title: Geriatric rehabilitation of lower limb amputees: a multicenter study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine factors independently associated with successful rehabilitation of patients with lower limb amputation in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients admitted to one of the 11 participating SNFs were eligible. Multidisciplinary teams collected the data. Successful rehabilitation was defined as discharge to an independent living situation within 1 year after admission. Functional status at discharge, as measured with the Barthel index (BI), was a secondary outcome. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the independent contribution of each determinant to the two outcome measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 55 eligible patients, 48 were included. Mean age was 75 years. Sixty-five percent rehabilitated successfully. Multivariate analyses showed that presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 23.87, CI 2.26-252.47) and premorbid BI (OR 1.37, CI 1.10-1.70) were the most important determinants of successful rehabilitation, whereas 78% of the variance of discharge BI was explained by premorbid BI, BI on admission, and 1-leg balance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of DM and high premorbid BI were associated with discharge to an independent living situation within 1 year after admission. Premorbid BI, admission BI, and 1-leg balance were independently associated to discharge BI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary and Community Care, Centre for Family Medicine, Geriatric Care and Public Health, Radboud University Nijmegen-Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. m.spruit-vaneijk@elg.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Monica Spruit-van
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Eijk
authors.forename: Harmen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van der Linde
authors.forename: Bianca I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Buijck
authors.forename: Sytse U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Zuidema
authors.forename: Raymond T C M
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Koopmans
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000674:Amputees / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities