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Life after lower extremity amputation in diabetics
P St L Cox1, S K P Williams, S R Weaver
1School of Physical Therapy, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
The West Indian Medical Journal
|April 24, 2012
Summary
Lower limb amputees, particularly those with below-knee amputations, experience better quality of life and functional independence. Females generally reported higher QOL and independence scores than males post-amputation.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Lower limb amputations significantly impair mobility and daily functioning.
- Improving quality of life (QOL) is a primary rehabilitation goal for amputees.
- Diabetes is a common cause of lower limb amputation, necessitating focused research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess QOL and functional independence in diabetic lower limb amputees 1-3 years post-surgery.
- To explore the influence of age, gender, and amputation level on these outcomes.
Main Methods:
- 87 participants were recruited from physiotherapy records.
- The World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHO QOL-BREF) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) were administered.
- Statistical analyses, including descriptive and inferential techniques, were used to examine relationships between variables.
Main Results:
- Below-knee amputees demonstrated significantly higher QOL and functional independence than above-knee amputees (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively).
- Females reported significantly higher QOL and FIM scores compared to males across all domains (p < 0.0001).
- A strong positive correlation (r = 0.5999, p < 0.0001) was observed between functional independence and QOL.
Conclusions:
- Amputation level and gender are critical factors influencing QOL and functional independence in diabetic amputees.
- Below-knee amputees and females tend to achieve better outcomes in rehabilitation.
- Findings highlight the need for tailored rehabilitation strategies considering amputation level and gender.
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