[Measurement of quality of life in intermittent claudication. Clinical validation of a questionnaire].

OBJECTIVES

Functional limitation in patients with intermittent claudication impairs their quality of life. In order to measure this new evaluation parameter, we developed a self-administered questionnaire: Artemis.

METHODS

The questionnaire was composed of a general instrument (SF-36) and a specific one. A cross sectional study was performed in 177 patients with intermittent claudication (mean age 68 +/- 10 years, 77% males) who stated their walking distance was limited within 50 to + 2000 meters. The acceptability, reliability and sensitivity of the questionnaire were tested.

RESULTS

In patients who had a walking distance greater than 500 m (n = 96), the scores obtained were significantly higher (better quality of life) than in patients whose walking distance was limited to less than 500 m (n = 81) (p < 0.05). Intermittent claudication had a global effect on the different parameters of the quality of life evaluated by the questionnaire including physical performance and psychological and social aspects.

CONCLUSION

The Artemis questionnaire as shown its ability to describe patients with intermittent claudication. It can be used in clinical trials as a tool for measuring quality of life.