Leg ulceration in Portugal: prevalence and clinical history

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and clinical history of leg ulceration in Portugal.

Design: Case identification of patients through health professionals providing care for patients with leg ulceration.

Setting: Clinical areas in hospital, community centres and patients' homes.

Participants: Patients registered with five health centres within Lisbon suffering from ulceration of the leg receiving care from hospital and community staff.

Methods: Patients identified by health care professionals working in one area of Lisbon were asked to complete a simple proforma on each patient with leg ulceration. Patients were followed up prospectively to determine healing rates during this baseline period of evaluation.

Results: In total 263 patients were identified in a population of 186,000 (total prevalence 1.41 (95%CI 1.25-1.59) per 1000 population). The prevalence was similar between men and women (1.3 and 1.46 per 1000, respectively). As expected this was highly age dependent being most common in the patients aged over 80 years (6.5 and 4.9 per 1000, respectively). Median duration of ulceration was 18 months, with 158/240 (66%) present for longer than 1 year, and 40 (17%) for longer than 5 years. The cause of ulceration was unknown to the health professional treating the patient in 86 (33%) patients. Diagnosis of aetiology was usually on the basis of clinical examination alone (145, 56%), with 21 (8%) having undergone ankle to brachial pressure index (ABPI) measurements and a further eight undergoing either echo-Doppler or arteriography. Most care was provided by community services, with 145 (55%) treated in health centres and 77 (29%) treated in the patient's home.

Conclusions: The prevalence of chronic leg ulceration is similar to other reported studies in western Europe, and indicates that approximately 14,000 patients suffer from leg ulceration at any one time in Portugal. Leg ulceration causes a considerable burden on both hospital and community services.