title: [Quality of life and burden of disease in peripheral arterial disease: a study among Hungarian patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peripheral arterial disease may occur in about of 14% of patients with high blood pressure, of which 1-3% suffer from chronic critical limb ischemia. Literature data on the quality of life according to the Fontaine stages are very limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life of Hungarian patients with peripheral arterial disease regarding Fontaine stages II, III and IV.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on a cross-sectional survey, which was carried out in four angiologic centres. One hundred and two respondents with peripheral arterial disease (43% woman) were evaluated. The average age of the patients was 70 years (SD-10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the EQ-5D index, the results of the quality of life assessment with respect to Fontaine stages II, III and IV were 0.66, 0.35 and 0.18, respectively. In each stage the EQ-5D values were lower than the values of the age-matched average population. The results of the Pain Visual Analogue Scale (0-100 mm) were 38, 65 and 71 mm in Fontaine stages II, III and IV, respectively, and this showed a strong correlation with the EQ-5D (R = -0.68). In stage Fontaine IV the quality of life of the patients was significantly lower among those who had pain at rest and ALSO ulcer on the leg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peripheral disease with clinical symptoms causes significant reduction in quality of life which can be measured with EQ-5D. It becomes worse as we move along the Fontaine stages. While measuring the health gain in stage Fontaine IV, the health gain from the reduction of pain in rest and partial recovery from ulcer should be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem Egészség-gazdaságtani és Egészségügyi Technológiaelemzési Kutatóközpont Budapest Fővám tér 8. 1093. orsolya.balogh@uni-corvinus.hu
authors.forename: Orsolya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balogh
authors.forename: Márta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Péntek
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gulácsi
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Járai
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Landi
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pécsvárady
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brodszky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome