title: Epidemiology of limb loss.
abstract: In 2005, 1.6 million people were estimated to be living with limb loss; by 2050, the rate is expected to double to 3.6 million in the United States. Past data have shown that the rates of dysvascular amputations were increasing. However, recent studies looking at single diseases of peripheral arterial disease and diabetes mellitus show amputations related to these conditions are now decreasing. The authors think that it may not be a single disease process but rather the cumulative illness burden that is leading to amputations. In addition to cause, age, gender, and race continue to play a role in limb loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania, 1800 Lombard Street, 1st floor, Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA.
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.forename: Margaret G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Stineman
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Dillingham
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Amputation; Dysvascular; Limb loss; Transfemoral; Transtibial