title: Short and long term mortality rates after a lower limb amputation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine mortality rates after a first lower limb amputation and explore the rates for different subpopulations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of all people who underwent a first amputation at or proximal to transtibial level, in an area of 1.7 million people. Analysis with Kaplan-Meier curves and Log Rank tests for univariate associations of psycho-social and health variables. Logistic regression for odds of death at 30-days, 1-year and 5-years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  299 people were included. Median time to death was 20.3 months (95%CI: 13.1; 27.5). 30-day mortality = 22%; odds of death 2.3 times higher in people with history of cerebrovascular disease (95%CI: 1.2; 4.7, P = 0.016). 1 year mortality = 44%; odds of death 3.5 times higher for people with renal disease (95%CI: 1.8; 7.0, P < 0.001). 5-years mortality = 77%; odds of death 5.4 times higher for people with renal disease (95%CI: 1.8; 16.0,P = 0.003). Variation in mortality rates was most apparent in different age groups; people 75-84 years having better short term outcomes than those younger and older.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mortality rates demonstrated the frailty of this population, with almost one quarter of people dying within 30-days, and almost half at 1 year. People with cerebrovascular had higher odds of death at 30 days, and those with renal disease and 1 and 5 years, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands. l.v.fortington@umcg.nl
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Fortington
authors.forename: J H B
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Geertzen
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Netten
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Postema
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rommers
authors.forename: P U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000401:mortality*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors