The features of clinical and anamnestic indicators, cognitive function, quality of life, and psychological status in patients with various stages of chronic lower extremity ischemia

Objective. To estimate the frequency of risk factors and the features of the psychosocial status in patients with atherosclerosis of the lower extremity arteries.

Subjects and methods. The investigation prospectively included 198 patients with atherosclerosis of the lower extremity arteries. The patients’ mean age was 67.9±8.0 years. Data copying, questioning, instrumental and analytical methods were used to study the patients’ clinical and anamnestic indicators. The survey was conducted using the SF-36 questionnaire and the SpielbergerKhanin test, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Morisky-Green scales. Depending on the stage of ischemia, according to the Pokrovsky-Fontaine classification, the investigators formed two investigation groups: 1) 127 patients with Stage 0–IIA ischemia; 2) 71 patients with Stage IIB-IV ischemia.

Results. There was a male preponderance in both groups: 106 men in Group 1 (p=0.03) and 52 in Group 2 (p=0.026). The number of smokers was statistically significantly higher in Group 2 than in Group 1 (37.0 and 49.0%, respectively; p=0.05). No statistically significant differences in diabetes were found between the groups. Systolic blood pressure was also higher in Group 2 than in Group 1 (136.3±15.3 and 130.7±12.9 mm Hg, respectively; p=0.0015). Analysis of physical (p = 0.00019) and psychosocial (p=0.0415) states revealed lower rates in Group 2.

Conclusion. The findings suggest that Group 2 patients had more severe clinical, physical, and psychosocial conditions, which indicates the need to attract a psychologist for patients with more severe ischemia, as well as that to more carefully monitor hemodynamic parameters and to correct modifiable risk factors in both groups.