%0 Comparative Study
%T The BEST-CLI trial is nearing the finish line and promises to be worth the wait.
%A Farber A
%A Rosenfield K
%A Siami FS
%A Strong M
%A Menard M
%J J Vasc Surg
%V 69
%N 2
%D 02 2019
%M 30683195
%F 4.86
%R 10.1016/j.jvs.2018.05.255
%X There is significant variability and equipoise in the management of critical limb ischemia (CLI). The Best Endovascular vs Best Surgical Therapy in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia (BEST-CLI) trial, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is a prospective, open label, multicenter, multispecialty randomized controlled trial designed to compare treatment efficacy, functional outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and quality of life for 2100 patients suffering from CLI. BEST-CLI is enrolling those patients who are determined to be candidates for open surgical or endovascular revascularization and is designed to be comprehensive, pragmatic, and balanced. Enrollment is occurring at >130 sites across the world, and BEST-CLI is nearing the finish line. Although the trial has encountered a number of obstacles, they are being successfully navigated. This trial promises to establish an evidence-based standard of care in the management of this population of vulnerable patients.