Health related quality of life and related factors in 539 persons with amputation of upper and lower limb.
OBJECTIVE
Limb amputation is followed by an important rehabilitation process, especially when a prosthesis is involved. The objective of this study is to assess the nature of factors related to health related quality of life (HRQL) of persons with limb amputation.


METHODS
The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) treated 1011 subjects with major amputation of one or several limbs. Correlations were sought in multivariate regression model analyses between the six categories of distress explored by the NHP and age, sex, cause and level of amputation and rehabilitation programme.


RESULTS
Response rate was 53.3%. HRQL measured by the NHP was mostly impaired in the categories of physical disability, pain and energy level. Controlling for sex and age, young age at the time of amputation, traumatic origin and upper limb amputation were independently associated with better HRQL.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that HRQL is largely related to factors which are inherent to the patient and the amputation.
Demet
Katharina
K
Institut Régional de Réadaptation de Nancy, Nancy, France. katharinademet@aol.com
Martinet
Noël
N
Guillemin
Francis
F
Paysant
Jean
J
André
Jean-Marie
JM
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000674:Amputees / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000601:surgery*