Comparison of Demographic, Clinical Characteristics, and Mobility Level between Bilateral and Unilateral Lower Limb Amputees Who Received Prostheses in Latvia

Description

Compare demographics, clinical characteristics, and functional mobility levels between unilateral (UL) and bilateral (BL) lower limb amputees who received prostheses.. In this quantitative retrospective study, data was collected from the national assistive device system in Latvia from the year 2019. Analyzed data: age, gender, cause of amputation, mobility level (AMP PRO, AMPnoPRO), and assistive devices. Performed data analysis: descriptive statistics. Pearson chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine the significance between BL and UL amputees.. Age: M(BL)= 58.62, SD=13.01 and M(UL)=59.94, SD=15.13 years. There was no significant difference between BL and UL amputees in age and gender. There was a significant difference in the causes of amputation, mobility levels, preliminary(PL) and permanent(PM) prosthetic candidates between BL and UL amputees. BL were more likely to be caused by trauma, but UL by vascular causes (two-tailed, p=.002). UL amputees were more likely to be k-level 3 and 4 but BL amputees k-level 1 (t(3)=50.084, p < .000). Similarly, UL and BL amputees had differences in BL/PL, UL/PL and BL/PM, UL/PM groups in k-levels. Regardless of which group, PL or PM, the UL amputees were more likely to have k-level 3 and 4 and the BL k-levels 1 and 2. (H(3) = 32.507, p < 0.000).. In conclusion, there is no difference in demographics between groups. Despite the vascular patient’s increased risk for amputation of a contralateral leg, the most common BL amputee cause was found to be trauma. Our results indicate there is a difference between PL and PM groups in both UL and BL amputees. Further analysis is necessary to define if this difference is caused by an increase in k-level from PL progressing to PM or a different variable.

Period	27 Mar 2023 → 31 Mar 2023
Event title	RSU Research Week 2023: Research Week 2023 Rīga Stradiņš University
Event type	Conference
Organiser	Riga Stradins University
Location	Riga, LatviaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International