title: Comparison of quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial disease caused by atherosclerosis obliterans or Buerger's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Buerger's disease and atherosclerosis obliterans (ASO) are two peripheral arterial diseases (PAD) that are frequently encountered. The aim of this study was to compare quality of life (QOL) in patients with Buerger's disease and ASO.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively followed 86 patients who were admitted to our hospital due to ASO or Buerger's disease. Their ischaemia was evaluated according to the clinical category chronic limb ischaemia at the time of hospital admission and at six and 12 months. The QOL was measured at the time of hospital admission and at six and 12 months with the Short Form Health Status Survey (SF-36) and Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire (VASCUQOL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 86 patients with ASO or Buerger's disease (47 and 39, respectively) were included in the study. Pain parameters from both SF-36 and VASCUQOL scores were lower in patients with Buerger's disease at the time of hospital admission and at six months. The impairment in QOL was found to be proportional to the extent of chronic limb ischaemia. Conversely, when patients with critical limb ischaemia were evaluated, no difference was observed between those with ASO or Buerger's disease in terms of QOL. Amputations were found to have a negative effect on quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Buerger's disease had a more pronounced negative effect on QOL than ASO, particularly in terms of pain score. When critical limb ischaemia was considered, ASO and Buerger's disease impaired quality of life at the same rate.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. drrojbin@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rojbin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karakoyun
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cüneyt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Köksoy
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Şener
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Umut
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gündüz
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karakaş
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Veni-Vidi Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karakoyun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D013919:Thromboangiitis Obliterans / Q000150:complications*