Úlceras de miembros inferiores: Características clínico-epidemiológicas de los pacientes asistidos en la unidad de heridas crónicas del Hospital de Clínicas

Gabriela Otero González; Caroline Agorio Norstrom; Miguel Martínez Asuaga

Authors

Gabriela Otero González Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Hospital de Clínicas, Unidad de Heridas Crónicas, Cátedra de Dermatología. Asistente
Caroline Agorio Norstrom Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Hospital de Clínicas, Unidad de Heridas Crónicas, Cátedra de Dermatología. Profesora Adjunta
Miguel Martínez Asuaga Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Hospital de Clínicas, Cátedra de Dermatología. Profesor Director

Keywords:

LEG ULCER

Abstract

Chronic ulcers of the lower limbs constitute a serious medical issue that mainly affects the elderly. These ulcers result in great morbility figures and affect the patient's quality of life, while constituting a significant economic burden for health systems.
Objective: To determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with chronic ulcers of the lower limbs who are seen in our polyclinic.
Method: We conducted a prospective, observational study of the patients seen from August, 2009 through June, 2010.
Results: Sixty four patients were evaluated, 53.1% were female and 46.9% were male. Average age was 65.7 years old.
In terms of their educational level, it was low, 6.3% were illiterate and 67.2% had only completed elementary school studies. Only 1.6% reached, though failed to complete, tertiary education. Average income of the family was 7752 Uruguayan pesos.
In 70.3% of cases ulcers were venous, and in 15.6% of cases ulcers had a combined etiology. Forty eight point four percent of cases presented more than one ulcer and it is worth mentioning that 57.8% of them showed they were more than two years old, and 59.4% of patients had a history of previous ulcers.
Upon progress of the condition, 18.8% of the patients were discharged from hospital, 60.9% continued with treatment and 20.3% abandoned treatment.
Conclusions: In most cases, etiology of the ulcer was venous and it is worth mentioning that patients evidenced a low social an economic level and their ulcers had been present for a long time, what constitute negative facts influencing outcome.

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