title: Quality of life in patients with leg ulcers or skin lesions - a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attempts to determine the quality of life are advisable in patients with ulcers as the group affected with this problem is relatively large. According to one Polish randomized trial, approximately 0.3-2% of the adult population suffers from active or healed venous ulcers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the quality of life of patients with leg ulcers of venous and arterial etiology and those with lower limb skin lesions due to chronic venous insufficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 90 consecutive patients with ulcers of venous (n = 30) or arterial etiology (n = 30), or patients with trophic disorders of the skin associated with chronic venous insufficiency (n = 30) treated at the Venous Ulceration Outpatient Clinic and at the Department and Clinic of General Surgery, Dr. J. Biziel Memorial University Hospital No. 2, in Bydgoszcz. This study was designed as a questionnaire survey and included the Skindex-29 instrument for the assessment of quality of life in patients with dermatological conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the global Skinndex-29 scores of all studied participants ranged between 37 and 136 points, 23.93 points on average. The analyzed groups of patients differed significantly with respect to the average level of the global quality of life determined using the Skindex-29 questionnaire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences were observed in the global quality of life of patients who suffered from venous or arterial leg ulcers or skin lesions resulting from chronic venous insufficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Nursing, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Maria T. Szewczyk MD, PhD; Department of Vascular Surgery and Angiology, University Hospital No. 1, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Prof. Arkadiusz Jawień MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Szewczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Nursing, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Maria T. Szewczyk MD, PhD; Department of Vascular Surgery and Angiology, University Hospital No. 1, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Prof. Arkadiusz Jawień MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mościcka
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery and Angiology, University Hospital No. 1, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Prof. Arkadiusz Jawień MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jawień
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Nursing, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Maria T. Szewczyk MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cwajda-Białasik
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Nursing, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Maria T. Szewczyk MD, PhD; Department of Vascular Surgery and Angiology, University Hospital No. 1, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Prof. Arkadiusz Jawień MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cierzniakowska
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Robert Ślusarz MD.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ślusarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery and Angiology, University Hospital No. 1, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Head of the Department: Prof. Arkadiusz Jawień MD, PhD.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hancke
keywords: Skindex-29; health-related quality of life; leg ulcers