No significant differences were observed between drug-coated balloons and plain old balloon angioplasty in hemodialysis patients with below-the-knee peripheral artery disease in this small retrospective cohort.
Key Findings
Results
Both DCB and POBA groups demonstrated improvement in Rutherford grade at 12 months.
The study was a retrospective design including 96 hemodialysis patients total (DCB: 55, POBA: 41).
Rutherford grade improvement was observed in both treatment groups at the 12-month follow-up point.
No clear between-group differences were observed in Rutherford grade changes.
Results
Wound healing rates were higher in the DCB group than the POBA group, though no significant difference was established.
Wound healing occurred in 60.6% (95% CI 42.1–76.8) of the DCB group.
Wound healing occurred in 50.0% (95% CI 32.0–67.9) of the POBA group.
The confidence intervals overlapped substantially, and no clear between-group difference was observed.
Results
Amputation-free survival was numerically higher in the DCB group compared to the POBA group, but no significant difference was detected.
Amputation-free survival was 72.7% (95% CI 59.0–83.0) in the DCB group.
Amputation-free survival was 67.7% (95% CI 52.5–80.0) in the POBA group.
Overlapping confidence intervals indicated no clear between-group difference.
Results
Freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) was numerically higher in the POBA group than the DCB group.
Freedom from CD-TLR was 78.9% (95% CI 65.0–88.5) for the DCB group.
Freedom from CD-TLR was 91.6% (95% CI 79.0–97.0) for the POBA group.
Despite the numerical difference favoring POBA, no clear between-group difference was reported by the authors.
This finding suggests that DCB did not reduce the need for repeat revascularization compared to POBA in this population.
Methods
The study was a small retrospective cohort of hemodialysis patients with below-the-knee peripheral artery disease comparing DCB to POBA.
Total sample size was 96 hemodialysis patients: 55 in the DCB group and 41 in the POBA group.
Outcomes assessed included changes in Rutherford grade, wound healing, freedom from CD-TLR, survival, and amputation-free survival.
The retrospective design and small sample size were acknowledged as limitations, as reflected in the conclusion language.
Jin Z, Li C, Ma L, Wen J, Ren H, Wang S. (2026). Comparison of drug-coated balloons and plain old balloon angioplasty in hemodialysis patients with Below-The-Knee artery disease.. Diabetes & vascular disease research. https://doi.org/10.1177/14791641261418911