Effects of prosthetic limb prescription on 3-year mortality among Veterans with lower-limb amputation

Method: Retrospective observational study on 4,578 Veterans hospitalized for LLA and discharged 2003- 2004, looking at time to all-cause mortality from the amputation surgical date up to the 3 yr anniversary.

Results: 1,300 (28.4%) persons received a prescription for a prosthetic limb within 1 yr after the surgical amputation. About 46% (n = 2,086) of all Veterans w LLA died within 3 yr of the surgical anniversary. Among those who received a prescription for a prosthetic limb, only 25.2% died within 3 yr of the surgical anniversary. 

Discussion: The time to receipt of the prescription for a prosthetic limb (prosthetic fitting) was associated with lower mortality.

Conclusions: 

• It is important that patients who would benefit from a lower limb prosthesis obtain one as soon as they are medically stable. 
• Early fitting may provide a psychological boost to patients’ motivation, further promoting their overall health.
• Patient-centered care and early prosthetic fitting, is associated
  with longer survival.

Reference: Kurichi JE, Kwong P, Vogel WB, Xie D, Cowper Ripley D, Bates BE. Effects of prosthetic limb prescription on 3-year mortality among Veterans with lower-limb amputation. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2015;52(4):385-96. doi: 10.1682/JRRD.2014.09.0209. PMID: 26348602; PMCID: PMC4563808