A comparison of the health-related quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcers, with a diabetes group and a nondiabetes group from the general population

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcer patients had much worse HRQL compared with the diabetes population and the general population, especially in physical health. Foot ulcer patients were more often men living alone, and obesity was a problem in both the foot ulcer patients and the diabetes population.

Diabetic foot ulceration and amputation

“…Amputations from complications related to DM place an individual at risk for additional amputation and have a 5 year mortality rate of 39% to 68% (Morris et al, 1998). People with diabetic foot ulcers have a lower health-related quality of life than the general population and diabetics without foot ulcers as well (Ribu et al, 2007).…”

A prospective, open label, clinical study for evaluation of management of chronic non-healing, non-diabetic leg ulcers in a tertiary care hospital

“…Majority of cases in present study were illiterate, belong to lower socio-economic class, and belonging to rural areas and were smokers/tobacco chewers/alcoholic, a comparable data on these aspects were not available in the literature. However, Ribu et al 5 In their study observed that greatest difference between diabetic foot ulcer patients and general population (as control) were more of the foot ulcer patients were men, older, living alone, less well educated and not working.…”

“…Obesity in these patients which significantly impaired mobility and work capacity is also associated with impaired HRQL. Ribu et al 5 also observed that the patients of diabetic foot ulcers reported significantly poorer Health Related Quality-of-Life (HRQL) than diabetic population, moreover, these patients had significant lower HRQL than the general population on all scales. In patients of leg ulcers, reduction of swelling, pain and/or discharge may be important in improving quality-of-life.…”

Complications of diabetes mellitus among patients attending the out-patient department of a tertiary care hospital

“…22,23 It is increasingly evident that not only a cure for the current worldwide diabetes epidemic is essential, but also for its major complications, affecting both small and large blood vessels. These complications occur in the majority of individuals with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.…”