Health related quality of life (HRQoL) and its associated surgical factors in diabetes foot ulcer patients

Aim. To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in DFU patients and its association with different surgical parameters in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methodology. A total of 70 DFU patients from surgery department were enrolled and their demographic details, surgical examination and treatment related parameter were recorded. HRQOL was evaluated using Cardiff Wound Impact Questionnaire. Association of different surgical parameters as predictors of HRQOL was statistically evaluated. Results. Mean age of the study patients was 53.92 ± 9.27 with male preponderance and male: female ratio of 1.5:1. All the patients in the study suffered from type 2 diabetes and mean duration of the diabetes was 8.0±1.4 year. Mean BMI of the study patients was 23.36 ±1.4. All patients of DFU showed deteriorated HRQOL with mean score of 42.2±15.13 in social domain, 17.12±7.43 in wellbeing, 75.33±27.06 in physical domain and total score of 146.56±45.46. Increasing age, female gender, increased BMI, alcohol addiction found to be significantly associated with the deteriorated quality of life with respect to all four major domains which include Social life (P<0.001), wellbeing (P<0.07), physical symptoms (P<0.001) and Overall Quality of life (P<0.001). Surgical parameters like treatment for ulcer, regular follow up, larger size of ulcer, more than one ulcer, and ulcer on planter surface and chronic and recurrent ulcer significantly affect social domain, wellbeing and physical symptoms and total score (p<0.05). Control of blood sugar levels with non-pharmacological measures, OHA or insulin significantly improve Qol (p<0.05). Conclusions. Surgical parameters like site, size, number and duration of ulcer, treatment and blood sugar control significantly affect Qol. Multidisciplinary approach with holistic view is required for management of DFU patients for better quality of life.