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VASCUNET

Collaboration of clinical and administrative vascular registries ↓

VASCUNET is a collaboration of clinical and administrative vascular registries, administered and partly funded by the European Society of Vascular Surgery (ESVS).

For any VASCUNET questions please contact info@esvs.org

VASCUNET was established to improve the quality, safety and effectiveness of vascular healthcare in Europe and Australasia. Several reports and original articles have been published to date.

More than 40 members from 26 different countries work together within this growing research and quality improvement collaboration.

VASCUNET was established in 1997 at the ESVS Annual Meeting in Lisbon (Portugal). The participants of this first meeting (T. Troëng, M. Björck, I. Thomson, et al.) achieved a consensual agreement that there should be a common European minimal dataset for vascular registries and an organising committee was set up to organise a session at the meeting for presentation of national vascular registries.

During the following 23 years (1997-2020), this open-minded collaboration grew rapidly to a global network active in real-world evidence!

VASCUNET MINI WORKING GROUPS

VASCUNET STRUCTURE

The VASCUNET committee comprises 1-2 representatives from national or regional quality improvement registries. One chair is assigned for a three-year term supported by a secretary.

To coordinate transatlantic projects in the International Consortium of Vascular Registries (ICVR), the VASCUNET committee assigns a co-chair to this amalgamation of the VASCUNET and the United States Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI).

Here are the current members of the VASCUNET committee:

Currently, several ongoing projects on carotid artery stenosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and amputation practice are coordinated. The committee is looking for new members to improve European and Australasian cross-border vascular research and quality improvement.

  • Jacob Budtz-Lilly (VASCUNET Chair), Denmark
  • Christian-Alexander Behrendt (ICVR Co-Chair), Germany
  • Cristina Lopez Espada (VASCUNET Secretary), Spain
  • Kevin Mani, Sweden
  • Michaela Kluckner, Austria
  • Riikka Tulamo, Finland
  • Nicla Settembre, France
  • Andreas Lazaris, Greece
  • Gabor Menyhei, Hungary
  • Oscar David Rubio Bermeo, Iceland
  • Stefano Ancetti, Italy
  • Dirk Grotemeyer, Luxembourg
  • Matthew Grima, Malta
  • Manar Khashram, New Zealand
  • Martin Altreuther, Norway
  • Andreia Coelho, Portugal
  • Arkadiusz Kazimierczak, Poland
  • Thomas Lattman, Switzerland
  • Arun Pherwani, United Kingdom
  • Rob Fitridge, Australia
  • Paulo E. Ocke Reis, Brazil
  • Milijenko Kovačević, Croatia
  • Maarit Venermo, Finland
  • Fabien Lareyre, France
  • Ulrich Rother, Germany
  • Konstantinos G. Moulakakis, Greece
  • Zoltan Szeberin, Hungary
  • Colin Bicknell, United Kingdom
  • Carlo Setacci, Italy
  • Kevin Cassar, Malta
  • Gert Jan de Borst, Netherlands
  • Jo Krysa, New Zealand
  • Ana Maria Vrancianu, Romania
  • Slobodan Tanaskovic, Serbia
  • Cecile Markvard Møller, Denmark

ONGOING PROJECTS

Currently, there are several ongoing projects and data collections organised by the VASCUNET committee.

According to the organizational structure of the committee, the projects are linked to one of the main research branches (validation & methodology, peripheral arteries, aorta, carotid arteries, rare diseases).

VASCUNExplants Project
EVAR is a treatment option widely accepted for AAA. One of the most specific complications related to this technique is the appearance of endoleaks, i.e. the existence of blood between the wall of the stent and the wall of the aorta that continues to pressurize the aneurysmal sac increasing the probability of rupture.

Principal Investigator: Cristina Lopez Espada (Spain)

2010-2019 ruptured and intact aaa repair
Analysis of short-term outcomes following either open repair or endovascular aneurysm repair for both intact and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) from 2010-2019. Ongoing data collection!

Principal Investigator: Jacob Budtz-Lilly (Denmark)

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair has undergone significant changes during the last decade. Since the first VASCUNET report, several publications concerning endovascular vs. open repair practice, volume-outcome relationship, threshold for repair and further quality improvement projects have been published.

Principal Investigator: Kevin Mani (Sweden)

Core variables and recommandations

The VASCUNET aims to improve comparability and harmonization of real-world evidence. With several international Delphi consensus studies involving multidisciplinary experts, this collaboration provided a core data set for peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) and acute limb ischaemia. Further projects concerning complex endovascular aortic repair are currently ongoing.

Amputation practice

This international audit showed large geographical differences in major amputation rates, by a factor of almost six, and an overall declining time trend during the 4 year observation of this study. Diabetes prevalence, age distribution, and mortality rates were also found to vary between countries. The Global Amputation Study (GAS) is currently ongoing to include more countries and determine underlying factors for the identified differences.

Carotid Artery Stenosis
Despite evidence about treatment options for carotid artery disease, the proportion of asymptomatic patients, treatment modality, and the proportion of women and octogenarians vary considerably among and within countries. There was a significant association of treating more asymptomatic patients in countries with fee for service reimbursement. The findings reflect the inconsistency of the existing guidelines and a need for cooperation among guideline committees all over the world.

Principal Investigator: Maarit Venermo (Finland)

Peripheral Arterial occlusive disease (PAOD)
To determine differences in the invasive treatment of symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) treatment between countries participating in the VASCUNET and International Consortium of Vascular Registries (ICVR).

Principal Investigator: Christian-Alexander Behrendt (Germany)

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