Abstract

TORTORELLA, Roberto L. et al. Cardiovascular rehabilitation in the lower extremities amputations to vascular diseases. Insuf. card. [online]. 2014, vol.9, n.2, pp.54-60. ISSN 1852-3862.

Introduction. The atherosclerosis affecting blood vessels from lower extremities and leading to amputation can involve other vessels too (such as heart and carotid among others). Heart disease is remarkably high in these cases, and its 5 to 10 year morbimortality is high too, mainly cardiovascular pathologies and diabetes. Patients need to develop greater more energy to roam than patients without amputation. It has been shown that periodic scheduled exercises using the muscle groups corresponding to the trunk and upper extremities yield similar results to those conventionally achieved with cardiovascular rehabilitation. Objective. Assess the impact exerted by cardiovascular rehabilitation on the morbimortality of lower extremities amputees due to vascular/arterial diseases. Material and methods. To meet objectives, 40 patients were randomly divided into two groups: 20 in the plan group and 20 in the control group. The plan group carried out periodic weekly exercises and both groups underwent cardiovascular risk factor checkups. Follow-up was conducted for 5 years in both groups.We performed a descriptive analysis of the variables involved. Categorical data were analyzed using percentages, whereas quantitative using the average with the respective standard deviation and median. Independently analyzed the qualitative or categorical variables through a Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. To analyze the difference between the two groups in the case of continuous variables used Student's t-test or the nonparametric Mann Whitney when distribution was normal. We compared the survival of patients in the plan with the control group by producing Kaplan-Meier curves, applied to these curves the log-rank test. Statistical significance was considered P <0.05. Results. Mortality was 25% for the plan group, while the control group accounted for 55% (p=0.035). Regarding morbidity, 8 patients (40%) from the plan group underwent 9 hospitalizations, whereas 13 patients (65%) from the control group underwent 18 hospitalizations (p=0.0095). Conclusions. Proper plans encompassing scheduled exercises and a strict control of risk factors, significantly improve the morbimortality of patients with lower extremities amputations due to vascular reasons.

Keywords : Cardiovascular rehabilitation; Lower extremities amputees; Peripheral vascular disease.

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