Quality of life of patients with transtibial amputation and different periods of wearing prostheses

Abstract

Introduction. Research into patients with lower limb amputation (LLA) puts strong emphasis on quality of life (QoL) and importance of the research in that regard as a measure for the rehabilitation outcomes. The aim of this study was to show which aspects of QoL are related to the duration of wearing a prosthesis in patients with transtibial amputation (TTA). Methods. The study sample comprised 40 patients who used prosthesis for 1 - 3 years (group A), 4 - 7 years (group B) and > 8 years (group C). All patients completed Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scale-Revised (TAPES-R). Results. Prosthesis wearing history was significantly different between the groups: group A (2.2 ± 0.7 years), group B (5.5 ± 1.3 years) and group C (22.9 ± 13.6 years), p<0.001. Patients in group B were significantly (p < 0.05) older compared to patients in group C, displayed a significantly (p < 0.05) lower rate of employment and significantly (p < 0.05) longer duration of diabetes mellitus. Patients in group C displayed a significantly (p = 0.005) lower rate of diabetes mellitus. TAPES-R showed that social adjustment was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in patients in group C compared to patients in group A (3.14 ± 0.46 vs. 3.55 ± 0.41). Conclusion. Although patients with TTA showed good QoL, the group with a long history of wearing a prosthesis differed significantly in social adjustment compared to patients with a short period of wearing a prosthesis. The age and etiology of amputation differed significantly between the groups.