Risk of Bias Tool (Version Two) tool for randomised. Certainty of evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations analysis. Meta-analyses compared the relative risks of inpatient mortality, complications, discharge to home and 30-day readmission using a random-effects model. Length of stay (LOS) in days was compared using mean difference.