Impact of amputation level on functional outcomes and psychological status in diabetic patients with major lower extremity amputation

Abstract EN

Objective: Lower limb amputation is a recognized cause of great morbidity with much of social and economic cost related to its negative impact on quality of life.

Diabetes mellitus is the commonest cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation.

This poor quality of life is linked mainly to restriction of physical activity, in addition to other complications related to diabetes, and this in turn badly affects their psychological status.

Management and care of amputees exert great pressure upon the patient’s family and health system due to demanding home care and rehabilitation services.

We aim to study the impact of major lower extremity amputation level on functional outcome and psychological status among diabetic amputees.

Methods: This was a retrospective comparative study conducted among diabetic patients with major lower extremity amputation in Jabir Abu Eliz Diabetic Center (JADC), a multidisciplinary diabetic foot care centre in Khartoum, Sudan.

One hundred diabetic lower extremity amputee patients, 60 with below knee amputation (BKA) and 40 with above knee amputation (AKA) were included.

Patients selected randomly from those attending the clinic.

Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed 6 months postoperatively using a simple screening test, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

As regard to mobility assessment, we used a tool tailored to our patient’s social standards, mobility expectations and mobility requirements.

All patient’s data were recorded by direct interviewing and on phone.