Possibilities of combined approach for treatment of critical limb ischemia of lower extremities in diabetic patients

The article presents the results of a combined approach for the treatment of critical limb ischemia in diabetic patients involving surgical treatment and gene therapy. The study included 75 patients divided into two groups. Patients in the control group underwent a directrevascularization of the target limb. Patients in the study group underwentvascular interventionswith following pVEGF-165 intramuscular gene transfer on the 7th and 14th days after the procedure. Short-term and long-term results were evaluated. The primary efficacy criteria werelimb salvage and survival rate. The secondary efficacy criteria were compensated blood flow to the limb, anastomotic/stent patency, improvement of pain-free walking distance. Gene therapy did not affect the anastomotic/stent patency, however, long-term limb salvage rates were higher in the study group (p