Quality of Life of Persons With Lower-Limb Amputation During Rehabilitation and at 3-Month Follow-Up

Abstract 

Zidarov D, Swaine B, Gauthier-Gagnon C. Quality of life of persons with lower-limb amputation during rehabilitation and at 3-month follow-up.

Objective

To describe and compare the quality of life (QOL) of persons with lower-limb amputation (LLA) at admission (T1), discharge (T2), and 3 months after rehabilitation discharge (T3) and to explore the relationships between QOL and demographic and clinical variables including body image.

Design

Longitudinal case series.

Setting

Inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Participants

Consecutive sample of 19 unilateral persons with LLA (14 men, mean age, 53.4±14.6y).

Intervention

Interdisciplinary rehabilitation.

Main Outcome Measures

Generic and specific QOL measures and perception of body image at T1, T2, and T3.

Results

Subjective QOL was relatively high at T1, T2, and T3 (0.87/2, 1.1/2, and 1.0/2, respectively) except for items related to physical functioning. There was no significant change over time for all but 1 QOL satisfaction measure (ability to go outside, P=.024). Prosthesis-related QOL was high at discharge and follow-up. Body-image disturbances were absent over the study period. QOL satisfaction and prosthesis satisfaction were strongly related to lower-limb pain and psychosocial factors (eg, body image).

Conclusions

QOL of persons with LLA was high and remained relatively stable during inpatient rehabilitation and 3 months after discharge.

Key Words: Amputation, Body image, Quality of life, Rehabilitation

List of Abbreviations: ABIS, Amputee Body Image Scale, ADLs, activities of daily living, ANOVA, analysis of variance, LLA, lower-limb amputation, NHP, Nottingham Health Profile, PEQ, Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire, QOL, quality of life, SF-36, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, SQLP, Subjective Quality of Life Profile, TF, transfemoral, TT, transtibial, VAS, visual analog scale