Patient-centered Outcomes Related to TReatment Practices in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Investigating Trajectories (PORTRAIT)

An estimated 8 million individuals in America are affected by peripheral arterial disease (PAD), blockages of the leg arteries that can cause excruciating calf pain when walking. PAD can have a tremendous impact on patients' quality of life. It is also associated with high rates of heart attacks and premature death. While there are a number of treatments, there have been few previous studies that have prospectively examined treatment patterns for PAD or sought to systematically identify opportunities to improve care. Most importantly, there have been no rigorous studies examining the impact of the disease from patients' perspectives - their symptoms, function and quality of life - as a function of different patient characteristics and treatments. The PORTRAIT study (Phase II) will systematically document the treatments and health status (symptom, function and quality of life) outcomes of 840 US patients over the course of one year (assessments at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months) from 10 centers to address these gaps in knowledge. It will illuminate whether disparities in treatment or health status outcomes exist as a function of patients' age, gender, race, socioeconomic or psychological characteristics. PORTRAIT will substantially elevate the field and identify critical gaps in the way PAD is currently managed, including potential disparities in care, so that the quality of care can be improved.