Quality of life in patients with lower limb amputation: Does it affect post-amputation pain, functional status, emotional status and perception of body image?

Objective: Comparison of quality of life [QOL] and emotional status in male patients with traumatic lower limb amputation [LLA] and controls and evaluation of the relationship between these outcomes and post-amputation pain, functional status and perception of body image. Methods: Thirty male patients aged between 20 and 45 years, with traumatic LLA and 30 healthy normal controls were enrolled. The Nottingham Health Profile [NHP], Beck Depression Inventory [BDI], Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI], visual analog scale [VAS], Locomotor Capabilities Index [LCI] and Amputee Body Image Scale [ABIS] were used. Results: There were significantly higher NHP, BDI and BAI scores in patients with LLA than control subjects [p<0.05]. In patients with LLA, all subgroups of NHP were positively correlated with BDI, BAI and ABIS scores [p<0.05]. The NHP energy and physical disability subgroups scores were negatively correlated with LCI scores. The positive correlation was found between the NHP pain subgroup score and post-amputation pain VAS score [p<0.05]. There was no correlation between NHP scores and age and time since amputation [p>0.05]. The positive correlation was found between BDI, BAI and ABIS score [p<0.05]. Conclusion: It was found that QOL and emotional status deteriorated in male patients with LLA. According to the results of this study, depression, anxiety and body image disturbances may be the determinants of QOL. Having lower functional status were higher post-amputation pain were associated with the poor QOL for some domain. Emotional status of LLA patients may be linked to perception of body image. © 2013 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.