title: The effect of femoral and popliteal percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty on patients' quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is a prevalent atherosclerotic disorder characterized by limb pain on exertion, limb loss and a high mortality rate. Because of its chronic nature, it often has a negative impact on patients' quality of life (QOL). This study aimed to assess QOL among patients with PAOD that was treated by endovascular intervention using femoral and popliteal percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTBA).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was local, prospective and longitudinal. It was carried at the Second Department of Internal Medicine of Charles University Hospital in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty PAOD patients (20 male and 10 female) were treated by endovascular intervention using femoral and popliteal PTBA. The Czech version of the international generic European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D) was applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The statistical evaluation demonstrated that QOL presented highly significant statistical dependence on femoral and popliteal PTBA (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that femoral and popliteal PTBA had a highly positive effect on the QOL of patients with PAOD.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Charles University Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. ladislav.slovacek@seznam.cz
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Slovacek
authors.forename: Birgita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Slovackova
authors.forename: Vendelin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chovanec
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000523:psychology*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D018153:Czech Republic; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome