Aristomenis Kossioris, T. Karousi
Successful healing of DFUs often requires long periods of treatment with additional limitations in patients' daily activities. This burden in the life of patients adversely affects Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). An understanding of the determinants of DFU patients' HRQoL may help health professionals in clinical decision making, specifying risk groups and allowing the prediction of the HRQoL. The aim of this review was to ascertain the health-related quality of life determining factors of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. A literature review in the PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted in relation to the clinical and sociodemographic determinants of DFU patients' HRQoL. The extraction and evaluation of the studies was carried out, according to preset criteria. Thirty-three publications were detected eight of which met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the included studies were of analytical, retrospective, case-control research design. By the statistical analysis, it was found that positive impact on HRQoL have the use of non-pharmacological interventions for the management of diabetes (Wald Chi- Square=21,61, p<0,001) and the lack of family obligations (X2=24,96, p<0,001), while negative effect have the duration of ulcer from 1 week to 3 months (X2=354,46, p<0,001), the unemployed status (X2=560,68 p<0,001) and the presence of cardiovascular complications (X2=83,35, p<0,001). Since HRQoL is an important health outcome measure, health professionals could emphasize more on the prompt treatment of diabetic ulcers, the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular complications as well as on the promotion of employment among DFU patients and the utilization of non-pharmacological interventions for managing diabetes.
