A clinicoepidemiological study of chronic and recurrent leg ulcers

Abstract

Chronic leg ulcers (CLU) are chronic diseases, which are associated with significant morbidity and exert health burden on the patients. Varied heterogeneity in the type of aetiology, risk factors, and comorbidities have been observed in individuals with CLU. Aprospective, cross-sectional, observational type of descriptive study carried out in the department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Navi Mumbai. Adult patients with clinical evidence of chronic leg ulcer were enrolled. Patient’s quality of life (QOL) was assessed by Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scale. The mean age of the sample was 42.07 ± 9.3. The male to female ratio was 1.38:1. The most common occupation encountered was farmers (35%), followed by housewives (13%), shopkeepers (8%), cook & students (7%). Around 76 % of the patients of leg ulcer were having associated co-morbidities among which Diabetes was commonly encountered. The most common etiological diagnosis were venous ulcers (31%), followed by diabetic ulcer (26%), trophic ulcers (25%), traumatic ulcer (7%), leucocytoclastic vasculitis (7%), arterial ulcer and pyoderma gangrenosum (4%). The leg ulcer had adversely impacted the QOL ranging from moderately to extremely large with majority (80%) of the patients having very large impact on QOL. Chronic leg ulcers are long term conditions with varying aetiologies and risk factors. They are associated with significant impairment of patient’s quality of life.