Quality of life and arterial endovascular intervention by means of balloon angioplasty.

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) and the effect of arterial balloon angioplasty (ABA) on QoL of patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD).

METHODS

The study is a prospective and longitudinal one and was carried out at the 2nd Internal Clinic of Charles University Hospital in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Forty-two patients with PAOD, hospitalized for the endovascular intervention by means of percutaneous transluminal angiography, were evaluated for QoL. Thirty patients with PAOD (20 male, 10 female) were treated by endovascular intervention by means of ABA. The evaluation of QoL was performed by means of the Czech version of the international generic European Quality of Life Questionnaire EQ-5D. Statistical analysis was determined by means of analysis of variance and paired t-test. The QoL questionnaires were evaluated by means of descriptive analysis.

RESULTS

The study has shown the following results: patients with PAOD had low global QoL; a statistically significant relation between QoL of patient with PAOD and the their age (P<0.01); a statistically significant relation between global QoL and stage of PAOD by Fontaine classification (P<0.01); and a statistically significant relation between global QoL and ABA (P<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The QoL of patients with PAOD is low. The QoL is lower with increasing age and with severity of PAOD. The results show the existence of a positive effect of ABA on QoL in patients with PAOD.