Quality of life three years after major lower extremity amputation due to peripheral arterial disease

L Remes, R Isoaho, T Vahlberg, M Viitanen, Markku Koskenvuo, P Rautava

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

Abstract

Background and aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) amputees. Patients and methods: Fifty-nine PAD patients (mean age 75.2, SD 10.7, range 39-96, 47% men) who had undergone their first major lower leg amputation (LEA) in average 2.7 years earlier (in 1998-2002) were interviewed, and 118 age- and gender-matched controls completed a postal questionnaire. Outcomes were assessed with the 15D Health-Related QoL instrument, the Rand-36 Physical Functioning- and General Health subscales, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the 6-item Brief Social Support Questionnaire, and the Self-reported Life Satisfaction score. Results: The amputees had more diseases than their controls. HRQoL was lower among the amputees than among the controls. Half of the amputees lived in institutional care, 25% had a Mini-Mental Examination score < 18, and 22% had a unilateral below-knee amputation only. The amputees had a similar self-assessed sense of their general state of health, life satisfaction and perceived social support as their controls. Amputees who were institutionalized and those who did not use a prosthesis had more depressive symptoms than those who lived at home or used a prosthesis. Conclusion: Home-dwelling amputees had a relatively good QoL whereas institutionalization was associated with depressive symptoms. In rehabilitation programmes not only physical disability assessment but also QoL should be considered.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAging Clinical and Experimental Research
Volume22
Issue number5-6
Pages (from-to)395-405
Number of pages11
ISSN1720-8319
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

  • 314 Health sciences

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