Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the aerobic capacity of older adults who
underwent a lower limb amputation is associated with the presence, cause
(traumatic or vascular), and level of amputation (transtibial or transfemoral).
DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive. SETTING: Human motion laboratory at a
rehabilitation center. PARTICIPANTS: Older subjects (n=36) who underwent lower
limb amputation and age-matched, able-bodied controls (n=21). All subjects were
able to walk for a minimum of 4 minutes. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURE: Peak oxygen consumption (Vo(2)(peak)) was measured using
open-circuit respirometry while performing a discontinuous, graded, 1-legged,
peak cycle exercise test. RESULTS: After correcting for age, body mass index, and
sex, the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that subjects who underwent
amputation had a 13.1% lower aerobic capacity compared with able-bodied controls
(P=.021). Differentiation among etiologies revealed that subjects with a vascular
amputation had a lower Vo(2)(peak) of 29.1% compared with able-bodied controls
(P<.001), whereas traumatic amputees did not differ from able-bodied controls
(P=.127). After correcting for etiology, no association between level of
amputation and Vo(2)(peak) was found (P=.534). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults who
underwent an amputation because of vascular deficiency had a lower aerobic
capacity compared with able-bodied controls and people with a traumatic
amputation. The level of amputation was not associated with Vo(2)(peak).
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS