Correlation Between Quality of Life and the Clinical Results of Patients With Leprosy With Drop Foot After Tendon Transfer

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the functional results of surgically correcting drop foot in patients with leprosy and compare their SALSA, Social Participation, and AOFAS score. Methods: Overall, 22 patients were subjected to posterior tibial tendon transfer via the subcutaneous route to the foot dorsum with an average follow-up of 56 months (min 12, max 70). In our sample, 15 of the enrolled patients were men and seven, women, aged between 20 and 73 years old who were operated on from January 2014 to December 2017. The Pearson’s correlation test (r) was used to measure the correlation among those scales. A p < 0.05 was considered significant between the pre- and pos-operative AOFAS scale scores. Results: Pre-operative average AOFAS score was 59.6 (min 35, max 74) and 77.2 postoperative (min 36, max 97) (p < 0.0001), postoperative Salsa and Social Participation scale, 30.6 and 22.5, respectively. Statistical analysis suggests a strong positive correlation between AOFAS and Salsa scales (r = −0.83) and AOFAS and social participation (r = −0.78). Average dorsiflexion was 5.4 degrees. Conclusion: The surgical correction of drop foot positively affects the quality of life and social participation of patients with leprosy. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Study.