Charlson comorbidity index in patients diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease in the emergency department: determination of six-month mortality risk

Abstract

Introduction: Although peripheral arterial disease is often not the primary reason for an emergency department visit, acute peripheral arterial disease is nevertheless a critical condition with a high mortality rate. We sought to evaluate the performance of the Charlson comorbidity index in predicting six-month mortality in patients diagnosed with acute peripheral arterial disease in an emergency department. Materials and Method: This retrospective study included 197 patients (130 female, 67 male) admitted to the emergency department between January 2018 and December 2022 and diagnosed with acute peripheral arterial disease. The Charlson comorbidity index —a validated tool for assessing comorbidities— was used to evaluate the comorbidities of the patients and was compared with the six-month mortality. Results: The median age of those who died (83 years) was significantly higher than those who did not (78 years). Age was not a statistically significant independent predictor of mortality, but cerebrovascular disease, dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hemiplegia, diabetes mellitus, and end-organ damage due to diabetes mellitus were. A one-unit increase in the Charlson comorbidity index score was found to increase mortality risk by 30%. Conclusion: The Charlson comorbidity index is a reliable predictor of mortality in patients with peripheral arterial disease and can be used effectively in the emergency department setting. © 2025, Turkish Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved.