Nutrition in People With a Lower Limb Amputation

Nutritional Intake, Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Level in People Who Have Undergone a Major Dysvascular Lower Limb Amputation

The goal of this prospective longitudinal observational cohort study is to determine the nutritional intake, nutritional status, and physical activity level in people who have undergone a major dysvascular lower limb amputation (LLA) at different moments post-LLA (during hospital admission several days post-LLA, and at 5 weeks, 6 months, and 9 months post-LLA). The main questions this study aims to answer are:

• What is the nutritional intake, nutritional status, and physical activity level at different moments post-LLA?
• What is the association between nutritional intake and physical activity level, and nutritional status?
• What is the association between nutritional intake, nutritional status and physical activity level and clinical outcomes (mortality, wound healing, quality of life, physical functioning)?

People requiring an LLA are at high risk for adverse clinical outcomes. Undernutrition and low physical activity level may affect clinical outcomes negatively. However, little is known about the nutritional intake, nutritional status and physical activity level in the LLA population, and their association with clinical outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergoing or recently (i.e., within the last seven weeks) having undergone a major dysvascular lower limb amputation (i.e., Syme amputation or more proximal level)
• 18 years or older
• Able to collaborate

Exclusion Criteria:

• Requiring re-amputation
• Severe malabsorption disease