title: ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS AFTER LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lower extremity amputation is a surgical procedure resulting in important anatomical, functional, psychological, and social consequences that can influence the quality of life of these patients. The aim of this research was to compare the quality of life of patients with lower extremity amputation and people without amputation taking into account gender differences as well as the amputation level.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was designed as a cross-sectional study which included 56 subjects. The patients from the experimental group underwent prosthetic rehabilitation treatment at the Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina. The experimental group included 28 patients (21 male, 7 female) with lower extremity amputation, their average age being 65.36±13.64. The control group consisted of 28 age and gender matching subjects without amputation. Research ANd Development (RAND) 36--Item Health Survey 1.0 (SF-36) was used to measure the quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that patients with lower extremity amputation scored lower than the control group on all SF-36 variables (p<0.05). None of the SF-36 variables differed between the genders (p>0.05). Seventeen (61%) patients were with transfemoral, and 11 (39%) with transtibial level of amputation. The patients with transtibial amputations scored higher on physical functioning and general health status variables (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients with lower extremity amputations have numerous limitations compared to the control group, regardless of gender, while the patients with lower level of amputation have a higher level of physical functioning.
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knežević
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Salamon
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milankov
authors.forename: Srđan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ninković
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeremić Knežević
authors.forename: Snežana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomašević Todorović
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000674:Amputees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires