Health-related quality of life of chronic ulcer patients

What is it about?

Chronic ulcers are known to cause a significant burden to the patient. Previous studies have involved mainly patients with a venous ulcer or assessed the effect of various treatment modalities on patients Health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Moreover, there are only a limited number of prospective studies. Therefore, more research evidence is needed on HRQoL associated with chronic ulcers, especially factors affecting HRQoL. The aim of this study was to evaluate the HRQoL among chronic ulcer patients compared to general population and patients with chronic pain and cancer.

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Why is it important?

Our study, comprising of altogether 142 chronic ulcer patients showed, that the HRQoL of chronic ulcer patients was substantially decreased to a level that is lower than that of the general population cohort and even patients with cancer. Patients diagnosed as having an arterial or mixed ulcer had a lower mean HRQoL than those having an atypical ulcer aetiology. Nonetheless, in most chronic ulcer patients, the HRQoL did not improve during the follow-up, and healing of the ulcer did not associate with improving HRQoL. Age, pain, and number of comorbidities correlated negatively on HRQoL, and thereby the current study highlights the importance of holistic management of a chronic ulcer patient in a multidisciplinary team.

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