Assessment of quality of life of patients with severe ischemia as a result of infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease.

The purpose of this cohort study was to assess the quality of life of patients with severe ischemia as a result of infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease. Spitzer's QL-INDEX was selected to measure quality of life at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months. On the basis of initial treatment, 61 patients were grouped as follows: IC (conservative, n = 31), IR (arterial reconstruction, n = 14), and IA (major amputation, n = 16). After 12 months of follow-up, 48 patients were similarly regrouped according to ultimate treatment as follows: UC (n = 19), UR (n = 9), and UA (n = 20). At 12 months the mean score was significantly higher than the baseline in IC (6.43 vs 3.84, p less than 0.0001) as well as IR (5.64 vs 3.57, p less than 0.01), but not in IA (4.43 vs 3.62). The QL-INDEX mean score was lower in UA than in UC (4.15 vs 6.58, p less than 0.01) or UR (4.15 vs 7.11, p less than 0.0001). The correlation between QL-INDEX and an arbitrary scale was also high (r = 0.726, p less than 0.001). In conclusion, quality of life of patients with limb ischemia can be confidently assessed, improves during the first year of follow-up if major amputation is avoided, and improves and is sustained by a functioning graft.